Project Title

Project Title

A Prospective Birth Cohort Study on Pre- and Peri-natal Determinants of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental Disabilities

Description

Description

An existing large-scale prospective birth cohort – the Boston Birth Cohort (BBC) – is transformed into an ASD cohort to efficiently and immediately investigate preconception, pre- and peri-natal risk factors and health services patterns for ASD. The BBC is a well-established and ongoing prospective birth cohort of a U.S. urban predominantly low-income minority population, now consisting of over 8,500 mother-infant pairs. The goal is to examine the independent and combined effects of maternal demographics, medical, psychosocial, home and neighborhood environments at critical developmental windows (preconception, pre- and perinatal) on the risk of ASD and Developmental Disabilities (DD), and to analyze health services patterns in this cohort.

Funding Country

Funding Country

United States

Current Award Period

Current Award Period

2014-2016

Strategic Plan Objective

Strategic Plan Objective

Support at least three studies of special populations or use existing databases to inform our understanding of environmental risk factors for ASD in pregnancy and the early postnatal period by 2012. Such studies could include: o Comparisons of populations differing in geography, gender, ethnic background, exposure history (e.g., prematurity, maternal infection, nutritional deficiencies, toxins), and migration patterns; and o Comparisons of phenotype (e.g., cytokine profiles), in children with and without a history of autistic regression, adverse events following immunization (such as fever and seizures), and mitochondrial impairment. These studies may also include comparisons of phenotype between children with regressive ASD and their siblings. Emphasis on environmental factors that influence prenatal and early postnatal development is particularly of high priority. Epidemiological studies should pay special attention to include racially and ethnically diverse populations.

Funder’s Project Link

Funder’s Project Link

External Project Page 

Institute Location

Institute Location

Maryland

Federal or Private

Federal or Private

Federal