Based on a case-control study completed several years ago in a local school district, we are continuing to investigate possible environmental risk factors for ADHD. We have recently submitted a paper documenting that socioeconomic status and parental history of ADHD are risk factors. (see Z01 ES49034; PI Dale Sandler, EB) Our ongoing work on ALS is in collaboration with researchers at Duke University and the Durham Veterans Administration Hospital using data from a case-control study of U.S. veterans. We have published a manuscript examining military and occupational exposures as risk factors for ALS and have submitted another describing the effects of the same factors on survival after diagnosis. We have also published one manuscript examining trace metals in blood as risk factors for ALS and another looking at body mass index (BMI) in relation to ALS. (see Z01 ES49005; LI Freya Kamel, EB) We have carried out a case-control study nested within the Agricultural Health Study to examine associations between Parkinson's disease and environmental risk factors, particularly certain pesticide exposures. We are also looking at selected candidate genes as susceptibility factors. This study employs data from the Agricultural Health Study as well as additional questionnaire data and field samples collected expressly for this effort. Analysis of data from this study is ongoing. (see Z01 ES44007 EB; LI Freya Kamel, EB) In other work, we have continued to use data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study to the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study to study risk factors for Parkinsons disease. At present, we are looking at certain non-motor symptoms such as sleep disturbances, reduced sense of smell, and infrequent bowel movements as early biomarkers for Parkinsons disease. (collaboration with Honglei Chen, formerly EB, currently Michigan State University.) Data collection for a study of the effects of soy estrogen on neonatal development carried out at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia is now complete. We are currently working with two commercial laboratories and the CDC to resolve some inter-laboratory differences in testosterone measurements. We have published a paper showing that infant girls fed soy formula have epigenetically modified vaginal epithelium and another characterizing the size of testis, ovary, uterus, and breast buds in health term neonates. Ongoing analyses are directed a finding differences between soy-fed infants and breast-milk or cow-milk fed infants in the age trajectories of anatomical features that are likely influenced by estrogen. (collaboration with Walter Rogan, formerly EB, now retired)
Showing the most recent 10 out of 34 publications
