Increasingly, prospective epidemiological studies link maternal stress during pregnancy with adverse neurodevelopment in children. Recent evidence also suggests that perinatal ambient air pollution exposure may have neurotoxic effects. While historically research has focused on how social and physical environmental factors independently affect children's health, evolving research underscores the importance of studying interactive effects. Moreover, marginalized populations of lower-socioeconomic position (SEP) are exposed disproportionately to traffic- related pollutants while living in adverse social circumstances or communities that are """"""""socially"""""""" toxic. Consequently, these populations experience both increased stress and increased chemical pollution. Social x chemical interactions may account for more variance in explaining risk than the main effects of either factor alone. Relevant studies in urban populations are rare and none assess stress and air pollution together. Studies of mechanistic pathways linking perinatal air pollution and/or stress to neurodevelopment are equally sparse. We take advantage of an established pregnancy cohort - the Asthma Coalition on Community, Environment, and Social Stress (ACCESS) project (R01 HL080674, RJ Wright PI), with prospectively characterized exposure to ambient pollutants starting in pregnancy coupled with extensive assessment of pre- and postnatal stress, as well as relevant confounders and mediators. We can draw from our biomarker archive including assessments of prenatal maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (e.g., cortisol), infant autonomic nervous system (ANS) and HPA axis function at age 6 months, and DNA banked for future genetic assays to explore mechanisms. In this application, we are proposing the addition of neurocognitive and behavioral testing in n=815 ACCESS children at age 6 years. We will then test the main effects of perinatal exposure to chronic ambient air pollution and/or psychological stress on these neuropsychiatric outcomes. We will next examine whether air pollution effects are modified by psychosocial stress. Mechanisms to be explored include perinatal stress (&air pollution)-elicited disruption in the maternal prenatal HPA axis and the child's HPA axis and ANS response. Finally, to further explore biological mechanisms by which air pollutants and stress impact neurodevelopment, genetic susceptibility factors will be examined.

Public Health Relevance

This study will examine the effects of perinatal exposure to traffic-related air pollution on childhood neurobehavioral and cognitive development in urban children. In addition to independent effects of air pollution, the study will also examine the potential modifying effects of the social environment (i.e., psychological stress) and genetic susceptibility on these relationships. Such knowledge may inform efforts to design programs that improve neurodevelopmental trajectories in high-risk urban populations disproportionately exposed to adverse physical and social environments.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MD006086-02
Application #
8149889
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMD1-PA (08))
Program Officer
Alvidrez, Jennifer L
Project Start
2010-09-30
Project End
2015-07-31
Budget Start
2011-08-01
Budget End
2012-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$438,659
Indirect Cost
Name
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
030811269
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02115
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Lee, Alison; Leon Hsu, Hsiao-Hsien; Mathilda Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu et al. (2018) Prenatal fine particulate exposure and early childhood asthma: Effect of maternal stress and fetal sex. J Allergy Clin Immunol 141:1880-1886
Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu Mathilda; Hsu, Hsiao-Hsien Leon; Wilson, Ander et al. (2017) Prenatal particulate air pollution exposure and body composition in urban preschool children: Examining sensitive windows and sex-specific associations. Environ Res 158:798-805
Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu Mathilda; Hsu, Hsiao-Hsien Leon; Coull, Brent A et al. (2016) Prenatal particulate air pollution and neurodevelopment in urban children: Examining sensitive windows and sex-specific associations. Environ Int 87:56-65
Cowell, Whitney J; Bellinger, David C; Coull, Brent A et al. (2015) Associations between Prenatal Exposure to Black Carbon and Memory Domains in Urban Children: Modification by Sex and Prenatal Stress. PLoS One 10:e0142492
Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu Mathilda; Coull, Brent A; Sternthal, Michelle J et al. (2014) Effects of prenatal community violence and ambient air pollution on childhood wheeze in an urban population. J Allergy Clin Immunol 133:713-22.e4
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Bosquet Enlow, Michelle; King, Lucy; Schreier, Hannah Mc et al. (2014) Maternal sensitivity and infant autonomic and endocrine stress responses. Early Hum Dev 90:377-85
Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu Mathilda; Bellinger, David C; Coull, Brent A et al. (2013) Associations between traffic-related black carbon exposure and attention in a prospective birth cohort of urban children. Environ Health Perspect 121:859-64
Wright, Rosalind J; Brunst, Kelly J (2013) Programming of respiratory health in childhood: influence of outdoor air pollution. Curr Opin Pediatr 25:232-9

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