Research Grants

NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers 2015 Webinar Series: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Neurodevelopment

Title: NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers 2015 Webinar Series co-sponsored by EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection
Date: Sept. 9, 2015
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. EDT
Location: Webinar
Purpose:

Join us for this month's webinar. The webinar features presentations and interactive discussions including recent findings and new developments in children's environmental health.

Topic: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Neurodevelopment

Featured Speakers:

Virginia RauhVirginia Rauh
Columbia University

Title: Epidemiologic Studies of the Effects of Toxic Exposures on Brain and Behavior: Neuropsychological Assessment

Summary: This presentation describes epidemiologic methods for studying the impact of prenatal exposure to a common organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos, on cognition and behavior in a community-based sample of inner-city minority children. Results show the emergence of a signature neuropsychological profile characterized by poor fine motor dexterity, auditory attention deficits, good impulse control and no visual memory problems.  Implications for potential clinical, emotional or learning impairments are discussed.


Pamela J. LeinPam Lein
University of California, Davis

Title: Using in vitro and in vivo models to inform studies of developmental neurotoxicity

Summary: This talk will summarize the iterative use of in vitro and in vivo models to inform ongoing studies examining the effects of environmental chemicals on neuronal connectivity in the developing brain.


Susan L. SchantzSusan Schantz
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Title: Assessing Neurodevelopment in Parallel Animal and Human Studies

Summary: This talk will describe the approach we are using in our Children’s Environmental Health Research Center to assess the impact of prenatal chemical exposure on neurodevelopment.


Bradley S. PetersonBrad Peterson
Children's Hospital in Los Angeles

Title: MRI Studies of the Brain-Based Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Environmental Toxins

Summary: This presentation will summarize findings from preliminary studies on the effects that prenatal exposure to two environmental neurotoxicants -- the insecticide chlorpyrifos and the air pollutant Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons -- have on brain structure in grade school-aged children. It will also provide discuss the consequences that the brain-based effects of these toxicants are thought to have on cognition and behavior.


Jennifer LowryJennifer Lowry
Discussion Moderator
Children's Mercy

Contact:

Nica Louie (louie.nica@epa.gov); 703-347-8125

Presentations: 

Using in vitro and in vivo models to inform understanding of developmental neurotoxicity (PDF)(16 pp, 1 MB, 11/3/2016)

Epidemiologic Studies of the Effects of Toxic Exposures on Brain and Behavior: Neuropsychological Assessment (PDF)(19 pp, 878 K, 11/3/2016)

Assessing Neurodevelopment in Parallel Animal and Human Studies (PDF)(18 pp, 2 MB, 11/3/2016)