HEAL Initiative: HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study (Collaborative U01- Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

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To address critical questions surrounding the long-term impact of substance exposure on child development, the NIH seeks to create a large, diverse cohort of pregnant women, who along with their offspring, will be followed for 10 years. The cohort will consist of mother and baby dyads recruited beginning in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy and through birth; and will include babies exposed pre- or perinatally to prescription and illicit opioids, marijuana, stimulants, alcohol and nicotine. A deep, nuanced understanding of factors that affect a childs health, brain, and behavioral development is expected to emerge from this study, which is an essential first step toward designing policies and interventions that promote well-being and resiliency in children. Applications are sought from qualified researchers with the capacity and expertise to recruit and retain vulnerable populations for studies that will include neuroimaging, cognitive and behavioral assessments along with collection and analysis of biospecimens from mom and baby.

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