Human Brain Connectome Changes Across the Birth Transition

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a significant prenatal insult associated with increased risks of preterm birth and neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. However, it remains unclear how MIA alters fetal and infant brain development during the critical birth transition period, and how these changes influence later neurodevelopmental outcomes. This study will establish a unique cohort of 90 high-risk pregnancies, leveraging advanced neuroimaging techniques, maternal inflammatory biomarkers, and objective infant behavioral assessments to address two specific aims. Aim 1 will identify brain regions sensitive to MIA and characterize how brain development trajectories are disrupted across the birth transition, focusing on attention, salience, and limbic networks. Aim 2 will investigate whether MIA-related brain disruptions mediate the relationship between maternal inflammation and developmental outcomes. By integrating neural, biochemical, and behavioral data, this work will uncover the mechanisms by which maternal inflammation shapes neurodevelopment, identify early biomarkers of child risk, and inform interventions to improve outcomes for high-risk pregnancies. Project Number: 4R00HD113873-03 | Fiscal Year: 2026 | NIH Institute/Center: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) | Principal Investigator: Lanxin Ji | Institution: NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, NEW YORK, NY | Award Amount: $245,782 | Activity Code: R00 | Study Section: NSS View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11529200