Akkaya Hocagil T., Dang K., Jacobson J. L., Carter R. C., Jacobson S. W., Ryan L. M.(Yürütücü), et al.
Diğer Uluslararası Fon Programları, 2023 - 2026
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Proje Türü:
Diğer Uluslararası Fon Programları
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Başlama Tarihi:
Eylül 2023
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Bitiş Tarihi:
Mayıs 2026
Proje Özeti
- This research program will develop new biostatistical methodology for causal analysis about the effect of complex multidimensional exposures on multiple outcomes. The work is motivated by challenges arising in the synthesis of data from six studies of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), the most common preventable cause of neuro-developmental disabilities. High levels of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are known to cause serious developmental problems in children, but the impact of low-levels of exposure and the impact of total volume versus the rate of consumption is unknown. Cognition is assessed using a battery of tests in the cohorts, each geared towards different processing skills, so analyses will rely on hierarchical multivariate models and growth curve analysis which incorporate innovative propensity score methodology for causal inferences. A recent retrospective study suggested that PAE had a larger effect on girls in terms of cognition and physical appearance. We will therefore investigate this question in our prospective studies to assess whether sex is an effect-modifier for the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure, as well as whether different domains of cognitive ability are affected for boys and girls. The effect-modifying role of maternal age, race, and SES will also be investigated. Prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol syndrome disorders continue to be critically important public health issues affecting millions of children worldwide. This strong team of researchers with expertise in biostatistics, epidemiology, neuroscience and psychology, and child development will apply the resulting methods to these data to furnish rigorous answers to critically important questions on prenatal alcohol exposure and child health. The methodological advances made by this team will be applicable to many other public health settings involving causal assessment of complex gestational or other environmental exposures on multidimensional outcomes.