Author: Jodi Snare

New ECHO Cohort Research Suggests No Significant Association Between Prenatal Cannabis Exposure and Child Autism-Related Outcomes

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Chaela Nutor, MA and Patricia A. Brennan, PhD of Emory University investigates the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study looked at data from 11,570 school-aged children from across the United States and found no evidence that prenatal cannabis exposure increases the likelihood of ASD, regardless of the child’s sex or gestational age at birth. This research, titled “Examining the Association Between Prenatal Cannabis Exposure and Child Autism Traits: A Multi-cohort Investigation in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program,” is published in Autism Research.

This study included children and their mothers from 34 ECHO cohorts across the United States. ECHO researchers gathered data on cannabis use during pregnancy directly from mothers and from their medical records. They also collected information on ASD diagnosis, as well as caregiver-reported data on the children’s autism traits when the children were 1 to 18 years. The researchers used these data and reports to test whether prenatal cannabis use might be associated with ASD.

“With the legalization of cannabis in some areas of the United States, there has been a decrease in the perception of risk and an increase in cannabis use among pregnant women,” said Chaela Nutor. “While fetal exposure to cannabis has been linked to poorer neonatal and cognitive outcomes, relatively few studies have tested the association between prenatal cannabis exposure and autism spectrum disorder.”

The results of this study supported the findings from previous studies showing that initial unadjusted associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and ASD behaviors in school-aged children are no longer significant when controlling for other factors, such as maternal use of other substances during pregnancy.

The researchers are planning another large national study to further investigate the relationship between prenatal cannabis exposure and autism-related behaviors. Future work could examine the role of continued exposure to cannabis after mothers are aware of pregnancy, and other studies could investigate combined exposure to tobacco and cannabis and associated risk for ASD.

Read the research summary.

New ECHO Research Investigates Association Between PFAS Exposure and Bioactive Lipids in Pregnant Participants

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Himal Suthar, MIDS and Max Aung, PhD of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles investigates the association between the concentration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the blood of pregnant participants with levels of bioactive lipids from three metabolic pathways. This research, titled “Cross-Sectional Associations between Prenatal Per- and Poly-Fluoroalkyl Substances and Bioactive Lipids in Three Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohorts,” is published in Environmental Science and Technology.

PFAS are a large, complex group of synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products around the world since about the 1950s. They are found in items such as non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foam. People are most likely exposed to these chemicals through contaminated water or food, using products containing PFAS, or breathing air with PFAS particles.

Because PFAS break down slowly, if at all, people and animals are repeatedly exposed to them, and blood levels of some PFAS can build up over time. Scientific studies have identified multiple health effects associated with PFAS exposure. Women exposed to PFAS during pregnancy are at increased risk for adverse birth outcomes and pregnancy complications.

Changes in bioactive lipids—metabolic and inflammation pathway indicators—have been linked to PFAS exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Widespread evidence of human PFAS exposure and PFAS’ association with pregnancy outcomes warranted a detailed investigation into intermediate mechanisms of PFAS toxicity to inform risk assessment and develop potential interventions.

In this study, the research team estimated associations between 50 plasma bioactive lipids and 12 serum PFAS, in pairs and as a mixture, in 414 pregnant participants from three ECHO study sites. Serum PFAS was measured using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Plasma bioactive lipids were measured using mass spectrometry. Associations between prenatal PFAS exposure and bioactive lipids were quantified using various statistical analyses while controlling for several factors (e.g., maternal age, gestational age at sample collection, maternal education, pre-pregnancy BMI).

When researchers looked at data from different study sites, they found that higher levels of PFAS in blood were often linked with higher levels of certain bioactive lipids. The research team also noticed differences in the distribution of bioactive lipids between individual study sites, possibly driven by variations in the genetic makeup and sociodemographic characteristics of the populations or differences in environmental exposures due to diet.

Researchers found that the similar results from analyzing mixtures of and individual PFAS chemicals indicate that specific bioactive lipids could serve as useful biomarkers of PFAS exposure.

“Findings from our present study contextualize potential clinical care approaches proposed by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine by providing details on specific prenatal lipid metabolite and PFAS exposure associations,” Suthar said. “While the bioactive lipids measured in this study have not yet been tested as routine biomarkers in clinical settings, these findings aid in advancing the future of healthcare as additional and more complex lipid biomarkers become measurable and are tested for clinical use.”

The researchers plan to measure associations between bioactive lipids and perinatal mental health outcomes including perinatal and postpartum depression. Future studies could also look at the influence of other variables on this relationship. For example, researchers could investigate the influence of diet, which has been linked to changes in both PFAS and bioactive lipid concentrations.

Read the research summary.

ECHO Breaks New Ground With Data and Samples for Widespread Use and Tools to Investigate Complex Mixtures of Environmental and Social Determinants of Health

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Researchers across the ECHO Cohort Consortium and ECHO ISPCTN have now published more than 1,700 research articles. Recent research publications include associations of synthetic oxytocin, socioeconomic stress, and the infant gut microbiome with neurodevelopment and behavior outcomes in children, and another investigates the relationship between phthalate exposure and high blood pressure during pregnancy.

As we explored in our recent commentary in the American Journal of Epidemiology, ECHO breaks new ground not only by collecting data and samples for widespread use by the scientific community but also by building tools to investigate complex mixtures of environmental and social determinants of health.

Beyond our publications, ECHO continues to communicate through our live monthly ECHO Discovery webinars about research in progress, open to all. Our ECHO Research Spotlight (below) features work that ECHO researchers highlighted at one such recent webinar. We have also posted recordings of our May 2024 webinar on racism and maternal health disparities, our June webinar on fish consumption during pregnancy, and our July webinar on emerging trends in pediatric obesity. Our August webinar will focus on epigenetic regulators in human milk.

Whether you are a participant or researcher powering ECHO’s science, or a policymaker or advocate looking for better information to enhance child health, we hope you are benefitting from our work. Thank you.

—Matthew W. Gillman, M.D., S.M.

Health Science Policy Analyst Position

Posted on by Jodi Snare

APPLICATIONS ARE NO LONGER BEING ACCEPTED

This position is for a Health Science Policy Analyst in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program Office, Office of the Director (OD), National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The ECHO Program is an extramural program within the Office of The Director of the NIH. Launched in 2016, ECHO aims to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. The program consists of ongoing observational studies and a pediatric clinical trials network. Research conducted through ECHO focuses on five key pediatric outcomes that have a high public health impact: pre-, peri- and postnatal outcomes; upper and lower airway health; obesity; neurodevelopment; and positive health, such as happiness and a sense of wellbeing.

The incumbent Health Science Policy Analyst would be responsible for analyzing and monitoring developments in several areas of science as they affect ECHO research, policies, and legislation, and for furnishing policy guidance and assistance regarding science policy issues, as required to appropriate Institute, NIH, and DHHS staff, and consulting with them regarding any of the many issues relevant to pediatric environmental health research activities. The ability to function independently, conceptualize and develop policy documents, conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis, translate scientific information into lay language for various audiences, and contribute to strategic planning documents is essential.

Interested candidates should apply using the following USAJobs links and contact Dr. Erin Luetkemeier at erin.luetkemeier@nih.gov.

  • Health Science Policy Analyst GS-0601-12/13 USAJOBS – Job Announcement
    • Announcement Type: Merit Promotion (Government-Wide)
    • Locations: Montgomery County, MD
    • Open: 7/29 to 08/07
  •  Health Science Policy Analyst GS-0601-12/13 USAJOBS – Job Announcement
    • Announcement Type: Delegated Examining (Open to the Public)
    • Locations: Montgomery County, MD
    • Open: 7/29 to 08/07

ECHO Cohort Researchers Investigate How Fish Consumption During Pregnancy Affects Child Health

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Fish is an important part of a healthy diet, especially during pregnancy. For example, the evidence-based Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women consume 8 to 12 ounces of fish per week.

However, relatively little information is available about how much fish people actually consume in pregnancy, and more research is needed on health outcomes related to consumption of fish, or the omega-3 fatty acids for which fish is a rich source, during pregnancy.

ECHO Cohort researchers addressed these gaps at a recent ECHO Discovery webinar on the science of fish consumption.

Kristen Lyall, ScD of the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute; Emily Oken, MD, MPH of Harvard Medical School and the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute; and Margaret Karagas, PhD of the Geisel School of Medicine and Dartmouth College presented the latest science and discussed what ECHO researchers are hoping to contribute.

These ECHO Cohort researchers described what is currently known about fish consumption during pregnancy and childhood and why the ECHO Program is uniquely positioned to further explore how fish can enhance the health of pregnant women and children.

Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, essential nutrients for healthy fetal brain and eye development, Oken explained. Omega-3 fatty acid consumption during pregnancy also reduces the risk of preterm and early preterm birth, as summarized in a  2023 publication in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

The ECHO Program’s large, diverse participant population allows researchers to better understand the impact of fish consumption and omega-3 supplement intake among pregnant women in the U.S.

Because of the representative sample size, ECHO Cohort researchers are examining consumption of  fish intake and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplements, an omega-3 fatty acid naturally found in seafood, during pregnancy.

Analysis of ECHO Cohort data found that around a quarter of the pregnant participants reported no fish intake during pregnancy. Even fewer participants reported taking omega-3 supplements. (Read the full analysis in the Journal of Public Health Nutrition.)

The data also show that people who did not consume enough fish also did not take DHA supplements. The people who ate enough fish took more supplements, Oken explained. She highlighted that in addition to a positive impact on brain and eye development, taking DHA supplements during pregnancy is associated with decreased preterm birth.

Prenatal fish consumption and autism spectrum disorder

In other recent work, ECHO investigators have examined how eating fish or taking DHA supplements affects childhood autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses and autism-related traits. (Read the full analysis in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.)

ECHO Cohort researchers are in a unique position to examine the relationship between fish intake and supplement use during pregnancy and childhood autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis and autism-related traits because of the large and representative study population.

A research article published July 1, 2024 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provides an analysis of ECHO Cohort data to address this relationship. This analysis suggests that eating more fish, rather than taking supplements, may be associated with a lower likelihood of ASD diagnosis and, to a lesser extent, a lower likelihood of autism-related traits.

Fish consumption and child growth and development

Many questions remain regarding fish consumption in pregnancy.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recently released a report on the role of maternal and child seafood consumption in child growth and development. Drs. Oken and Karagas served on the report committee, as did ECHO Cohort investigator Julie Herbstman, PhD, of Columbia Mailman School of Public Health; Dr. Herbstman also participated in the ECHO Discovery presentation.

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the NASEM report found that children ages 1 to 2 years ate fewer than two seafood meals per month on average; only 6 percent of children ages 2 to 19 years reported eating two or more seafood meals per week.

In future work, ECHO Cohort researchers will continue to study how fish consumption impacts child growth and development.  ECHO’s ongoing follow-up, broad focus on health outcomes, and diverse participants allow the initiative to address the many research gaps surrounding the role of fish consumption on child health outcomes.

Reminder: Through the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Data and Specimen Hub (DASH), the ECHO Program provides de-identified data about ECHO participants so that the larger scientific community can discover new insights about pediatric health.

Grants Announced for Secondary Analysis of ECHO Cohort Data on DASH

Posted on by Jodi Snare

The NIH ECHO grants announced below aim to advance research in high-priority areas of child health by stimulating the use of ECHO Cohort data by dissertation students and postdoctoral fellows. The awards provide students and fellows the opportunity to study child health outcomes through the analysis of ECHO’s large longitudinal data sets in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Data and Specimen Hub (DASH) repository. The awards will facilitate entry of promising new investigators into the field of early environmental exposures and child health research.

The opportunities, titled “Maximizing the Scientific Value of Data Generated by the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program,” were announced in June 2023 and applications were reviewed in March 2024 by a Special Emphasis Panel convened by the NIH Center for Scientific Review. The 2- to 3-year awards provide students with stipends and funds for research-related costs.

For further information, contact Clay Mash.

  • Charles Alvarado, Pennsylvania State University, Identifying neurocognitive correlates of reading impacted by adversity exposure
  • Hannah Appleseth, Oklahoma State University, Tracing the impact of evolving environmental exposure to tobacco, cannabis, and nicotine smoke and vapor emissions on children’s mental health symptom trajectories
  • Mia Campbell, Johns Hopkins University, Understanding longitudinal trajectories of environmental factors and depression among minoritized adolescents
  • Jessie Gleason, Drexel University, Prenatal per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and associations with common childhood infections and allergies: A study of risks and resiliencies in the ECHO Program
  • Mary Webb, University of Delaware, Influences of prenatal phthalate exposure on early childhood overweight/obesity and potentially protective dietary strategies
  • Jiwon Oh, PhD, University of California at Davis, Prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals and child neurodevelopmental disorders: Mediation by cytokines and DNA methylation

New ECHO Research Finds Association Between Weight Gain in Preterm Infants and Higher Obesity Risk in Children

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Michael O’Shea, MD, MPH of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, School of Medicine investigates the effects of growth and weight gain during infancy on neurodevelopment and obesity in children born very preterm. This research, titled “Association of Growth During Infancy with Neurodevelopment and Obesity in Children Born Very Preterm: The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort,” is published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Infants born preterm typically have a period of poor growth in their first few months. After this stretch, they typically exhibit “catch-up” growth defined by an increase in weight z-score—a measure to classify a child’s nutritional status—during childhood and adolescence.

Prior research suggested that a “trade-off” may be associated with catch-up growth, such that individuals with more rapid weight gain during infancy have better neurodevelopmental outcomes than individuals with less weight gain. However, rapid catch-up growth during infancy has also been associated with a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese.

This study involved 1,400 children born before 32 weeks of gestation in hospitals in multiple states in the U.S. between 2002 and 2020. A majority of these children experienced neonatal complications—issues faced during the first 28 days of life—the most common of which was neonatal chronic lung disease. These children were followed for 1 to 4 years, at which point their BMI and neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed. The data collected allowed for analyses of relationships between weight gain following NICU discharge and neurodevelopmental outcomes and BMI at 1 to 4 years of age.

The study team found that in comparison to infants with low weight gain after birth, infants with very high weight gain after NICU discharge, experienced by 13.6% of participants, had higher body mass index (BMI) scores and a higher risk of obesity at 12-48 months.

The study team also found no evidence that very high weight gain after NICU discharge was associated with better neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 to 48 months of age. However, infants with very low weight gain after NICU discharge had lower scores on cognitive and language assessments. No significant differences were found between girls and boys.

These results suggest there are possible benefits of close monitoring of post-NICU growth and healthier feeding practices to prevent obesity, which is associated with multiple adverse health outcomes.

“Because this study suggests that very preterm infants who experienced a very high increase in body weight during the first four years after NICU discharge were more likely to have a high BMI with similar neurodevelopmental outcomes, avoiding high weight gain might be beneficial to very preterm infants’ health,” Dr. O’Shea said. “However, as single studies rarely provide sufficient evidence to change clinical practice, this study should not be the sole basis for such changes. If the findings of this ECHO study are replicated in other studies, changes in clinical practice might then be appropriate.”

Future studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between the pace of weight gain during early childhood, long-term developmental outcomes, and changes in children’s BMI. This study focused on weight gain among infants born very preterm after discharge from the NICU. Additional studies are needed to observe the effects of different rates of catch-up growth on infants born closer to term.

Read the research summary.

ECHO Presentations at Upcoming Conferences

Posted on by Jodi Snare

From posters and symposiums to oral presentations and flash talks, 19 Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program teams will present at three upcoming conferences.

ISEE: International Society for Environmental Epidemiology: August 25-28, 2024

The International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) Conference will be held in Santiago, Chile Aug. 25-28. This year’s conference addresses how the scientific community faces current health environmental justice, and epidemiological challenges, including empirical evidence, methodological approaches, ethical and theoretical developments.

Title Primary Author(s) Type Status
Cord Blood Metabolic Signatures of In-utero Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Exposure: A Multicohort Study

 

 Leda Chatzi Abstract Accepted as presentation
Prenatal Air Pollution Exposure and Risk of Autism: Findings from ECHO Cohorts

 

 Akhgar Ghassabian Abstract Accepted as oral presentation
Do Area- and Individual-level Sociodemographic Characteristics Modify the Association of Air Pollution with Incident Asthma in the ECHO Program?

 

 Antonella Zanobetti, Rima Habre Abstract Accepted as oral presentation
Patterns of Pediatric Chronic Health Outcomes in the United States: The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program

 

 Drew B. Day; presented by Christine Loftus) Abstract Accepted as flash talk
Cross-sectional Associations Between Prenatal Maternal Per-/Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and Bioactive Lipids in Three Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohorts

 

 Himal Suthar; Max Aung Abstract Accepted as flash talk
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Prenatal Environmental Phenol and Paraben Exposures in the ECHO Cohorts

 

 Michael Bloom Abstract Accepted as a flash talk
Wildfire-specific Fine Particulate Matter and Adverse Birth Outcomes in the U.S. ECHO-wide Cohort

 

 Allison R. Sherris Abstract Accepted for oral presentation
Drought Exposure Assessment During Pregnancy in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort

 

 Amii M. Kress Abstract Accepted for oral poster
Drought Exposure During Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort

 

 Amii M. Kress Abstract Accepted for oral poster
Changes in Prenatal Urinary Concentrations of Triclocarban and Triclosan Following U.S. FDA Ban in 2016

 

 Adaeze C. Wosu Abstract Accepted for flash
oral presentation

 

WCE: World Congress of Epidemiology: September 24-27, 2024

The 23rd World Congress of Epidemiology (WCE) will take place in Cape Town, South Africa Sept. 24-27. This year’s theme is “Epidemiology and complexity: challenges and responses.” WCE brings together epidemiologists and public health experts with the goal of promoting dialogue, the interchange of ideas, and scientific research.

Title Primary Author(s) Type Status
Associations Between the Community Food Environment and Fruit and Vegetable and Sugar-sweetened Beverage Consumption in Children in the ECHO Study

 

 Christine Hockett, Lacey McCormack Abstract Accepted for oral poster

 

ISES: International Society of Exposure Science: October 20-24, 2024

International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) 2024 Annual Meeting will be held Oct. 20-24 in Montreal, Canada. The meeting brings together communities from academia, government and the non-profile sector to discuss issues around exposure science, epidemiology, toxicology, and risk assessments to explore this year’s theme, “Exposures that Impact Health in Vulnerable Populations.”

Title Primary Author(s) Type Status
Exposures to Legacy and Emerging Contaminants in the United States and Associated Determinants and Developmental Outcomes in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Cohort

 

 Lesliam Quiros-Alcala, Jiwon Oh Symposium Accepted, proposals participating: EC0381, EC0409, EC0646, EC0681, EC0723, EC0716
Widespread Exposure to Legacy and Emerging Contaminants During Pregnancy and Associations with Birth Weight and Gestational Length: The ECHO Program

 

 Jessie P. Buckley Abstract Part of EC0726 symposium. Accepted as presentation
Dietary Predictors of Exposure to Legacy and Emerging Chemicals in Pregnancy: The ECHO Program

 

 Diana Pacyga Abstract Part of EC0726 symposium. Accepted as presentation
Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate Ester Flame Retardants and Early Life Growth Trajectories of Child Weight and Adiposity

 

 Anne P. Starling Abstract Part of EC0726 symposium
Accepted as presentation
Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Alternative Plasticizers and Behavioral Outcomes in Early Childhood: The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program

 

 Jiwon Oh Abstract Part of EC0726 symposium. Accepted as oral presentation
Prenatal Pesticide Exposure and Airway Outcomes in Infancy and Early Childhood: An ECHO-wide Analysis

 

 Allison R. Sherris Abstract Part of EC0726 symposium. Accepted as an oral presentation
Investigating Disparities in Toxic Chemical Exposures with Neurodevelopmental Effects

 

 Teresa Herrera Abstract Part of EC0726 symposium. Accepted as a poster
Exposures to Contemporary and Emerging Chemicals Among Young Children in the United States Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program

 

 Jiwon Oh Abstract Accepted as poster

Neighborhood Impact on Children’s Well-Being Shifted During COVID-19 Pandemic, ECHO Study Suggests

Posted on by Jodi Snare

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted daily life and has raised concerns about its impact on children’s well-being. A new study from the NIH Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program (ECHO) sheds light on how a neighborhood’s physical and social environment influenced a child’s well-being before and during the pandemic.

According to an analysis of ECHO Cohort data, the neighborhood environment was less likely to be associated with child well-being during the pandemic than in the pre-pandemic period. The pandemic brought unprecedented social changes, altering how people and families interacted with their neighborhoods. For example, during the pandemic, neighborhood safety was less of a concern for children who spent more time indoors at home and less time outside. Likewise, the closure of parks and playgrounds limited access to green spaces and recreation, making those factors less important to a child’s well-being at that time.

The study authors point out that the new findings align with previous research showing a link between neighborhood characteristics and child well-being. For instance, previous studies indicate that living in neighborhoods with higher poverty levels, lower educational attainment, and poorer housing conditions are associated with worse child health outcomes, including physical and mental health, cognitive development, and academic achievement.

“Neighborhood characteristics were widely known to be associated with children's well-being. Until now, we hadn't looked at how the COVID-19 pandemic might change their relationships,” said Xueying Zhang, PhD, of Baylor College of Medicine. “Additionally, the impacts of the pandemic may be different among children of different races.”

The study involved 1,039 children from more than 10 ECHO Cohort Study sites across the U.S., mostly between the ages of 11 and 19. These children completed a well-being questionnaire called the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) before (2019 to March 1, 2020) and during (March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021) the pandemic The PROMIS survey measures mental and physical health as well as peer and family relationships in children.

The researchers then matched U.S. Census tract data with a child’s residential address to examine the neighborhood characteristics. They looked at factors including race, education, occupation composition of residents, house capacities, and property features. They analyzed how these factors were associated with child well-being, considering the impacts of the pandemic and differences across child racial groups.

"Our findings highlight the significance of how child race intersects with the impact of the pandemic on child well-being,” said Dr. Zhang.  “Future research could examine how people respond differently to environmental impacts during the pandemic and help to address disparities.”

Dr. Zhang led this collaborative research published in Environmental Research.

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About ECHO: Launched in 2016, the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program is a research program in the Office of the Director at the NIH with the mission to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. For more information, visit echochildren.org.

About the NIH: NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information, visit www.nih.gov.

Media Contacts

For information or to request an interview, contact Rebekah Yeager,  rebekah.yeager@nih.gov.

If you are not a member of the media, but have a general inquiry, please contact  NIHKidsandEnvironment@od.nih.gov.

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ECHO Cohort Study Finds Link Between Infant Gut Microbiome and Autism-Related Traits

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Vanja Klepac-Ceraj, PhD, of Wellesley College, and Juliette C. Madan, MD, MS, of Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, investigates the relationship between the infant gut microbiome and childhood autism-related traits. This research, titled “Prospective Association of the Infant Gut Microbiome with Social Behaviors in the ECHO Consortium,” is published in Molecular Autism.

The study sought to identify gut bacteria linked to social traits and brain development in two ECHO Cohort Study Sites. Researchers found that certain features of the gut microbiome of infants were associated with higher scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 (SRS-2), a questionnaire that measures autism-related traits. Specifically, certain bacteria and their functional genes, particularly those related to the production of short-chain fatty acids, were linked to autism-related traits. These associations varied between sex and age groups.

“The findings of this study help us understand the potential likelihood of autism-related traits through the gut-brain axis,” said Dr. Klepac-Ceraj. “This understanding could open up new avenues for targeted early interventions.”

Researchers studied 481 samples from 304 healthy child participants from ECHO Cohort study sites in New Hampshire and Rhode Island. The children were between 6 weeks and 2 years old when they provided stool samples and between 3 and 19 years old when social traits were assessed.

In this study, researchers compared groups of participants from two different study sites, focusing on their gut microbiomes when they were younger and social traits related to ASD at a later age. Both study sites contributing to this analysis had previously sequenced bacterial DNA from fecal samples collected from infants or toddlers. They calculated how common certain bacteria were in each sample and related that to the participant’s social behavior scores.

Future studies could explore interventions that could change the gut bacteria and potentially influence how the brain develops. Researchers also plan to investigate the influence of the developing gut microbiome on other neurobehavioral outcomes, such as anxiety and depression.

Read the research summary.