Thomas G. O’Connor: Prenatal Origins of Child Neurodevelopmental Outcomes: From Exposures to Mechanisms

Key Takeaways:

• Many common exposures during pregnancy have been linked with neurodevelopmental outcomes in children.
• It’s important to expand the evaluation of prenatal exposures beyond traditional chemical exposures (e.g., lead, tobacco) to include the effects of stress, mood disorders, and illness on childhood cognitive development.
• Broadening this focus allows researchers to expand their understanding of what defines a “healthy pregnancy” and identify the biological mechanisms underpinning the complex relationship between prenatal exposures and childhood cognitive development.
• Understanding these mechanisms will help researchers and clinicians develop assessments and screening tools that facilitate early interventions or treatments.

Speaker:

Thomas G. O’Connor, PhD

Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Rochester Medical Center, NY

Speaker Bio:

Dr. O’Connor is the Wynne Distinguished Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rochester. He is a clinical psychologist with 20 years of clinical research experience studying the mechanisms of pre- and post-natal influences on child behavioral and physical health outcomes.

Date: Wednesday, April 12th, 1 to 2pm ET