# Maternal Exposure to Childhood Abuse and Disparities in Offspring Neurodevelopment: Identifying Mechanisms

> **NIH NIH R01** · HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH · 2021 · $671,122

## Abstract

Project Summary
Children of women exposed to childhood abuse exhibit increased risk for a wide array of neurodevelopmental
deficits, including elevated risk of anxiety, depression, and social problems. Our studies have found that these
children had a more than three-fold higher risk of autism and 70% higher risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD). Animal studies similarly find that maternal exposure to stressors is associated with offspring
anxiety, depressive symptoms, and attention problems and decreased social behavior. Neurodevelopmental
disorders are common and carry lifelong, costly burdens. Yet, extant research has failed to identify pathways
by which children of women abused are at risk of harm. Identification of such pathways is a critical step in
preventing neurodevelopmental deficits in these children. The present research focuses on three likely
pathways that have largely been unexamined. We will identify biological dysregulation during pregnancy in
women exposed versus unexposed to abuse in two systems: hormonal function and immune function.
Dysregulation in these biological systems is known to harm offspring neurodevelopment and is present in
adults who have experienced childhood abuse, yet it is largely unknown whether dysregulation in these
systems occurs during the pregnancies of women exposure to abuse. We will collect biological samples to
measure the functioning of these systems in a large, prospective cohort of pregnant women. Second, we will
examine whether women who experienced abuse carry higher genetic loading for neuropsychiatric disorders
by calculating genetic risk scores for 5 disorders including autism and ADHD in more than 8000 women.
Genetically informed studies indicate that genetic variation plays a role in increased risk of negative
neurodevelopmental outcomes in children of women abused. However, to date no studies have used genome-
wide data to address this question. Our proposed study is uniquely suited to greatly expand our understanding
of how childhood abuse affects health across generations and to inform interventions to protect the healthy
development of children. This information is critical to establish public health priorities and to determine the
optimal type and timing of interventions to prevent neurodevelopmental harm to children.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10145494
- **Project number:** 5R01HD094725-03
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD UNIVERSITY D/B/A HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrea L. Roberts
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $671,122
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-04-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10145494

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10145494, Maternal Exposure to Childhood Abuse and Disparities in Offspring Neurodevelopment: Identifying Mechanisms (5R01HD094725-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10145494. Licensed CC0.

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