# Cortical and Cognitive Development Following Synthetic Progestin Exposure

> **NIH NIH R01** · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY · 2021 · $317,251

## Abstract

The administration of synthetic progestins to pregnant women for the prevention of
premature delivery has increased dramatically in recent years. Despite this increase,
very little is known about the potential effects of synthetic progestins on the developing
brain. Previous findings from rodent models suggest that progestins may play a role in
the development of frontal cortex and the mesocortical dopamine system, a
neurochemical pathway implicated in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The objective of this proposal is to examine the effects of exposure to the synthetic
progestin, 17α hydroxyprogesterone caproate in the development of the mesocortical
dopamine pathway, the mesocortical serotonin pathway, and subsequent complex
cognitive behaviors mediated by these circuits using a rodent model. Aim 1 will utilize
HPLC/Mass Spec to quantify 17P levels in blood and brain following the administration
of behaviorally-effective doses. Aim 2 will test the hypothesis that exposure to 17P
during development will alter the number of dopaminergic cells in the midbrain ventral
tegmental area, the number of serotonergic cells in the raphe nuclei, and will alter the
density of dopaminergic and serotonergic fibers within the medial prefrontal and
orbitofrontal cortex. Aim 3 will test the hypothesis that exposure to 17P during postnatal
life will alter cognitive and executive function behaviors mediated by these pathways.
Specifically, cognitive flexibility, attentional processing and sensorimotor gating,
behavioral inhibition/impulsivity, impulsive decision making, hyperactivity, and risk
taking behavior will be assessed in adolescence and adulthood in rats exposed to 17P
during development. Results from these animal studies would vastly increase our
knowledge about the potential effects of progestin exposure to generate specific
hypotheses for future research regarding outcomes in children exposed in utero.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10183276
- **Project number:** 5R01HD093907-04
- **Recipient organization:** STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT ALBANY
- **Principal Investigator:** CHRISTINE K WAGNER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $317,251
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-08-08 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10183276

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10183276, Cortical and Cognitive Development Following Synthetic Progestin Exposure (5R01HD093907-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10183276. Licensed CC0.

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