# Impact of prenatal insecticide exposure on neurodevelopmental trajectories in a Thai birth cohort: building exposure science and neurodevelopmental research capacity in Thailand

> **NIH NIH R01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $497,804

## Abstract

Project Summary

Exposure to insecticides is ubiquitous in the developing world, where women who perform farming 
activities throughout pregnancy are routinely exposed.  Although several birth cohort studies in 
the U.S. have shown persistent neurodevelopmental effects of prenatal organophosphate (OP) 
insecticide exposure, the neurodevelopmental pathways and timing of exposure leading to adverse 
outcomes is not clear.  Thus, regulatory agencies have been reluctant to change risk assessment 
standards or provide specific recommendations about exposures to pregnant women.  The proposed 
longitudinal birth cohort study in Thailand will: 1) build capacity of Thai researchers to develop 
innovative and competitive studies of pesticide related neurotoxicity 2) measure metabolites of OP 
and pyrethroid (PYR) insecticides during each trimester of pregnancy, and 3) evaluate the impact of 
prenatal OP (and PYR as exploratory analysis) insecticide exposure on neurodevelopmental 
trajectories from birth to age 3.  In collaboration with Chulalongkorn University (CU) in central 
Thailand and Chiang Mai University (CMU) in northern Thailand, 300 pregnant women will be 
recruited. Eight serial urine samples, 4 serial blood samples, and umbilical cord blood will be 
collected during pregnancy to document temporally-resolved insecticide exposure during each 
trimester. The Brazelton Neurobehavioral Assessment Scale will be administered to offspring at 
birth followed by tests of visual attention, regulation of emotion, memory and inhibitory control 
to determine how the “cascade” of neurologic development ultimately affects overall cognitive 
function (e.g., Bayley-III). Capacity building activities include development of core analytic 
laboratory facilities at CMU and neurodevelopmental facilities at CU along with courses to promote 
grant writing and international scientific publications.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9999594
- **Project number:** 5R01ES026082-05
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Dana Boyd Barr
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $497,804
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-30 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9999594

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9999594, Impact of prenatal insecticide exposure on neurodevelopmental trajectories in a Thai birth cohort: building exposure science and neurodevelopmental research capacity in Thailand (5R01ES026082-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9999594. Licensed CC0.

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