Grantee Research Project Results
Research Centers
University of California at Davis Center for the Study of Environmental Factors in the Etiology of Autism
University of California - Davis
The central goal of the Center is to investigate environmental risk factors contributing to the incidence and severity of childhood autism.
Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by deficiencies of social reciprocity and communication, and by repetitive behavior. The majority of cases seem likely to arise from a -multiplicity of yet unidentified genetic and environmental factors. Surveys in California have indicated an apparent 210% increase in the cases of profound autism in children diagnosed over the last 10 years. Recent estimates indicate the frequency of mild to severe autism may be as high as 1:150 (Lord et al 2000). Thus there is growing concern from both parents and health professionals that prenatal and postnatal exposure to xenobiotic (e.g. mercurials, halogenated aromatics, and pesticides) and biotic (e.g. vaccine antigens) factors may act synergistically with unidentified susceptibility-genetic factors to produce autistic spectrum disorders.
To understand how the interaction of susceptibility genes with exposure to "environmental" chemicals may increase the risk and severity of autism and to identify which combination of chemical exposures confer the greatest threat, we propose to establish an interdisciplinary Center that addresses this complex problem at several levels. Project I proposes the first case-controlled epidemiological study of environmental factors in the etiology of autism. Tissue samples and exhaustive information will be collected from geographically distinct areas of California. Project two proposes to identify for the first time how known neurotoxicants of concern to children''s health influence the development of social behavior and mediating brain regions such as the amygdala. Project III integrates elements of Projects I and 11 in order to examine molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders associated with human autism and animal models of autism. The three research projects are integrated within a center framework that provides extensive facility core capabilities in xenobiotic/lipid analysis (Core 1), cell activation biomarkers (Core 11), and molecular biomarkers (Core III). Our ultimate goal is to understand common patterns of dysfunction in autism and elucidate mechanisms by which chemicals known to be toxic to the nervous system contribute to abnormal development of social behavior in children so that rational strategies for treatment and prevention can be undertaken.
Identifier | Abstract | Principal Investigator |
Annual/ Final Reports |
Pubs Count | Institution | Grant Representative |
Grant Amount |
Project Period |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
R825433
Centers - Main center abstract - UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention |
Center for Ecological Health Research |
Rolston, Dennis E.
- Principal Investigators listed are sub-PIs determined by the center. |
Row 1: Final
|
Row 1 Total Pubs:
402 Row 1 Journals: 239 Row 1 Books: 48 |
University of California - Davis | Packard, Benjamin H | $6,110,000 |
October 01, 1996 - September 30, 2000 |
2 |
R827352
Centers - Main center abstract - Southern California Particle Center |
Southern California Particle Center and Supersite (SCPCS) |
Froines, John R. Arey, Janet Atkinson, Roger Avol, Edward L. Berhane, Kiros Cass, Glen Charles, Judith M. Cho, Arthur K. Cohen, Yoram Colome, Steven D. Eastmond, David A. Eldering, Annmarie Friedlander, Sheldon Fukuto, Jon Gauderman, William Gong, Henry Grosser, Stella C. Hankinson, Oliver Harkema, Jack Hinds, William C. Kleinman, Michael T. Kumagai, Yoshito Kunzli, Nino Langholz, Brian Linn, William S. Lurmann, Fred McConnell, Rob Scot Miguel, Antonio Nel, Andre E. Peters, John M. Phalen, Robert Que Hee, Shane S. Ritz, Beate R. Schiestl, Robert H. Sioutas, Constantinos Stram, Dan Thomas, Duncan C. Turco, Richard Venkatesan, M. Indira Winer, Arthur M. Yu, Rong Chun Ziemann, Paul J. - Principal Investigators listed are sub-PIs determined by the center. |
Row 2: 2003
|
Row 2 Total Pubs:
150 Row 2 Journals: 149 -- Row 2: No Books -- |
University of California - Los Angeles, Michigan State University, Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center, University of California - Davis, University of California - Irvine, University of California - Riverside, University of Southern California, University of Tsukuba | Chung, Serena | $8,715,583 |
June 01, 1999 - May 31, 2005 (Extended to May 31, 2006) |
3 |
R828676
Centers - Main center abstract - EAGLES - Consortium for Estuarine Ecoindicator Research for the Gulf of Mexico |
A Western Center for Estuarine Indicators Research which will Develop Indicators of Wetlands Ecosystem Health |
Anderson, Susan L. Allen, John Bennett, Bill Brooks, Andrew Carr, Robert Scott Cherr, Gary N. Collins, Joshua N Fujiwara, Masami Green, Peter Grosholz, Edwin Higashi, Richard M. Hwang, Hyun-Min Kendall, Bruce E. Morgan, Steven Murdoch, William W. Nisbet, Roger M. Ogle, Scott Pawley, Anitra Rose, Wendy Smith, Edmund Stewart-Oaten, Allan Swanson, Christina Ustin, Susan L. Vorster, Peter Werner, I. - Principal Investigators listed are sub-PIs determined by the center. |
Row 3: 2001
|
Row 3 Total Pubs:
55 Row 3 Journals: 29 Row 3 Books: 2 |
University of California - Davis, San Francisco Estuary Institute, Smith and Associates, The Bay Institute of San Francisco, United States Geological Survey, University of California - Santa Barbara, University of California - Santa Cruz | Packard, Benjamin H | $5,998,221 |
October 01, 2000 - September 30, 2004 |
4 |
R829388
Centers - Main center abstract - UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention |
Center for the Study of Environmental Factors in the Etiology of Autism |
Pessah, Isaac N.
- Principal Investigators listed are sub-PIs determined by the center. |
Row 4: 2006
|
Row 4 Total Pubs:
169 Row 4 Journals: 156 Row 4 Books: 1 |
University of California - Davis | Hahn, Intaek | $7,325,232 |
November 01, 2001 - October 31, 2006 |
5 |
R832414
Centers - Main center abstract - UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention |
San Joaquin Valley Aerosol Health Effects Research Center (SAHERC) |
Wexler, Anthony S. Fanucchi, Michelle V. Pinkerton, Kent E. Wilson, Dennis - Principal Investigators listed are sub-PIs determined by the center. |
Row 5: 2006
|
Row 5 Total Pubs:
91 Row 5 Journals: 63 Row 5 Books: 6 |
University of California - Davis | Chung, Serena | $7,999,767 |
October 01, 2005 - September 30, 2010 (Extended to September 30, 2011) |
6 |
R833292
Centers - Main center abstract - UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention |
UC Davis Center for Children’s Environmental Health |
Pessah, Isaac N. Ashwood, Paul Bennett, Deborah H. Berman, Robert F. Golub, Mari S. Hansen, Robin Hertz-Picciotto, Irva Ozonoff, Sally Rogers, Sally Van de Water, Judith Walker, Cheryl - Principal Investigators listed are sub-PIs determined by the center. |
Row 6: 2007
|
Row 6 Total Pubs:
493 Row 6 Journals: 292 Row 6 Books: 12 |
University of California - Davis | Hahn, Intaek | $3,782,733 |
November 01, 2006 - October 31, 2011 (Extended to October 31, 2013) |
7 |
R835432
Centers - Main center abstract - UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention |
The UC Davis Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention |
Van de Water, Judith Ashwood, Paul Bennett, Deborah H. Hagerman, Paul Hansen, Robin Hertz-Picciotto, Irva LaSalle, Janine M Lein, Pamela J Lin, Yanping Pessah, Isaac N. Puschner, Birgit Ritchie, Marylyn Schmidt, Rebecca Sharp, Frank Walker, Cheryl - Principal Investigators listed are sub-PIs determined by the center. |
Row 7: 2013
|
Row 7 Total Pubs:
137 Row 7 Journals: 135 -- Row 7: No Books -- |
University of California - Davis | Hahn, Intaek | $3,827,820 |
June 01, 2013 - May 31, 2018 (Extended to May 31, 2019) |
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.