Grantee Research Project Results
2016 Progress Report: The Columbia Center for Childrens Environmental Health
EPA Grant Number: R836154Center: Southern California Children's Environmental Health Center
Center Director: McConnell, Rob Scot
Title: The Columbia Center for Childrens Environmental Health
Investigators: Perera, Frederica P.
Current Investigators: Perera, Frederica P. , Rauh, Virginia , Rundle, Andrew , Peterson, Bradley S , Shepard, Peggy , Hernandez, Diana
Institution: Columbia University in the City of New York
EPA Project Officer: Callan, Richard
Project Period: September 1, 2015 through August 31, 2019 (Extended to August 31, 2020)
Project Period Covered by this Report: September 1, 2015 through August 31,2016
Project Amount: $2,552,707
RFA: Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers (2014) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , Human Health , Children's Health
Objective:
The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) proposes an innovative program, led by Drs. Frederica Perera and Bradley Peterson, which builds directly on our prior research findings in our well characterized cohort of inner city children enrolled prenatally and now being followed into adolescence. Specifically, repeated assessments prior to age 11 have revealed a persistent pattern of recurrent neurodevelopmental abnormalities and obesity associated with high prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), suggesting that exposed children fail to develop along the normal trajectory of improving self-regulatory control that accompanies maturity.
CCCEH’s overarching hypothesis is that prenatal exposures to environmental PAH disrupt development and maturation of neural systems that support capacities for self- regulation of thought, emotion, and behavior; and these disturbances create vulnerabilities that lead to the emergence or persistence of Cognitive, Emotional, Behavioral, and Adiposity (hereafter, “CEBA”) problems in the vulnerable period of adolescence.
Project 1 (Virginia Rauh, Leader) will test the hypotheses that elevated prenatal PAH exposure is associated with: 1) adverse effects on self-regulatory processes including deficits in reasoning, attentional control, conflict resolution, inhibitory control, and emotional control at ages 15-17; 2) clinical symptoms (mood disturbances, high risk behaviors, and persistent attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD) symptoms) at ages 15- 17; and 3) distinctive adverse developmental trajectories from early childhood through 15-17 years.
Project 2 (Andrew Rundle, Leader) will test the hypotheses that maternal exposure to higher concentrations of airborne PAH during pregnancy is associated with: 1) greater child adiposity at ages 15-17 assessed by MRI and other measures; 2) distinct growth trajectories of body mass index growth and fat mass index from age 5 to 17; and 3) membership in a cluster characterized by greater adiposity, higher hedonic eating behavior, sedentary pursuits, and poorer neuropsychological function on measures of self-regulation, behavioral and emotional function at age 15-17.
Project 3 (Bradley Peterson, Leader) will test the hypotheses that: 1) assessment of MRI scanning already acquired at 9-12 years of age, but not yet analyzed, will show that early PAH exposure adversely affects the structure, function, and metabolism of neural systems known to support the capacity for self- regulation; 2) PAH-related disturbances in the structure, function, and metabolism of neural systems supporting self-regulatory control at 9-12 years will mediate the emergence of conduct disturbance, substance use, and depression, the persistence of ADHD symptoms, and adiposity measures, at 15-17 years of age; and 3) analysis of anatomical MRI scans newly acquired in 350 cohort children with previous imaging at 9-12 years will show that early exposure to high levels of PAH significantly disrupts the normal change in brain structure within self-regulatory systems from childhood through adolescence, and those children with the most disrupted anatomical changes will experience the greatest degree of conduct disturbances, substance use, and depression, persistent ADHD symptoms, and adiposity measures, at 15-17 years of age. Project 3 thus unifies the 3 projects with a strong theory of brain-based pathogenesis related to poor self-regulation.
In the proposed program, we leverage our strong existing partnership with West Harlem Environmental Action (WE ACT) and other community groups, for community outreach and translation. The Community Outreach and Translation Core (COTC) will: 1) translate and disseminate research findings on the health impacts of pollution to community residents, policy-makers, health care professionals and the general public using and promoting a number of strategies including mobile applications; and (2) assess the impact of policy change in New York City on air quality and health outcomes, city-wide and in the cohort.
The proposed work has important public health significance because of the ubiquity of exposure to PAH and the high prevalence of CEBA problems in adolescence that can lead to academic failure, social impairment, and long-term health problems. Knowledge of PAH-associated adverse effects on adolescent health and on brain disturbances that may mediate those health effects will thus inform health and environmental policy and potentially be used to develop individual-level interventions that enhance resiliency as well as population-level interventions that address the sources of PAH exposures.
Progress Summary:
The Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health’s overarching hypothesis is that prenatal exposures to environmental PAH disrupt development and maturation of neural systems that support capacities for self- regulation of thought, emotion, and behavior; and these disturbances create vulnerabilities that lead to the emergence or persistence of Cognitive, Emotional, Behavioral, and Adiposity (hereafter, “CEBA”) problems in the vulnerable period of adolescence. During this funding period Project 3 has completed, or nearly completed, processing of anatomical, task-based fMRI and ASL perfusion, DTI, and MRS MRI data from ages 9-12 and integrated the MRI dataset with demographic, behavioral, and cognitive data from these ages. Preliminary DTI MRI findings are consistent with our hypotheses (See Project 3 report).
For the visits at ages 16-18 we have finalized the neuropsychological battery and anthropometric measurements. These forms have been accepted by Columbia University’s IRB, and the Data Core is in the process of database development for the 33 assessments (See Data Core report). Due to funding constraints, we are performing abdominal and brain MRIs using the same MRI scanner, a 3Tesla (3T). The 3T machine was used in our 9-12 year MRI assessment, and for consistency of the data, will be used in the 16-18 year visit. Acquiring the abdominal scans at 3T has posed some challenges that pertained to the fundamental physics of MRI at high field strengths and included changes in tissue contrast. We plan to begin participant visits in early June (See Project 1, 2, & 3 reports)
The Community Outreach and Translation Core (COTC), along with our partner West Harlem Environmental Action (WE ACT), has made sound progress on their project to assess the impact of policy change in New York City on air pollution and health outcomes. Together they are generating GIS maps to be used for the project and continue to disseminate health information to communities in Northern Manhattan and the South Bronx.
Future Activities:
In the coming reporting period, we will continue follow-up of the cohort members as they reach ages 16-18 years; we expect to complete 135 follow-up visits. The next reporting period will focus on intensive data collection from the study subjects. Clinical visits during which the study participants will visit the Center, complete neuropsychological testing, and undergo anthropometric and fitness assessments and then have MRI scans at the CU Neurological Institute will be completed on both weekdays and weekends. The recruitment and data collection will follow the approaches described in the grant application. We have been developing and testing rigorous data collection methods and the use of these approaches in the coming reporting period will ensure scientific rigor and robust results. The Data Core has established protocols for data acquisition, cleaning, storage and distribution to study investigators that will also ensure scientific rigor and will continue with these over the next reporting period.
Our original proposal called for follow-up and data collection from 100 subjects in Years 1, 2, and 3 of the project and from 50 participants in Year 4. As a result of the challenges we experienced in developing a single MRI scan protocol that acquires both brain and abdominal images for Projects 2 and 3, the launch of participant recruitment and data collection was delayed. We anticipate beginning data collection in June 2016, and thus expect to collect data from 30 participants in Year 1 of the project. In Years 2 and 3, we plan to complete recruitment at data collection for 135 participants to bring us back onto schedule by Year 4 of the project.
The Community Outreach and Translation Core will continue their work with our partner West Harlem Environmental Action to disseminate research findings through the Center’s website, social media accounts, and assisting with press releases. They will also continue on their air pollution policy and health effects projects by incorporating community perspectives as they prioritize which policies to evaluate, and identify potential competing explanations to explore. The Administrative Core will continue its management of the administrative and financial aspects of the Center as well as facilitating the training of the Career Development Investigator.
Journal Articles: 9 Displayed | Download in RIS Format
Other center views: | All 12 publications | 9 publications in selected types | All 9 journal articles |
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Conrad L, Rauh V, Hopener L, Acosta L, Perera F, Rundle A, Arteaga-Solis E, Miller R, Perzanowski M. Report of prenatal maternal demoralization and material hardship and infant rhinorrhea and watery eyes. Annals of Allergy Asthma & Immunology 2020;125(4):399. |
R836154 (2019) R832144 (Final) |
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Durham T, Guo J, Cowell W, Riley K, Wang S, Tang D, Perera F, Herbstman J. Prenatal PM2.5 Exposure in Relation to Maternal and Newborn Telomere Length at Delivery. Toxics 23;10(1):13. |
R836154 (Final) R827027 (2002) R832141 (Final) R834509 (Final) |
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Hoepner LA, Whyatt RM, Widen EM, Hassoun A, Oberfield SE, Mueller NT, Diaz D, Calafat AM, Perera FP, Rundle AG. Bisphenol A and adiposity in an inner-city birth cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives 2016;124(10):1644-1650. |
R836154 (2017) R834509 (Final) |
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Hopson MB, Margolis A, Rauh V, Herbstman JB. Impact of the home environment on the relationship between prenatal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and child behavior. International Journal of Child Health and Human Development 2016;9(4):453-464. |
R836154 (2017) |
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Maresca MM, Hoepner LA, Hassoun A, Oberfield SE, Mooney SJ, Calafat AM, Ramirez J, Freyer G, Perera FP, Whyatt RM, Rundle AG. Prenatal exposure to phthalates and childhood body size in an urban cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives 2015 June 12 [Epub ahead of print], doi:10.1289/ehp.1408750. |
R836154 (2017) R834509 (2013) R834509C001 (Final) |
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Margolis AE, Herbstman JB, Davis KS, Thomas VK, Tang D, Wang Y, Wang S, Perera FP, Peterson BS, Rauh VA. Longitudinal effects of prenatal exposure to air pollutants on self-regulatory capacities and social competence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 2016;57(7):851-860. |
R836154 (2017) R834509 (Final) |
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Perera FP, Wheelock K, Wang Y, Tang D, Margolis AE, Badia G, Cowell W, Miller RL, Rauh V, Wang S, Herbstman JB. Combined effects of prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and material hardship on child ADHD behavior problems. Environmental Research 2018;160:506-513. |
R836154 (2017) R836154 (2018) |
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Perera F, Nolte ELR, Wang Y, Margolis AE, Calafat AM, Wang S, Garcia W, Hoepner LA, Peterson BS, Rauh V, Herbstman J. Bisphenol A exposure and symptoms of anxiety and depression among inner city children at 10-12 years of age. Environmental Research 2016;151:195-202. |
R836154 (2017) |
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Widen EM, Whyatt RM, Hoepner LA, Mueller NT, Ramirez‐Carvey J, Oberfield SE, Hassoun A, Perera FP, Gallagher D, Rundle AG. Gestational weight gain and obesity, adiposity and body size in African-American and Dominican children in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan. Maternal & Child Nutrition 2016;12(4):918-928. |
R836154 (2017) R834509C001 (Final) |
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Relevant Websites:
Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original Abstract Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R836154C001 The Impact of PAH Exposure on Adolescent Neurodevelopment: Disruption of Self-Regulatory Processes
R836154C002 The Impact of PAH Exposure on Childhood Growth Trajectories and Visceral Adipose Tissue
R836154C003 An MRI Study of the Effects of Prenatal and Early Childhood PAH Exposure on Brain Maturation and Its Mediating Influences on Adverse Adolescent Outcomes
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.