THE ROLE OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS IN NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS

1) Determine whether prenatal exposures to the endocrine disrupters, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and bisphenol A (BPA), are associated with adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in peri-pubertal children, as measured by diagnostic assessment of child psychopathology and cognitive functioning. 2) Determine whether prenatal exposure to PAH or BPA is associated with epigenetic changes in umbilical cord white blood cells (DNA methylation validated by gene expression) in candidate genes/ pathways is associated with endocrine disruption and immune dysregulation, and whether altered methylation and gene expression in these candidates is associated with the neurobehavioral outcomes. 3) Using GIS, determine the extent to which neighborhood-level conditions contribute to neurobehavioral outcomes and/or moderate the individual-level associations between exposure to PAH or BPA and child neurodevelopment.