Air Pollution Effects on Child Irritability and Brain Connectivity

Project Summary/Abstract Irritability is common in early childhood and declines as children approach middle childhood. Irritability that persists into middle childhood affects up to 20 percent of youth and is a marker of risk for psychiatric problems. To date, the study of irritability has focused on personal (e.g., parenting style) and genetic risk factors for irritability with little attention focused on the contribution of exogenous, environmental factors, such as prenatal exposures to neurotoxicants. This K23 application presents a research and training plan that will support the applicant, Dr. Mariah DeSerisy, on a path towards becoming an independent investigator working at the intersection of child mental health, environmental epidemiology, and neuroimaging. The activities in this application build on Dr. DeSerisy’s prior training and are set in a resource-rich environment which will allow her to further develop her skills in: (1) analyzing effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) using advanced epidemiologic methods, (2) developmentally sensitive, multi-informant/method assessment tools for early childhood irritability, (3) longitudinal modeling of high-dimensional data using causal inference approaches, (4) network-based functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data analysis, and (5) ethical conduct of research with vulnerable populations. By combining MRI and environmental epidemiology, the current research proposal seeks to test the central hypothesis that prenatal PAH exposure is associated with persistent irritability via effects on functional connectivity between control and reward circuits. This training and research program will support the candidate in becoming an independent investigator with expertise in how environmental (social and chemical) risk factors contribute to the manifestation of adolescent internalizing symptoms and anxiety/depressive disorders. RELEVANCE: Air pollution is an understudied, modifiable risk factor for an environmentally-associated phenotype of persistent childhood irritability. In the short term, this career development award will provide Dr. DeSerisy with critical training that will prepare her to successfully submit an R01 examining the contributions of prenatal PAH to adolescent anxiety and depression via persistent irritability in this cohort. Long term, results may inform public policy messaging and contribute to development of novel intervention and prevention tools.