Tuesday, September 16, 2025 9/16/2025

Neurobiological and neurocognitive consequences of diverse microbiome functional trajectories

Award Number: R01MH125103
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2027

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Neurobiological and neurocognitive consequences of diverse microbiome functional trajectories - There is compelling evidence for a critical role of the maternal and infant gut microbiome in early infant brain neurodevelopment. Temporal milestones in postnatal infant gut microbiome development align with changes in early infant brain development, suggesting functional relationships between these two pivotal events. The premise of our proposal is based on a wealth of studies and new preliminary analyses reported below linking maternal prenatal anxiety (PNA), a prominent prenatal maternal risk factor, and child neurodevelopment. We hypothesize that the prenatal maternal microbiome and its influence on newborn neurodevelopment is shaped by PNA, and that early infant cognition is determined by mother-to-infant microbiome transfer, postnatal development and biosynthesis of microbiota-derived neuroactive metabolites (NAMs). Our study is framed by a proposed developmental model that includes two major components; prenatal anxiety and developmental phase trajectories of the infant gut microbiome. The proposed model has scientific as well as practical strengths, as it leverages a wealth of existing data collected as part of a large, prospective longitudinal and diverse pregnancy cohort that has been followed from the first trimester through the child’s 4th year, with extensive longitudinal characterization of prenatal exposures, child microbiome and other key biological samples, and child neurodevelopment assessed longitudinally that will enable important and previously neglected incorporation of potential confounds. We use these components to test the central hypothesis that neurodevelopment is dependent on age-driven biosynthesis of NAMs through the postnatal period of infant gut-microbiome (IGM) development. In Aim 1, we use metagenomic analysis of the prenatal maternal vaginal microbiome (MVM) to identify species and functional biosynthetic pathways for NAMs associated with PNA. We also assess the potential transfer of maternal anxiety through the initial colonization of the infant gut microbiome by an anxiety “imprinted” MVM. In Aim 2, we use metagenomic and metabolomic analyses to determine the association between key stages of IGM development and differential synthesis of NAMs over the first year, attending to confounds and competing exposures, most notably, maternal diet and infant feeding. In Aim 3, we apply this rich data to predict neurocognitive assessments from age 1 to 4 years to formally test the temporal relationship between microbiome phase and neurodevelopment in the first year of life and durability of the microbiota- neurodevelopment relationship through 4 years of age. The scientific impact of the study will be on advanced understanding of the role of prenatal exposures; documenting sources of between- and within-individual differences in the IGM through the first years of life; identifying NAMs with a possible mechanistic role in the MGB axis; documenting a potentially broad and persistent impact on neurodevelopment.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $495,201 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER	910 GENESEE ST	ROCHESTER	NY	14611	MONROE	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	4	7/15/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$495,201
														Subtotal = $495,201

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $723,421 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER	910 GENESEE ST	ROCHESTER	NY	14611	MONROE	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	5/24/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$723,421
														Subtotal = $723,421

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $728,421 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER	910 GENESEE ST	ROCHESTER	NY	14611	MONROE	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	5/30/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$728,421
														Subtotal = $728,421

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $723,192 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER	500 JOSEPH C WILSON BLVD	ROCHESTER	NY	14627	MONROE	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	6/22/2022	NEW	$723,192
														Subtotal = $723,192

Grand Total All Awards = $2,670,235

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Neurobiological and neurocognitive consequences of diverse microbiome functional trajectories

Award Number: R01MH125103

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 07/01/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2027

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer