Media Advisory: NIH study identifies brain patterns underlying mothers’ responses to infant cries
Infant cries activate specific brain regions related to movement and speech, according to an NICHD-led study of mothers in 11 countries.
News & Updates
NICHD issues Releases and Media Advisories to the news media. Science Updates and Spotlights explain NICHD research findings and public health issues to the general public. An Item of Interest is a short announcement such as an initiative launch or a notable staff change. Director’s Corner posts are monthly updates from the NICHD director.
Experimental treatment for Niemann-Pick disease type C1 appears safe, effective
An experimental drug appears to slow the progression of Niemann-Pick disease type C1 (NPC1), a fatal neurological disease, according to results of a
clinical study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The study appears in The Lancet.
Focus on Early Learning
Children start learning long before they start going to school. Find out how you can support your child's learning from birth.
Focus on Caring for Critically Ill Children
NICHD supports research on the unique short- and long-term care needs of children with and recovering from serious and life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
NIH scientists find rare disease clues in cell’s recycling system
Scientists have demonstrated how an investigational drug works against a rare, fatal genetic disease, Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1).
Children’s visual engagement is heritable and altered in autism
How children visually engage with others in social situations is a heritable behavior that is altered in children with autism, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Malaria drug protects fetal mice from Zika virus, NIH-funded study finds
Hydroxychloroquine, a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat malaria and certain autoimmune diseases in pregnant women, appears to reduce transmission of Zika virus from pregnant mice to their fetuses, according to a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.
NIH launches prospective study of Zika and HIV co-infection during pregnancy
The National Institutes of Health has launched a study to determine the potential risks that infection with the Zika virus might pose for pregnancies in which the mother is also infected with HIV.
The NIH NeuroBioBank: Addressing the Urgent Need for Brain Donation
NICHD Director Dr. Diana Bianchi and colleagues from other NIH Institutes discuss this valuable research resource.
Blood of SIDS infants contains high levels of serotonin
Blood samples from infants who died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) had high levels of serotonin, a chemical that carries signals along and between nerves, according to a study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health.
NICHD scientists uncover role of proteins in neuron activity and neurological disease
Brain proteins known as neuregulins are important for establishing normal brain activity, according to recent studies led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
Socioeconomic disadvantage linked to immune activity during pregnancy
Infants born to mothers in poverty had a greater chance of developing neurological problems within the first year of life, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Harvard University.
Neuroimaging technique may help predict autism among high-risk infants
An imaging technique called fcMRI may predict which high-risk, 6-month old infants will develop autism spectrum disorder by age 2 years, according to an NICHD-funded study.
NIH researchers find potential genetic cause of Cushing syndrome
A small study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health suggests that mutations in the gene CABLES1 may lead to Cushing syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body overproduces the stress hormone cortisol. The study appears online in Endocrine-Related Cancer.
NICHD scientists identify molecule that may help control sleep and wake cycles
A molecule may work with the hormone melatonin to regulate 24-hour changes in metabolism, including sleep and wake cycles, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other institutions.
Blood test may detect bleeding in the infant brain after abusive head trauma
An NIH-funded study shows promise in developing biomarker-based tool.
Medical imaging device developed by NIH researchers awarded U.S. patent
A device that calibrates MRI scanners to improve image and data quality has received U.S. patent approval. The inventors are researchers at NICHD and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.
Researchers seek to improve understanding of the relationships between child brain development, nutrition, and inflammation
International experts have identified research needed to better understand relationships between child brain development, nutrition, and inflammation, particularly for children living in poverty.
NIH researchers trace origin of blood-brain barrier ‘sentry cells’
National Institutes of Health researchers studying zebrafish have determined that a population of cells that protect the brain against diseases and harmful substances are not immune cells, as had previously been thought, but instead likely arise from the lining of the circulatory system.
NICHD Director Recognized with March of Dimes Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Diana W. Bianchi is recognized with the March of Dimes Colonel Harland Sanders Lifetime Achievement Award for significant contributions toward the prevention or treatment of birth defects and other genetic disorders.
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