Proposal summaries

These are research proposals that have been approved by the ALSPAC exec. The titles include a B number which identifies the proposal and the date on which the proposals received ALSPAC exec approval.

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B1336 - Children young people and families using social work services Patterns outcomes and change - 29/03/2012

B number: 
B1336
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Jonathan Scourfield (University of Cardiff, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Elaine Sharland (University of Sussex, UK), Dr Luke Sloan (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Paula Holland (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Children, young people and families using social work services: Patterns, outcomes and change
Proposal summary: 

AIMS:

This proposed study aims to increase our understanding of the population of children, young people and families who have contact with social workers: how their circumstances compare with the rest of the population; the extent to which there are people with similar difficulties who are not having contact with social workers; and outcomes for children over time.

For the proposed study we will use four cohort studies which have data on children, young people and families: ALSPAC, the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), The Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) and the British Household Panel Study (BHPS).

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 29 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 29 March, 2012
Keywords: 
Social Science, Stress, Social Conditions
Primary keyword: 

B1332 - Pre-conception inter-pregnancy interval and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood ALSPAC and Pelotas cohort studies - 29/03/2012

B number: 
B1332
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Alicia Matijasevich (University of Palotas, Brazil, South America)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Cesa Victora (Not used 0, Not used 0), Ana Menezes (Not used 0, Not used 0), Pedro Hallal (Not used 0, Not used 0), Ina Santos (Not used 0, Not used 0), Aloisio Barros (Not used 0, Not used 0), Fernando Barros (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Pre-conception inter-pregnancy interval and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood: ALSPAC and Pelotas cohort studies
Proposal summary: 

Aims: To examine the relationship between length of the preceding birth interval and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood in a birth cohort study from a high-income country (ALSPAC ) and in two birth cohorts from a middle income country (the 1993 and 2004 Pelotas birth cohort studies, from Brazil).

These studies were chosen to reflect populations with different levels of wealth and of socioeconomic inequalities, as well as their similarities in variable definitions and the availability of comparable questionnaires and follow-ups done at similar ages.

Hypotheses: Previous studies have shown the association between short inter-pregnancy intervals (especially those shorter than 12 months) and several maternal and perinatal adverse outcomes. Recently short inter-pregnancy intervals have also been associated with an increased risk of developing autism and schizophrenia. It is hypothesised that the risk of adverse neurodevelopment outcomes may be high among children that are conceived following a short inter-pregnancy internal, when maternal folate stores are still being replenished. The period immediately following the birth of a preceding pregnancy may be a particular period of risk where depleted maternal nutrient reserves could affect neurogenesis during early fetal development. In order to examine causality of the association being tested, we will also examined the association between post-birth inter-pregnancy interval (time between the index birth and conception of the subsequent live birth), where the hypothesis regarding folate/micronutrien depletion would not apply.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 29 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 29 March, 2012
Keywords: 
Cognitive Function, Maternal Age, Pregnancy, Obstetrics
Primary keyword: 

B1321 - Development of an early diagnostic system for psychopathology using video data from the ALSPAC cohort - 16/03/2012

B number: 
B1321
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Clare Allely (University of Glasgow, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Philip Wilson (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Alex McConnachie (University of Glasgow, UK), Dr Christine Puckering (University of Glasgow, UK), Dr Helen Marwick (University of Strathclyde, UK), Prof Christopher Gilberg (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Lucy Thompson (University of Glasgow, UK)
Title of project: 
Development of an early diagnostic system for psychopathology using video data from the ALSPAC cohort
Proposal summary: 

Research design: We have already coded a wide range of behaviours in the video material obtained from the 60 families of children who developed psychiatric disorders, together with 120 control videos.

1. Clinical rating scale. We first plan to investigate the cases of inattentive ADHD and pervasive development disorder (PDD) / autism in much more depth.

2. Adult motor activity. In view of the finding, using our holistic ratings, that adult hypoactivity predicts childhood disruptive behaviour disorders (ADHD and oppositional/conduct disorders), we wish to collect objective evidence on adult movement in the 180 videos in the same way that we have done for infant motor activity, using frame-by-frame analysis aided by SkillSpector software.

3. Sequencing. Once we have collected data on motor activity in the adults we shall investigate the sequencing of both infant and adult motor behaviours and of the infant and adult vocalisation behaviours we have already obtained with a view to establishing if there are particular patterns of disruption of social interaction which can be characterised objectively and which are associated with psychopathology.

Date proposal received: 
Friday, 16 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Friday, 16 March, 2012
Keywords: 
ADHD
Primary keyword: 

B1320 - Developing a detection and risk prediction for adolescent depressive disorder - 16/03/2012

B number: 
B1320
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Anita Thapar (University of Cardiff, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Jon Heron (Not used 0, Not used 0), Laura Hood (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Stephan Collishaw (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Developing a detection and risk prediction for adolescent depressive disorder
Proposal summary: 

Over the last 4 years(2007-2011) we have collected detailed longitudinal information on mental health, physical health, environmental measures, demographic information and biological measures associated with mood problems from the child and adolescent offspring of adults with depression (i.e. a high risk sample). Part of the remit of the study was to develop a basic quick screening and risk prediction tool for adolescent depression to ensure that the research findings could be applied to clinical practice. A set of predictors for screening for current and predicting risk for future major depressive disorder amongst adolescents has been identified using data from this study. Developing an effective risk prediction tool: A pilot computerised version of this tool for GP software has been developed based on early results and is being piloted in a single practice. However it is clear from the scientific literature that, given the complexity of illness, there is a need to ensure that risk prediction tools are accurate so need considerable refinement by piloting. It is also clear that these tools have to acceptable to users and service providers and the users and user-friendly and pragmatic for use in real life situations. Once the predictors have been validated in the external dataset it is planned to apply for funding for a 2 stage project in which the first stage would be qualitative, health professionals, school counsellors and other agencies dealing with the mental health of young people and would include developing and further piloting the software) and the second stage would be a formal pragmatic trial of evaluating this web-based screening and risk prediction tool for adolescent

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Friday, 16 March, 2012
Keywords: 
Depression
Primary keyword: 

B1319 - Depression obesity dietary patterns and gestational weight gain during pregnancy - 15/03/2012

B number: 
B1319
Principal applicant name: 
Emma Molyneaux (Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Nadia Micali (Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK), Lucilla Poston (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Louise Howard (Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, UK)
Title of project: 
Depression, obesity, dietary patterns and gestational weight gain during pregnancy
Proposal summary: 

Aims: We will examine the relationships between antenatal mental health, BMI, diet quality and GWG. We aim to investigate whether pre-pregnancy BMI and mental health problems during pregnancy are related to poor quality diet (both dietary patterns and nutritional intakes) and excessive GWG.

Hypotheses: We hypothesise that, after adjusting for potential confounders: 1) A less healthy dietary pattern (higher proportions of energy dense foods and lower proportions of vitamin rich foods) and more excessive GWG will be reported by women with antenatal depression and anxiety compared with women without mental health problems. 2) A less healthy dietary pattern (higher proportions of energy dense foods and lower proportions of vitamin rich foods) and more excessive GWG will be found in overweight/obese women compared with normal weight women. 3) A less healthy dietary pattern (higher proportions of energy dense foods and lower proportions of vitamin rich foods) and more excessive GWG will be reported by high BMI women with depression/anxiety compared with high BMI women without these mental health problems. The interaction between BMI and mental health will be investigated.

Analysis:The effect of mental health on diet quality and GWG will be examined in the sample as a whole and in subgroups of women with normal (18.5-25kg/m2) and high (greater than 25kg/m2) pre-pregnancy BMI. The interaction between mental health and BMI will be investigated. The effects of socioeconomic status, maternal age, smoking and other confounders will be examined.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Keywords: 
Depression, Diet, Obesity, Pregnancy, Weight
Primary keyword: 

B1325 - Antenatal depression and cardiometabolic risk in offspring - 15/03/2012

B number: 
B1325
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Paula Borderlois (Columbia University, New York, USA)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Karestan Koenen (Columbia University, New York, USA)
Title of project: 
Antenatal depression and cardiometabolic risk in offspring
Proposal summary: 

This proposal will examine the role of antenatal depression in cardiometabolic risk in offspring.

Specific aims:

Aim 1:To assess whether antenatal depression is an independent predictor of body size and adiposity in

the offspring as determined by weight and length for age in infancy, and BMI, and central obesity in

childhood, and adolescence.

Hypothesis 1: Children of depressed mothers are about equally likely to be overweight but are more likely

to have central obesity than children of non-depressed mothers throughout infancy, childhood, and

adolescence.

Aim 2:To test whether antenatal depression is an independent predictor of glucose intolerance, blood

pressure, serum lip profile, and markers of inflammation in childhood and adolescence.

Hypothesis 2: Children of depressed mothers are more likely to develop glucose intolerance,

hypertension, undesirable serum lipid profiles and high levels of markers of inflammation than children

of non-depressed mothers throughout infancy, childhood, and adolescence.

Aim 3:To test whether maternal depression is associated with health behaviors linked to elevated

cardiometabolic risk, and whether these behaviors are mediators of the main effect of maternal depression

on cardiometabolic risk at adolescence.

Hypothesis 3: Depressed mothers are more likely to smoke, to have dietary patterns -characterized by

excessive caloric intake, unhealthy relative fat composition and excess salt-, and to do insufficient

physical activity than non-depressed mothers during pregnancy.

Hypothesis 4: Maternal unhealthy lifestyle partially mediates the effect of maternal antenatal depression

on the offspring cardiometabolic risk in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. This hypothesis is

contingent upon finding an association between antenatal depression and increased cardiometabolic risk

in the offspring.

Confounders: We will control for factors including maternal history of CVD and T2D, birthweight,

education, ethinicity, SES, discrimination, social network and support and neighborhood quality.

Mediation analysis: We will explore the indirect effect of maternal depression mediated by unhealthy

behaviours during pregnancy and will control for the effect of maternal postnatal depression.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Keywords: 
Depression, Mental Health
Primary keyword: 

B1323 - Heavy metal levels in mothers during pregnancy and their effect on offspring cognitive ability - 15/03/2012

B number: 
B1323
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Sarah J Lewis (Univeristy of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Jean Golding (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Dave Evans (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Carolina Bonilla (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Heavy metal levels in mothers during pregnancy and their effect on offspring cognitive ability
Proposal summary: 

Previous studies have suggested adverse effects of arsenic and lead exposure (even at low levels) on children's cognitive function, including lower IQ scores, impaired attention and memory, and behavioural problems (Lanphear et al., 2005; Rosado et al., 2007). Copper deficiency during gestation can negatively affect motor function, balance and coordination (Georgieff, 2007), whilst excessive free copper may play a role on adult cognitive decline (Salustri et al., 2010). Methylmercury is a known neurotoxicant that can be found as a contaminant in fish. However, it has been difficult to assess its effects on cognitive ability independently of the beneficial effects of fish intake (Daniels et al., 2004).

Aims: To examine the role of prenatal and postnatal levels of metals on the cognitive development of children. We will use genetic variants robustly associated with serum concentrations of arsenic, copper, lead and mercury, identified through genomewide association studies (GWAS), as proxies for these exposures and investigate their association with offspring IQ scores and school test results.Hypotheses: We hypothesise that alleles which increase levels of circulating toxic metals such as arsenic, lead and mercury will be associated with a worse performance in cognitive tests. With respect to copper, both high and low serum levels could potentially lead to an adverse cognitive outcome.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Keywords: 
Environmental Exposure
Primary keyword: 

B1322 - Births out of wedlock and cognitive and social development throughout childhood a quantative analysis - 15/03/2012

B number: 
B1322
Principal applicant name: 
Alissa Goodman (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Co-applicants: 
Ellen Greaves (Not used 0, Not used 0), Claire Crawford (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Births out of wedlock and cognitive and social development throughout childhood: a quantative analysis
Proposal summary: 

Research design: We have already coded a wide range of behaviours in the video material obtained from the 60 families of children who developed psychiatric disorders, together with 120 control videos. The full dataset was sent to the ALSPAC team, who have added the data to their own database.

1. Clinical rating scale. We first plan to investigate the cases of inattentive ADHD and pervasive development disorder (PDD) / autism in much more depth. We have been provided with the identifiers for these cases and have been given permission for expert clinicians to perform detailed assessments of the videos. This should allow us to build up a diagnostic system for testing and for potential use by clinicians after testing in a longitudinal design. Analysis of sequencing and contingency in these videos will allow us to explore whether there are differences in the behavioural dynamics of mutual responsiveness in early face-to-face mother-infant interactions in infants who later go on to be diagnosed with ADHD or PDD. We shall first ask a group of clinicians (CG, CP, PW and Dr Helen Minnis) and a developmental psychologist (HM) to view the videos of the inattentive ADHD and PDD cases (and 33 sex-matched control videos) and identify behaviours that appear predictive of disorder in order to develop a diagnostic rating scale. A second group (5 General Practitioners & 5 Health Visitors) will view the 11 case videos and 33 control videos and be blind to the case and control status of the videos. They will use their own judgments to predict which infants will later go on to develop inattentive ADHD or PDD. Then this second group will look at the videos again, this time using the rating scale developed by the group 1 clinicians. The second group of clinicians will take part in this study as part of a CPD knowledge transfer protocol (a 2 day course). The findings from this study will have a direct potential impact for routine practice.

2. Adult motor activity. In view of the finding, using our holistic ratings, that adult hypoactivity predicts childhood disruptive behaviour disorders (ADHD and oppositional/conduct disorders), we wish to collect objective evidence on adult movement in the 180 videos in the same way that we have done for infant motor activity, using frame-by-frame analysis aided by SkillSpector software. Frame-by-frame locations (x-y coordinates, in pixels) of the adult's hands, elbows, shoulders and nose will be taken from all of the 180 videos. Methods of processing this information have been developed, including measures of total motion, average velocity and acceleration. We need to assess all 180 videos to give us robust comparisons and linkable data for adult and child. The relationship between motor activity, maternal depression and parenting behaviours will be investigated.

3. Sequencing. Once we have collected data on motor activity in the adults we shall investigate the sequencing of both infant and adult motor behaviours and of the infant and adult vocalisation behaviours we have already obtained with a view to establishing if there are particular patterns of disruption of social interaction which can be characterised objectively and which are associated with psychopathology. There is a strong a priori case that abnormalities will be found in cases of autism as well as some cases of ADHD.

Sex-adjusted logistic regression models will be used to estimate the odds ratios for the subsequent development of disorders associated with maternal and infant movement and their inter-relationship. Multivariate regression models will be used to determine the degree of confounding between measures and develop a subset of measures with independent predictive value for each group of cases. The predictive ability of the resultant scores will be summarised in terms of standard measures of diagnostic utility, including receiver operator characteristic curves.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 15 March, 2012
Keywords: 
Social Science, Stress, Social Conditions
Primary keyword: 

B1318 - Longitudinal determinants of bone growth and coassociations with body composition - 01/03/2012

B number: 
B1318
Principal applicant name: 
Mr Adrian Sayers (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Kate Tilling (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Jon Tobias (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Fiona Steele (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Longitudinal determinants of bone growth and coassociations with body composition
Proposal summary: 

Aims: Using a combination of simulation and empirical examples we hope to explore the consequences of many of the assumptions used in the previously mentioned methods. We specifically will investigate the suitability of displacement models (vertical growth, and bone mass accrual) to characterise first derivates, i.e. peak height velocity and peak bone velocity, and second derivatives i.e. growth acceleration, and contrast the conclusions made under different methods. In addition, we intend to investigate the simultaneous relationship between changes in body composition and bone growth using cross-lagged methods.

We aim to emphasize the importance of using appropriate methods in order to make robust conclusions.

The primary exposure in all analyses are time, outcomes include height, long bone length, bone mass, fat and lean mass. Similarly confounding variables are the same as the potential outcomes, as changes can occur simultaneously.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 1 March, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 1 March, 2012
Keywords: 
Bones, Obesity
Primary keyword: 

B1316 - Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse IPVA in Adolescent and Young Adult Relationships Phase One - 16/02/2012

B number: 
B1316
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Eszter Szilassy (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Sue Jones (University of Bristol, UK), Prof Marianne Hester (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Gene Feder (Not used 0, Not used 0), Christine Barter (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse (IPVA) in Adolescent and Young Adult Relationships (Phase One)
Proposal summary: 

Our proposed ALSPAC study consists of two analytical phases.

Phase One will measure the prevalence of IPVA and identify the characteristics of intimate partner violence and abuse for different age groups (age 13, 13-18, 18-21) and in relation to sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors in the ALSPAC cohort. We aim to examine the overlap between experience/perpetration of potential IPVA behaviours for under-18s and over-18s. In addition, we shall examine the possible associations between physical violence experienced or perpetrated at age 13 (existing questions) and IPVA behaviours experienced and perpetrated under the age of 18 and between 18-21 (new questions).

The aim of Phase Two is to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying the transmission of risks and protective factors associated with the exposure to domestic abuse in childhood and IPVA in later life. A longitudinal study with a nested qualitative study will inform a more nuanced understanding of the complexity of the effects of direct and indirect experiences of IPVA, and their possible associations with adolescent and young adult outcomes. This Phase is not developed further in the current proposal.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Sexual Health, Injury
Primary keyword: 

B1315 - Does maternal sensitivity in infancy actual or feared separation in childhood affect adolescent antisocial behaviour - 16/02/2012

B number: 
B1315
Principal applicant name: 
Miss Julia Salt (University of Exeter, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Julian Walker (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Glyn Lewis (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Does maternal sensitivity in infancy & actual or feared separation in childhood affect adolescent antisocial behaviour?
Proposal summary: 

Aims: This research aims to explore the longitudinal relationship of maternal sensitivity in infancy on the development of adolescent ASB. It explores whether this relationship is mediated by separation from caregiver and/or feared separation (separation anxiety).

Research Question: In more specific terms it aims to answer the following question: does maternal sensitivity in infnacy and actual or feared separation in childhood affect adolescent ASB?

Hypotheses: The research will test four hypotheses: 1. A) Poor maternal sensitivity between mother and infant will increase the number of ASB incidents engaged in by the child in adolescence. It is predicted that positive maternal sensitivity observed in childhood will decrease the number of incidents of ASB in adolescence. B) Negative maternal sensitivity will be associated with a greater number of ASB's across all four domains: aggression, destruction of property, deceitfulness and theft, and serious rule violation (Barker & Maughan, 2009), with a greater number of acts towards others. 2.The number of periods of separation of the child from the caregiver increases so will the likelihood/risk of later adolescent ASB. 3. There will be a greater number of incidents of adolescent ASB recorded for children who exhibit separation anxiety than children who exhibit no separation anxiety. 4. The type of adolescent ASB and the number of adolescent ASB incidents will be mediated by gender.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Mothers
Primary keyword: 

B1314 - Alcohol and substance use risk development and desistance during transitions to adulthood - 16/02/2012

B number: 
B1314
Principal applicant name: 
Prof Matt Hickman (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof John Macleod (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Marcus Munafo (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Glyn Lewis (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof George Davey Smith (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Alcohol and substance use: risk, development, and desistance during transitions to adulthood
Proposal summary: 

Structure. The research programme will be organised around four work-streams. In addressing transitions to adulthood, contextual effects and variation are important, so our first work-stream centres on these. The second addresses the balancing issue of individual genetic effects. Since experience of tertiary education is pivotal for many, has increased markedly for the relevant cohorts, and is under-researched, the third stream looks specifically at this. Cross-national contextualisation is important, both to inform policy intervention and understanding of processes, so work-stream four deploys the team's expertise to provide this context. All four work-streams connect to issues of methodological development, and of implementation of prevention, and two final, cross-cutting themes, consolidate these issues.

1. Trajectories and outcomes of alcohol and substance use in the transition to adulthood.

2. The impact of genetic risk across different social contexts.

3. Substance use and the transition to third level education.

4. Regional and international comparisons of alcohol and substance use behaviours and risk pathways during the transition to adulthood.

Cross cutting theme 1: methodological development.

Cross-cutting theme 2: Effective prevention.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Alcohol, Illicit Drugs
Primary keyword: 

B1313 - Lifecourse trajectory of muscle strength and the relationship with physical activity - 16/02/2012

B number: 
B1313
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Richard Dodds (University of Southampton, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Avan Aihie Sayer (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Diana Kuh (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Debbie A Lawlor (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Lifecourse trajectory of muscle strength and the relationship with physical activity
Proposal summary: 

The aims of the proposed Research Fellowship are as follows: 1. To describe a lifecourse grip strength trajectory from childhood to old age, by combining data from several UK cohorts 2. To compare the influence of physical activity on grip strength at different ages across the lifecourse 3. To explore the relationship between physical activity and subsequent grip strength trajectory. Evidence, mainly from age-heterogenous cross-sectional studies1 suggest that muscle strength, as assessed by grip strength, increases through childhood and adolescence, reaching a peak in early adult life before declining with increasing age. As no one cohort has repeated measures of strength for the same individuals from childhood to old age, it is necessary to combine repeated measures from several cohorts in order to construct a lifecourse trajectory of muscle strength. The cross-council funded HALCyon cohort consortium has already harmonised measures of physical capability, including grip strength, in eight UK cohorts spanning ages 50-90+ years.2 Similarly, the FALCon project has worked to develop and disseminate methods for the lifecourse modelling of physical and cognitive function, as well as cardiovascular function such as blood pressure.3 There is therefore the opportunity to continue work from both projects to look at the lifecourse trajectory of grip strength. In childhood and adolescence, we hypothesise that higher levels of CPA may predict a higher absolute values of muscle strength as well as a greater relative increase in strength towards the subsequent peak in early adult life. We also hypothesis that higher levels of CPA will be prospectively associated with slower declines in muscle strength in adulthood.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Physical Activity, Physical Fitness
Primary keyword: 

B1312 - Birth order and cardiovascular risk factors a comparison between the Pelotas cohorts and ALSPAC - 16/02/2012

B number: 
B1312
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Laura Howe (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof George Davey Smith (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Debbie A Lawlor (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Cesa Victora (Not used 0, Not used 0), Pedro Hallal (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Alicia Matijasevich (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Birth order and cardiovascular risk factors: a comparison between the Pelotas cohorts and ALSPAC
Proposal summary: 

Birth order and cardiovascular risk factors: a comparison between the Pelotas cohorts and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

Main research questions

1. Is there an association between birth order and CVD risk factors in ALSPAC? 2. Is the association between birth order and CVD risk factors consistent across the 3 Pelotas cohorts 3. What differences in the confounding structure could explain the different associations in ALSPAC and Pelotas (and potentially across the three Pelotas cohorts)

Analysis plan 1.Is there an association between birth order and CVD risk factors in ALSPAC?

2.Is the association between birth order and CVD risk factors consistent across the 3 Pelotas cohorts ?

3.What differences in the confounding structure could explain the different associations in ALSPAC and Pelotas (and potentially across the three Pelotas cohorts)

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 16 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Birth Outcomes, Cardiovascular
Primary keyword: 

B1310 - Relationships between childhood social environment and sexual maturation and the role therein of the IGF axis - 02/02/2012

B number: 
B1310
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Daniel Nettle (University of Newcastle, ROW)
Co-applicants: 
Dr Ian Rickard (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Relationships between childhood social environment and sexual maturation, and the role therein of the IGF axis
Proposal summary: 

Objectives

  1. Derive a measure of social adversity prior to five years of age (see Nettle et al. 2011)
  2. Determine whether social adversity predicts age at sexual maturity/peak height velocity
  3. Determine whether social adversity predicts attitude to sexual relationships in adolescence and risk-taking behaviour
  4. Determine whether social adversity predict the age at/probability of the cohort member first having sexual relationships
  5. Determine whether social adversity predicts IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measured at age 5/8
  6. Determine whether IGF-I and IGFBP-3 measured at age 5/8 mediate or moderate the relationships described in 2-4 above
Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Keywords: 
IGF, Sexual Health
Primary keyword: 

B1309 - Essential fatty acid status alcohol and tobacco misuse and genetic variance in candidate pathways - 02/02/2012

B number: 
B1309
Principal applicant name: 
Capt Joseph Hibbeln (National Institutes of Health, USA)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Marc Schuckit (Not used 0, Not used 0), David Goldman (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Jean Golding (University of Bristol, UK), Ms Luisa Zuccolo (University of Bristol, UK), Mr Colin Steer (University of Bristol, UK)
Title of project: 
Essential fatty acid status, alcohol and tobacco misuse and genetic variance in candidate pathways
Proposal summary: 

Objective 1. To determine if essential fatty acid levels during pregnancy, or at age 7, are associated with alcohol and tobacco misuse in late adolescence.

Objective 2. To determine if essential fatty acid levels during pregnancy, or at age 7, are associated with candidate intermediate behavioural phenotypes that increase risk for alcohol and tobacco misuse in late adolescence.

Objective 3. To determine if genetic variations in candidate pathways are associated with increased risk of intermediate behavioural phenotypes and increased risk for alcohol and tobacco misuse in late adolescence.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Alcohol, Nutrition, Diet, Drugs, Eating Disorder, Genetics
Primary keyword: 

B1307 - Exploring the relationship between perinatal depression disorganised feelings of attachment and child outcomes - 02/02/2012

B number: 
B1307
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Jonathan Evans (University of Bristol, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Jean Golding (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Katrina Turner (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Rebecca Pearson (Not used 0, Not used 0), Charlotte Shepherd (Not used 0, Not used 0), Kristina Bennert (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Katrina Turner (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Exploring the relationship between perinatal depression, disorganised feelings of attachment and child outcomes
Proposal summary: 

Aims/Objectives: The study aims to investigate; The independent associations between antenatal and postnatal depression and maternal feelings of disordered attachment; Whether the disordered attachment feelings of mother-infant interactions are associated with child outcomes.

Importance: Depression is experienced by 10-15% of women during pregnancy and after birth. Both antenatal and postnatal depression has been associated with multiple negative mental health consequences for the child. Evidence suggests that postnatal maternal depression leads to these poorer outcomes, in part, through disruption to maternal behaviour and disordered mother-child relationships. Our recent investigations in ALSPAC also suggest that antenatal depression may disrupt preparations for motherhood and as such the mother-infant relationship after birth. It is therefore important to gain further insight as to how both antenatal and postnatal depression disrupts the mother-infant relationship. It is also important to understand which aspects of the mother-infant relationship are important to child development. Implications: Although, we would expect to find many mothers, who answered yes to the attachment feelings question, to have a high depressive symptom score, by coding the free text according to further categories, it will be possible to see if antenatal and postnatal depression relate to different aspects of disordered attachment feelings. In addition understanding which categories of disordered attachment feelings in the mother-infant relationship are important to the future development of the child

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Mental Health, Depression
Primary keyword: 

B1306 - Genetic distance and intelligence - 02/02/2012

B number: 
B1306
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Stephen Hsu (Not used -1, Not used -1)
Co-applicants: 
Prof George Davey Smith (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Genetic distance and intelligence
Proposal summary: 

I have developed a mathematical technique which reveals "global" information about the distribution of causal variants for aquantitative trait. It is similar to the Visscher technique for extracting heritability, in that it does not identify specific loci, but rather properties of their distribution. I have done some preliminary work with this technique on height data, and it seems tobe giving very nice results -- we have indications about the density of alleles as a function of MAF, their average effect size and the total number.

I do not need full access to the SNP level data to do the analysis. At minimum I need a small amount of time from someone who is familiar with computations on such data. I can explain what I need to have computed in a relative brief conversation, and it can run on an ordinary PC or even laptop. Once the resulting set of numbers is reported back to me I can produce the results which characterize gene-level distributions. No information regarding individual genotypes need pass to me.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Keywords: 
GWAS, Methods, Genetics
Primary keyword: 

B1305 - Risk factors for substance use in early adolescence Is there a protective role of organised activities - 02/02/2012

B number: 
B1305
Principal applicant name: 
Britt Emilia Hallingberg (University of Cardiff, UK)
Co-applicants: 
Simon Moore (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Stephanie van Goozen (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Laurence Moore (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Risk factors for substance use in early adolescence: Is there a protective role of organised activities?
Proposal summary: 

Aims: To identify factors that are major predictors of adolescent substance use and develope propensity scores based on these risk factors. Additionally it is of interest if involvement in organised activities is related to propensity scores and adolescent substance use. Another aim is to establish if psychological theory can explain this relationship by examining whether measures of cognitive development vary by those who have a high or low score of risk.

Hypotheses: 1. Organised activities have differential effects on risky behaviour by vulnerability to risk. 2. Psychological factors underpin the relationship between organised activities and their effects on risky behaviour.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Illicit Drugs, Social Science, Alcohol, Drugs, Stress, Social Conditions
Primary keyword: 

B1304 - Association of early life infection with childhood growth measures and cognitive abilities - 02/02/2012

B number: 
B1304
Principal applicant name: 
Dr Kelly Suzanne Benke (Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute - Mount Sinai Hospital - Toronto, Canada)
Co-applicants: 
Debbie Lawlor (Not used 0, Not used 0), Dr Laura Howe (Not used 0, Not used 0), Prof Lyle Palmer (Not used 0, Not used 0)
Title of project: 
Association of early life infection with childhood growth measures and cognitive abilities
Proposal summary: 

Aims: A critical period for important processes involved in brain development, such as synapse and dendrite formation, neural pruning, and myelination, begins in utero and continues through the first few years of life. Infection in infancy may compete with bodily resources that are otherwise necessary to promote normal growth and development during this critical period. We aim to evaluate whether a mother's report of her baby's infection during the first 6 months of life is associated with birth weight and early childhood growth patterns, whether infection is associated with cognitive measures in childhood, and whether the association of infection with cognitive measures can be explained in part by slower growth patterns.

Hypotheses:1. Increased infection in infancy will associate with lower birth weight and slower childhood growth trajectories. 2. Increased infection in infancy will associate with poorer performance on cognitive tests. 3. The association of increased report of infection with lowered cognitive test performance will attenuate after control for growth measures.

Exposures: Maternal report of baby's infection during the first 6 months. We wish to use latent classes of infection as defined by Hepworth et al. 2010 EJE. Outcomes: Clinic and parental report of height and weight measures from birth to 10 years; WPPSI at 4 years and WISC-III at 8 years of age; Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire; other tests of memory, attention and developments (see data required above) ; we will consider educational outcomes as they become available.

Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Date proposal approved: 
Thursday, 2 February, 2012
Keywords: 
Cognitive Function, Growth, Infection
Primary keyword: 

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