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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B4708 - Associations of Childhood Vitamin D Status with Vascular Function and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood - 02/10/2024

B number: 
B4708
Principal applicant name: 
Melissa Melough | University of Delaware (USA)
Co-applicants: 
Sanaz Pourreza
Title of project: 
Associations of Childhood Vitamin D Status with Vascular Function and Cardiometabolic Health in Early Adulthood
Proposal summary: 

Although cardiovascular disease (CVD) has traditionally been thought of as a condition that affects older individuals, it is now understood that its origins may begin to develop early in life, during childhood. It is therefore important to identify and promote healthy lifestyle factors in early life stages that may prevent CVD.

Vitamin D has emerged as an important factor in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. Low blood levels of vitamin D can lead to inflammation, altered hormone levels, and reduced release of molecules that relax blood vessels. This can in turn raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular problems.

Although it is understood that there is an association between vitamin D status and heart health, few studies have explored whether vitamin D concentrations in childhood are related to CVD risk factors and vascular health later in life. To address this gap in the literature, we will use data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), which has monitored the health of children from birth into adulthood. Our goal is to determine if higher vitamin D concentrations in the blood during childhood are associated with better vessel function and cardiovascular health indicators – including blood sugar, blood fats, blood pressure, and body fat mass – in adulthood. The goal of this study is to help clarify whether adequate vitamin D concentrations during childhood reduces the risk of developing CVD later in life.

Impact of research: 
Vitamin D is increasingly recognized for its critical role in CVD development and progression, yet there remains a gap due to the lack of prospective studies among children. By investigating the link between early life vitamin D levels and cardiovascular risk in adulthood, this research could reshape strategies for the primary prevention of CVD. Given the high rates of morbidity and mortality, as well as the increasing costs of chronic disease management, primary prevention of CVD is a critical target for all healthcare providers. Ultimately, the results of this study may help inform nutritional guidelines by providing evidence on the role of vitamin D in cardiovascular health. Currently, the available guidelines for vitamin D are primarily based on its effect on skeletal health. Recommendations regarding the extra-skeletal health benefits of vitamin D – such as CVD prevention – are still lacking. Many expert bodies including the Endocrine Society recognize that additional data are required to determine the optimal dosage of vitamin D intake and serum 25(OH)D concentrations for chronic disease prevention and other extra-skeletal health effects.
Date proposal received: 
Friday, 27 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 October, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Hypertension, Obesity, Hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction, Statistical methods, Cardiovascular, Nutrition - breast feeding, diet

B4709 - Safe adolescent relationships Towards tailored prevention - 01/10/2024

B number: 
B4709
Principal applicant name: 
Patrizia Pezzoli | University College London (UK)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Essi Viding, Dr Rebecca Laecy
Title of project: 
Safe adolescent relationships: Towards tailored prevention
Proposal summary: 

Intimate partner violence (IPV) among adolescents and young adults is a growing yet under-explored problem. IPV can include emotional, physical, and sexual abuse between romantic partners, and it can lead to long-lasting harm. Some adolescents and young adults face higher risk of being involved in IPV, either as victims or perpetrators, especially if they have certain personality traits or have experienced difficult circumstances, such as childhood maltreatment. However, there is still a lack of targeted interventions in the UK that aim to prevent IPV in this group accounting for individual and contextual risk profiles. This project will investigate how personality and experiences of childhood maltreatment influence the risk of IPV among adolescents and young adults, and lay the groundwork for the development of a tailored intervention to promote safe relationships in this group.

Impact of research: 
This project will deepen our understanding of how personality traits and childhood maltreatment can influence IPV risk, challenging the misconception that IPV occurs randomly, which contrasts with robust epidemiological evidence. It will elucidate how individuals may enter abusive relationships through different pathways, necessitating interventions tailored to specific vulnerability profiles. The findings will provide critical evidence to shape future policies and practices in the UK for adolescents and young adults at high risk for IPV, thereby filling a critical gap in evidence-based IPV prevention, particularly for those exposed to childhood maltreatment.
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 30 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 October, 2024
Keywords: 
Social Science, Behaviour - e.g. antisocial behaviour, risk behaviour, etc., Statistical methods, Childhood - childcare, childhood adversity, Psychology - personality, Intimate partner violence, adolescence, relationships.

B4706 - The role of DNA methylation in predicting the impact of adverse childhood experiences on chronic pain - 01/10/2024

B number: 
B4706
Principal applicant name: 
Hannah Russell | University of Dundee (Scotland)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Tim Hales, Dr Sam Singleton
Title of project: 
The role of DNA methylation in predicting the impact of adverse childhood experiences on chronic pain
Proposal summary: 

Exposure to one or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which include abuse, neglect, and household/external challenges, are known to have a negative impact on health outcomes in later life. One such outcome is chronic pain. The Consortium Against Pain inEquality (CAPE) was established to investigate relationships between ACEs and chronic pain, among other things looking for potential mediators and modifiers.

One avenue that CAPE is exploring is the potential for ACE exposure to affect epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation. This is a process that affects cellular and molecular pathways, and in doing so, may cause vulnerabilities to such outcomes as chronic pain.

Using ALSPAC alongside other population cohorts, we will conduct analyses to investigate the influence of ACE exposure on chronic pain vulnerability, with a focus on the factors that may contribute to such a relationship.

Impact of research: 
The impact of this research would be confirmation, or deeper understanding, of a relationship between ACE exposure and chronic pain vulnerability. Should such a relationship be identified, and the pathways and mechanisms playing a role elucidated, pain diagnoses, management, and treatment options can be further developed. We will establish the utility of estimating epigenetic age acceleration in identifying the vulnerability of those exposed to ACEs to chronic pain.
Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 26 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 1 October, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Pain, Statistical methods, Ageing, Childhood - childcare, childhood adversity, Epigenetics

B4705 - What is the relationship between vitamin D and inflammatory markers with brain-body connections in autism and Attention Deficit - 27/09/2024

B number: 
B4705
Principal applicant name: 
Greg Scutt | Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, University of Brighton, (East Sussex)
Co-applicants: 
Mrs Helena Bird
Title of project: 
What is the relationship between vitamin D and inflammatory markers, with brain-body connections in autism and Attention Deficit
Proposal summary: 

People with autism and ADHD have a high occurrence of 1) vitamin D deficiency and 2) having a physical inflammatory condition such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease. Understanding if there are genetic links between these occurrences may raise awareness in screening for early signs of inflammation in people with autism and ADHD.

In recent years, a number of studies have proposed that vitamin D has connections in inflammatory processes within the body. There are a number of genes that connect vitamin D metabolism with autism and ADHD, vitamin D metabolism with a systemic inflammatory condition and ADHD with a systemic inflammatory condition.

Initial observations from a process called mendelian randomisation suggest that causal link is potentially present. I am therefore asking if individuals that differ in these genes may be at increased risk of developing a physical inflammatory condition such as inflammatory bowel disease or rheumatoid arthritis. I am also interested in finding out whether differences in these genes increase the risk of progression to an intervention being required, such as medicines or hospitalisation for physical health inflammation symptoms.

My project will involve looking at genetic material from people diagnosed with autism and/or ADHD, their vitamin D levels and comparing the frequencies of inflammation conditions of these genes with the frequencies found in the general population. I will also look at whether certain forms of the gene are more prevalent in hospitalised patients, compared to those who are not. The value in this research is that it could help us understand more about the role the role of vitamin D and inflammation signalling pathways in people with autism and/ or ADHD, and identify targets for drug treatment. Importantly, it may help us to identify individuals who should have routine screening for an inflammatory condition to prevent it causing disabilities. As this project will only involve reanalysis of existing data, I expect the project duration to be a period of months.

Impact of research: 
The value in this research is that it could help us understand more about the role the role of vitamin D and inflammation signalling pathways in people with autism and/ or ADHD, and identify targets for drug treatment. Importantly, it may help us to identify individuals who: 1) should have vitamin D deficiencies corrected to minimise adverse health outcomes and 2) should have routine screening for an inflammatory condition to prevent it causing disabilities.
Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 25 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Friday, 27 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Clinical research/clinical practice, Developmental disorders - autism, Gastrointestinal, Gene mapping, GWAS, Statistical methods, Biological samples -e.g. blood, cell lines, saliva, etc., Biomarkers - e.g. cotinine, fatty acids, haemoglobin, etc., Childhood - childcare, childhood adversity, Genome wide association study, Immunity, Statistical methods, Whole genome sequencing

B4704 - The effects of exercise on mental health - 02/10/2024

B number: 
B4704
Principal applicant name: 
Robyn Wootton | School of Psychological Science (UK)
Co-applicants: 
Miss Farzana Ali, Mr Aran Norris
Title of project: 
The effects of exercise on mental health
Proposal summary: 

There will be two student projects using the same scrambled dataset. Both projects will be looking at the links between exercise and mental health, but they will ask slightly different research questions:
1. Does physical activity moderate the relationship between genetic liability to depression and severity of depressive symptoms?
2. Does body dissatisfaction mediate the relationship between physical activity and severity of depressive symptoms?

Impact of research: 
Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 24 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Wednesday, 25 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Mental health - Psychology, Psychiatry, Cognition, Mental health, Statistical methods, Physical - activity, fitness, function

B4702 - Developmental origins of mental health risks in families an intergenerational and interdisciplinary life-course perspective - 04/10/2024

B number: 
B4702
Principal applicant name: 
Iryna Culpin | King's College London (United Kingdom )
Co-applicants: 
Professor Marc H Bornstein, Professor Rebecca Pearson , Professor Nicolas Fivaz-Depeursingle, Professor Marion Bakermans-Kranenburg, Dr Paris Alexandros Lalousis, Dr Sergio Mena Ortega , Dr Fiona Coutts, Dr Crina-Daniela Grosan , Professor Henning Timier, Professor Stefanie Hohl
Title of project: 
Developmental origins of mental health risks in families: an intergenerational and interdisciplinary life-course perspective
Proposal summary: 

It has been suggested that parenting (i.e., parenting behaviours directed toward children) is passed through the generations. However, rigorous evaluation of intergenerational (IG) continuity (i.e., similarities/differences in mean levels of parenting behaviours across generations) and stability (i.e., associations between parents and children’s parenting behaviours) of parenting is lacking. Substantial gaps in existing evidence remain regarding which parenting behaviours are transmitted, when in development transmission occurs and what process underly continuity and discontinuity of IG transmission. Furthermore, longitudinal research that examines associations between parenting in one generation (e.g., G0; grandparents), parenting of the next generation (G1; parents) and developmental and mental health in their offspring (G2; grandchildren) is very limited. Insights into these questions are crucial for targeted intervention and prevention programmes to address IG continuity and stability of parenting to improve offspring developmental and mental health outcomes in the next generation.

Existing evidence-base regarding IG transmission of parenting and its role in intergenerational transmission of mental health risks is extremely limited. Most studies are retrospective, while prospective three-generational studies that utilise data from three generations (G0/Grandparents->G1/Parents->G2/Grandchildren) are acutely lacking. Relatedly, most evidence is based on retrospective rather than prospective reports of parenting, which may be prone to recall and reporting bias, particularly in the context of parental depression. IG transmission has been mostly examined in the context of maltreatment and harsh parenting (e.g., aggressive, abusive, highly conflictual), with few studies addressing IG transmission of positive parenting in non-clinical populations (e.g., parental monitoring, warmth and enjoyment, inductive discipline, ‘normative’ levels of conflict). Furthermore, evidence of sex differences in IG transmission of parenting is almost non-existing, with most studies historically focusing on mothers and not fathers, without differentiating between genetic, psychological and contextual factors that may confound IG transmission of parenting. Importantly, it remains unclear through which processes and/or mechanisms parenting is transmitted across generations and the role it plays in offspring mental health and development due to retrospective designs and lack of prospective longitudinal three-generational study on parenting and mental health that enable to infer causality. Understanding processes that underly continuity and stability of IG transmission of parenting (i.e., mediators) and factors that disrupt continuity and stability of IG transmission of parenting (i.e., moderators) is of crucial importance to preventive (e.g., enhancing positive parenting) and targeted intervention programs (e.g., disrupting negative parenting) to break the IG cycle of negative parenting and adverse offspring outcomes.

Although self-reported data on parenting captures parental perceptions and attitudes to parenting, it may be biased by parental mental health status and does not capture the nature and quality of family and parent-child interactions. Specifically, family interactions provide a fundamental context for offspring development. In two-parent families (irrespective of parental sex and gender), children experience dyadic and triadic interactions routinely. Family-systems perspective emphasises importance of family sub-systems, such as mother-child, father-child, parent-parent relationship and co-parenting, as developmentally formative in influencing offspring development. These interactional subsystems are interrelated exerting mutual effects, however, they are not captured by dyadic mother- and father-child interactions. Dyadic interactions provide important insights into individual patterns of parent-child interactions (within sub-systems), which are related yet distinct from interaction patterns within other family sub-systems, including parental relationship and co-parenting sub-systems. Emphasis on dyadic parent-child interactions only obscures important role that family-level interactions play in offspring development because accumulation of individual measures is not equivalent to the whole family measure and parental and child behaviours may not be organised in the same way across dyadic and triadic contexts. Furthermore, children have the capacity to engage in both dyadic and triadic interactions early in infancy, with both parental and child behaviours mutually affecting each other, suggesting the need to consider child interactive behaviours in the context of dyadic and triadic interactions. Despite developmental importance of triadic interactions, there is a distinct lack of studies examining both dyadic and triadic interactions and their impact on offspring developmental and mental health outcomes, particularly in the context of parental depression. This is a substantial limitation given growing evidence supporting the importance of triadic family interactions for offspring developmental and mental health outcomes, as well as important clinical implications. Qualitative meaning of the family interactions to parents is as important as behavioural manifestations, particularly in those families where parents experience mental health difficulties. However, it is rarely captured in research, constituting an important limitation as these meanings have important implications for the development of targeted interventions to improve parental and offspring mental health.

Impact of research: 
There is marked lack of longitudinal evidence regarding intergenerational continuity and stability of parenting across generations and its role in intergenerational transmission of mental health risks in families. Substantial evidence gaps remain regarding which parenting behaviours are transmitted, when in development transmission occurs and what process underly continuity and discontinuity of IG transmission. Combining novel interdisciplinary approaches (quantitative, qualitative and observational) and advanced analytical methods (Machine Learning) to examine complex IG transmission of parenting and mental health risks in families has important implications for the development of targeted intervention and prevention programmes to break the intergenerational cycle of negative parenting and adverse offspring outcomes. The proposed research may also have important policy and practice implications directly relevant to supporting families affected by mental health difficulties through family-based parenting programmes inclusive of fathers.
Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 24 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 24 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Mental health - Psychology, Psychiatry, Cognition, Mental health, Wearable head cameras to measure triadic parent-child interactions in home setting. , Intergenerational transmission of parenting and mental health; triadic mother-child-father interactions; fathers; family-systems perspective

B4701 - Data-driven analysis of parenting styles in early language development - 24/09/2024

B number: 
B4701
Principal applicant name: 
Ekaterina Ostashchenko | Manchester Metropolitan University (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Data-driven analysis of parenting styles in early language development
Proposal summary: 

Parents differ in numerous ways, including how they engage verbally and non-verbally with their infants. As the most important source of learning, parents play a key role in teaching critical skills such as language and communication. However, despite the vital role parents play, most research on how children acquire language has focused on identifying general learning mechanisms, often ignoring individual differences among parents. This approach assumes a "one-size-fits-all" model, leading to general recommendations for all parents. In reality, parenting styles vary widely, and more individualised guidance may be more effective.

Our project aims to fill this gap by investigating how individual parenting styles affect language development. Rather than focusing on isolated mechanisms, we propose a data-driven approach to explore how parents function as "language coaches" for their infants. By moving away from idealised, uniform learning models, we seek to uncover how different styles contribute to language acquisition.

Traditionally, research has looked at individual behaviors—such as pitch, speech rate, or vocabulary—separately as predictors of language outcomes. This overlooks how parents combine strategies during interactions. Some parents may rely on prosodic features like varied pitch and slower speech, while others use repetition to reinforce associations between objects and words. Meanwhile, others may provide more varied input, responding rapidly to their child's shifting focus during play. These varied, yet effective approaches highlight the need to understand how different parenting strategies foster language development.

Our project challenges the assumption that all parents should follow the same guidelines to support language development. We will investigate how different combinations of parental behaviours, or "coaching styles," contribute to language learning.

The aim of this project is to investigate the impact of different parental coaching styles on early language development. Specifically, we seek to:

Identify consistent patterns in how parents modify their speech and interaction when engaging with their children.
Examine the connection between these coaching styles and the synchrony observed in parent-infant interactions.

To achieve these goals, we will use cluster analysis, a data-driven method that identifies natural groupings in parental speech and communication behaviours. This allows us to explore how different aspects of speech—such as pitch, speed, and vocabulary—combine with interaction styles, like following or directing a child’s attention.

We will analyse a unique dataset of video recordings from head-mounted cameras worn by both parents and infants during free-play sessions, collected as part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). These recordings offer an in-depth, dual-perspective view of parent-infant interactions, capturing the dynamics of communication and engagement in naturalistic settings. By studying this data, we aim to identify clusters of distinct parenting styles and link them to children's language development outcomes. Furthermore, we will explore how parental characteristics, such as anxiety or depression, may influence these parenting styles and their potential impact on language acquisition.

This project will enhance our understanding of diverse parenting strategies, enabling more personalised support, particularly for families with children experiencing language delays. When recommendations feel natural for parents, they are easier to follow, increasing the potential for positive impacts on children's development. Our findings could help shape more effective support programmes for parents, educators, and policymakers by providing practical, tailored advice that reflects individual differences in language coaching styles.

Impact of research: 
The likely impact of our research will be significant across both academic and practical domains. Academically, the research will contribute novel insights into early language acquisition by integrating diverse dimensions of parental input, such as acoustic features, semantic complexity, and interactional synchrony. This multidimensional approach will help identify distinct parental coaching styles, providing a new framework for understanding how variations in parental behaviour affect language development outcomes. Our findings will be published in high-impact journals and shared at international conferences, ensuring the academic community can engage with and build upon this research. Practically, the project will generate actionable insights for parents, educators, and policymakers, directly addressing gaps in current resources available for supporting children's early language development. By developing practical guidance in accessible formats, such as videos and blog content, we aim to empower parents to apply evidence-based strategies in their everyday interactions with their children. The project’s societal impact will be further amplified through interdisciplinary collaboration, with a planned symposium fostering dialogue between academics, educators, and policymakers to facilitate real-world applications in educational and early intervention contexts. The impact will be measured through academic citations, engagement with public-facing resources, and feedback from stakeholders, ensuring that both scholarly contributions and practical recommendations are effectively disseminated and implemented.
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 23 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 24 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Mental health - Psychology, Psychiatry, Cognition, Speech/language problem, Computer simulations/modelling/algorithms, Statistical methods, Communication (including non-verbal), Parenting, Speech and language

B4696 - Early conditions delayed adult effects and morbidity disability and mortality in modern human populations - 27/09/2024

B number: 
B4696
Principal applicant name: 
Alberto Palloni | University of WIsconsin-Madison (US)
Co-applicants: 
Mary McEniry
Title of project: 
Early conditions, delayed adult effects, and morbidity, disability and mortality in modern human populations
Proposal summary: 

This study explores the influence of the ”home obesogenic environment” on childhood obesity and, in particular, the interplay between the environmental and genetic factors. To do so, we generate a latent variable for “home environment” using domains that have been established in the literature as contributing to obesity, generating what we call the “Cultural Risk Score (CRS)”. Using two U.S. datasets, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) and the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study and one British data set (ALSPAC), we employ Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to assess how environmental and genetic factors affect children’s BMI and how different levels of CRS can modulate genetic penetrance. Preliminary findings for the U.S. datasets indicate that dietary factors, physical activity and parental education are the most relevant domains for the home obesogenic environment. Additionally, the model reveals significant variations in genetic effects on BMI across different CRS levels, suggesting important gene-environment interactions. The CRS will be an input in a generalized stable population model and Agent Based Model whose goal is to predict future obesity trajectories.

Impact of research: 
The first potential impact is to increase knowledge about the joint role played by cultural, genetic and culture x gene interactions. To our knowledge, there does not exist a comprehensive model to achieve that. The second is a better road map to undertake interventions during critical windows and using critical factors. We suspect the CRS will overwhelm the effects of PRS for BMI but that the latter effects will change as one changes CRS.
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 23 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 23 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Demography, Obesity, Statistical methods, BMI

B4698 - Architecture of environmental associations on the proteomics - 23/09/2024

B number: 
B4698
Principal applicant name: 
Chirag Patel | Harvard Medical School (USA)
Co-applicants: 
Shakson Isaac
Title of project: 
Architecture of environmental associations on the proteomics
Proposal summary: 

We aim to characterize the associations between environmental exposures and genetics on circulating proteome.

Impact of research: 
Peer reviewed publication.
Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 19 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 23 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Genetic epidemiology (including association studies and mendelian randomisation), Diabetes, Proteomics, Statistical methods, Biomarkers - e.g. cotinine, fatty acids, haemoglobin, etc., Blood pressure, BMI, Cardiovascular, Genomics, Genome wide association study, Metabolic - metabolism, Methods - e.g. cross cohort analysis, data mining, mendelian randomisation, etc.

B4697 - Understanding childhood adversity and co-occurring overweight and internalizing symptoms using life course and genetically-infor - 23/09/2024

B number: 
B4697
Principal applicant name: 
Laura Howe | MRC IEU, PHS, Bristol Medical School (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Ka Kei Sum, Jon Heron, Annie Herbert
Title of project: 
Understanding childhood adversity and co-occurring overweight and internalizing symptoms using life course and genetically-infor
Proposal summary: 

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with multiple negative health behaviors and consequences including both physical and mental health conditions in adulthood. Previous studies have commonly examined the impact of ACEs on a single outcome. However, recent evidence shows that exposure to ACEs may also increase the risk of multimorbidity such as overweight or obesity in combination with mental health conditions. This project will explore this, and the mechanisms through which the co-occurrence of overweight/obesity and mental health problems might arise.

Impact of research: 
Improved understanding of potential intervention targets to mitigate the effects of ACEs on health
Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 19 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Monday, 23 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Mental health, Obesity, BMI, Childhood - childcare, childhood adversity

B4699 - Muscle function in ALSPAC participants methodology descriptives and correlates - 09/11/2024

B number: 
B4699
Principal applicant name: 
Alex Ireland | Manchester Metropolitan University (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Rachel Cooper, Prof Jon Tobias, Dr Snehal Pinto Pereira, Dr Ahmed Elhakeem
Title of project: 
Muscle function in ALSPAC participants: methodology, descriptives and correlates
Proposal summary: 

Muscle function is multi-dimensional, with different components of function such as power, balance, and fatigability relating to clinical and quality of life outcomes such as mobility, falls risk and the ability to carry out activities of daily living. Maintaining good muscle function across life is essential for overall health, mobility, and wellbeing. Previous research has largely focused on identifying factors that influence declines in muscle function in older adults. However, muscle function in later life is a consequence not only of declines experienced from midlife onwards but also of the peak achieved earlier in adulthood.

In addition, large population-based studies like ALSPAC have typically used simple measures of muscle function, which may not capture variance in important aspects including balance, power, mobility, and fatiguability.

In the recent ALSPAC@30 clinic, multiple detailed measures of different aspects of muscle function including power, balance and fatigability were ascertained, at scale, for the first time in young adults. We aim to combine these novel data with ALSPAC’s existing longitudinal information on exposures including physical activity (PA) and obesity. This provides a unique opportunity to identify and investigate important factors associated with the promotion of maximum peak muscle function.

In this project, we are particularly interested in looking at how PA, sedentary behaviour (SB) and body composition including obesity from birth onwards are associated with peak muscle function. Previous studies have shown that PA, SB, and body composition are important for muscle function in children and middle-aged and older adults, although we have limited understanding of their association with peak muscle function in young adults. We expect that the impact of these factors will be more pronounced in cohorts born from the 1990s onwards, including the ALSPAC cohort, because younger generations are much more likely to be inactive and obese than previous generations.

In addition, we can benefit from the fact that new technologies allow us to measure physical activity and obesity more accurately and in greater detail than ever before. There are several typical patterns of PA, SB and obesity change throughout childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, and so we are keen to find out if there are particular periods of development during these key life stages where differences in PA, SB or obesity have a greater influence on muscle function.

Impact of research: 
An initial characterisation of the detailed muscle function data collected in ALSPAC will provide details on its reliability and value in the context of a large population-based study. This will be a flagship study for all future work done in ALSPAC using the data. This work will highlight the value of the muscle function/health data in addition to providing information on their use and interpretation, thereby promoting their use by other researchers. Also, it will promote implementation and use of these measures in future data collections in ALSPAC and other studies. Understanding how and at which key life stages PA and SB trajectories influence components of muscle function and underlying quantity and quality will inform the development of more effective interventions and guidance to promote muscle health and function. This information will also allow us to identify groups of adults who may require more support to mitigate long-term muscle health deficits due to inactivity and obesity. This project is intended to provide a basis for developing behavioural interventions and public health messaging to optimise peak muscle health; long-term social, health and economic benefits will be achieved by reducing future sarcopenia risk and ultimately improving public health.
Date proposal received: 
Friday, 20 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 21 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Sarcopenia, Assessment of physical function, musculoskeletal

B4700 - Causal Pathways in Child Maltreatment Insights from Longitudinal Data on Parenting and Child Development - 24/09/2024

B number: 
B4700
Principal applicant name: 
Bang Zheng | Peking University (China)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Causal Pathways in Child Maltreatment: Insights from Longitudinal Data on Parenting and Child Development
Proposal summary: 

The causes and consequences of child maltreatment remain highly controversial. Social-psychological and health factors such as parenting stress and child behaviour disorders are often identified as major risk factors for child maltreatment; however, there is limited evidence from existing studies to establish a temporal sequence that confirms a causal relationship. Taking parenting stress as an example, according to the Stress and Coping Model of Child Maltreatment Theory (Hillson & Kuiper, 1994), most research has focused on a unidirectional relationship in which parenting stress leads to child maltreatment. However, emerging evidence suggests a potential vicious cycle in which child maltreatment increases parenting stress through parental guilt and children’s behavioural issues. Verification of these dynamics relies on longitudinal data for bidirectional temporal analysis. This project aims to employ techniques such as cross-lagged panel model to investigate the bidirectional temporal effects between social-psychological or health factors and child maltreatment. By addressing these gaps, this study seeks to enhance understanding of the interplay between parental and child-specific features and child maltreatment, contributing valuable insights to inform prevention and intervention strategies.

Impact of research: 
The ultimate goal of this study is to accumulate evidence for evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing violence against children. Currently, the mechanisms of positive parenting interventions remain unclear, and there is a lack of empirical evidence to support the development of effective intervention programs. This research seeks to identify potential targets and key populations for evidence-based interventions through a longitudinal quantitative data perspective. By identifying the pathways through which child maltreatment and parental or child-specific factors interact, our findings will contribute to the development of more effective, evidence-based approaches to enhance child well-being and reduce the incidence of violence against children.
Date proposal received: 
Friday, 20 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Saturday, 21 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Social Science, Behaviour - e.g. antisocial behaviour, risk behaviour, etc., Developmental disorders - autism, Mental health, Statistical methods, Childhood - childcare, childhood adversity, Development, Parenting, Social science

B4695 - Effects of age at onset of puberty on Locus of Control of Reinforcement in a longitudinal cohort study ALSPAC - 18/09/2024

B number: 
B4695
Principal applicant name: 
Yasmin Iles-Caven | Bristol Uni (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Jean Golding
Title of project: 
Effects of age at onset of puberty on Locus of Control of Reinforcement in a longitudinal cohort study: ALSPAC.
Proposal summary: 

Locus of Control of reinforcement (LOC) has been shown to have far reaching effects in academic and professional achievement, as well as mental and physical health and well-being. In brief, those considered internally controlled (i.e. belief that an outcome is mainly contingent upon their own choices and behaviour) have better outcomes in all areas than those who are more externally controlled (believing what they do makes little difference, and everything is down to luck, chance or powerful others).
Previous research has identified that there is stability in adult LOC over time, however, adolescent LOC is more volatile because of faster and extensive emotional and physical changes.
LOC is important as it has been shown to have an effect almost every aspect of life (on educational achievement, business/employment, financial security, physical and mental health and even mortality (internality predicting better outcomes)). There appears to be no research conducted to date that specifically looks at whether early or late onset of puberty changes an adolescent’s orientation from that at pre- to post-puberty.
LOC was collected from ALSPAC offspring participants at the ages of 8 (n=), 16 (n=) and 27 years (n=). Puberty questionnaires were administered annually between the ages of 8 and 17 years. SITAR calculations of height to derive age at peak height velocity were also available. From the data available we will ascertain the age at which puberty starts and if this has an impact on LOC internality post-puberty.
Aims:
To ascertain whether pubertal timing affects LOC orientation at 16, and whether this remains stable or moves towards internality by age 27.
Are there lasting effects of LOC/pubertal timing on outcomes at age 27+ (including risky behaviours, educational achievement, financial security, criminality, depression and anxiety)?
Why is LOC important in adolescence?
Those children who are external are less likely to do well academically with potentially lasting effects throughout the lifespan. As puberty occurs prior to major educational assessments (GCSEs especially and A levels), it is important to assess if LOC is affected by it. If so, targeted interventions may increase students’ internality at this crucial period in their lives.

Impact of research: 
If LOC is negatively affected by age at puberty, this may impact on a child's educational achievement by age 16. It adds to the recommendation that interventions are in place in schools to enhance internality. This project will likely produce more than one paper.
Date proposal received: 
Tuesday, 17 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Wednesday, 18 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Mental health - Psychology, Psychiatry, Cognition, Behaviour - e.g. antisocial behaviour, risk behaviour, etc., Puberty

B4691 - Impact of blood cell traits at birth and throughout childhood - 17/09/2024

B number: 
B4691
Principal applicant name: 
Thomas Pincez | CHU Sainte Justine, Université de Montréal (Canada)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
Impact of blood cell traits at birth and throughout childhood
Proposal summary: 

Blood traits, such as complete blood count and fetal hemoglobin, are implicated in various physiological and pathological processes. The value of these traits is variable from one individual to another and a significant part of this variation that is due to genetic factors that have been identified. It has been shown in adults that these genetic factors impact patients’ management. However, their impact is poorly known in children. Per example, whether lower white blood count have an impact on infection risk and work up and whether a mildly lower hemoglobin level impairs growth is unclear. Moreover, whether the impact has a causal relationship is unknown. Finally, fetal hemoglobin is a type of hemoglobin specific to fetus that has been selected throughout evolution to favor oxygen delivery to the newborn as it ties more strongly to oxygen than the adult hemoglobin from the mother. As some fetal hemoglobin may persist in adults, the difference between mother and child fetal hemoglobin varies across pregnancies. However, the impact on weight at birth and later in life of this difference remains to be studied. Here, we propose to leverage state-of-the-art genetic approaches to address these two aspects blood traits. We will used the genetic variations known to be associated to blood traits to study their effect throughout childhood without the need of direct measurement. Deciphering the impact of blood traits in children will improve our understanding of their effect and may provide powerful tools to tailor patients’ management toward a personalized, precision medicine.

Impact of research: 
The project will allow to better understand the blood traits consequences in childhood to adapt the management and follow-up. Aims 1 and 2 will also provide the first assessment of DARC-null variant effect in children. Given its high effect of on neutrophil count and its clinical impact in adult, this information is highly clinically relevant. Duffy variant genotyping or blood group phenotyping being easily accessible in clinical setting, this variable can be analysed to adapt the neutrophil reference range and the neonate management. Finally, birth weight is an important predictor of newborn survival and is associated to future cardio-metabolic disease, which relationship is genetically-mediated. Thus, knowing the impact of fetal hemoglobin maternofetal gradient on birth weight and height (aim 4) will improve birthweight prediction and prediction of future unfavourable outcomes. Proving a tool to estimate fetal hemoglobin maternofetal gradient will also allow future studies investigating its impact on fetal physiology
Date proposal received: 
Saturday, 14 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 17 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Genetic epidemiology (including association studies and mendelian randomisation), Blood traits (hematology), GWAS, Genetic epidemiology

B4692 - GENESIS-LIFE - 17/09/2024

B number: 
B4692
Principal applicant name: 
Albert Ksinan | Masaryk University (Czechia)
Co-applicants: 
Title of project: 
GENESIS-LIFE
Proposal summary: 

Throughout childhood, self-control undergoes substantial development, influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Although the relative ranking of individuals’ self-control levels stabilizes in early adolescence, the developmental trajectory of the genetic risk for low self-control (LSC) remains poorly understood. This gap in our knowledge raises some critical questions: Is the genetic risk for LSC the same across childhood or are there specific developmental windows during which the risk exerts its strongest influence? Importantly, how do environmental factors, such as parenting, socioeconomic status, or neighbourhood characteristics, modify this genetic risk? This project aims to provide the first comprehensive answers to these questions. Focusing on childhood is crucial as this life stage is strongly shaped by environmental factors, making it an ideal target for intervention strategies, and these analyses will help to identify the optimal timeframe for maximizing the effectiveness. To achieve this objective, longitudinal structural equation modelling (SEM) will examine the dynamic association between LSC polygenic score (PGS) and early phenotypic manifestations in cohorts from 3 countries (UK, NL, CZ) and identify critical developmental windows. The models will incorporate selected environmental factors to test for gene-environment interaction (GxE).

Impact of research: 
Understanding the genetic risk factors for low self-control in childhood will identify the most impactful developmental windows for application of intervention programs. This knowledge could lead to the development of early, personalized interventions focusing on enhancing self-regulation skills, improving parental support, and addressing environmental risk factors, potentially mitigating the long-term negative consequences of low self-control on health and well-being.
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 16 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 17 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Social Science, Behaviour - e.g. antisocial behaviour, risk behaviour, etc., GWAS, Statistical methods, Childhood - childcare, childhood adversity, Development, Genetic epidemiology, Parenting, Psychology - personality

B4693 - Association of polygenic risk scores for depression anxiety and neuroticism with lower urinary tract symptoms in women - 17/09/2024

B number: 
B4693
Principal applicant name: 
Carol Joinson | Student is affiliated with IEU (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Mr Zayn Rajan, Dr Christina Dardani, Kimberley Burrows
Title of project: 
Association of polygenic risk scores for depression, anxiety and neuroticism with lower urinary tract symptoms in women
Proposal summary: 

Observational studies have found evidence that depression, anxiety and neuroticism are prospectively associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women. Although prospective studies provide evidence of the direction of observed associations, they are limited by unmeasured and residual confounding. Observational studies that rely on self-report questionnaires to assess depression, anxiety and neuroticism exposures are also limited by measurement error. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) can be used estimate an individual’s underlying genetic liability to complex traits such as depression, anxiety and neuroticism. PRS should not be associated with genetic or environmental confounders at a population level, which can bias observational studies.

Impact of research: 
This will be the first study to use PRS to examine the relationship between depression, anxiety, neuroticism and LUTS. The findings will add to the evidence base on the roles of affective disorders and neuroticism as a potential risk factors for LUTS in women. Clinicians will benefit from these findings because they will raise awareness of the importance of assessing mental health in patients presenting with LUTS.
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 16 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 17 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Incontinence, Statistical methods, Genetic epidemiology

B4694 - Linking social stressors and adolescent psychopathology The role of systemic inflammation - 17/09/2024

B number: 
B4694
Principal applicant name: 
Annekatrin Steinhoff | University of Bern, University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (Switzerland)
Co-applicants: 
Linda Dietrich, M.Sc.
Title of project: 
Linking social stressors and adolescent psychopathology – The role of systemic inflammation
Proposal summary: 

Adolescence has been described as a period of storm and stress since the beginning of the 20th century. In fact, this transitional period between childhood and adulthood is characterized by an increased exposure to social stressors, fundamental changes in various biological systems (e.g. immune maturation) and elevated psychopathological burden. Although adolescence is considered a critical window for mental health, the developmental relationship between social stressors, biological dysregulations and psychopathology during this period are poorly understood. Better knowledge about the interaction of these processes is needed, in order to identify promising targets for interventions designed to support adolescents at risk of mental health problems.
The aim of this project is to investigate the co-development of social stressors exposure (e.g., victimization experiences) and biological stress embedding (e.g. systemic inflammation) from late childhood to late adolescence and early adulthood, and their associations with psychopathology (e.g. transdiagnostic symptoms in the realm of self-harm).
The findings will provide novel insights into the developmental precursors of adolescent psychopathology and help improve prevention and intervention programs.

Impact of research: 
The findings will provide new insights into the mechanisms linking social stressors, biological processes and psychopathological outcome, and inform a holistic understanding of the developmental antecedents and consequences of mental health impairment. The findings will also help identify youth at risk for mental disorders and improve prevention and intervention programs designed to reduce respective risks.
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 16 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 17 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Mental health - Psychology, Psychiatry, Cognition, Mental health, Statistical methods, Development

B4690 - Accounting for selection bias a study of Domestic Violence Abuse DVA in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents Children - 15/09/2024

B number: 
B4690
Principal applicant name: 
Annie Herbert | University of Bristol (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Rachel O'Donnell, Professor Laura Howe, Professor Christine Barter
Title of project: 
Accounting for selection bias: a study of Domestic Violence & Abuse (DVA) in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents & Children
Proposal summary: 

Previous research has suggested that young people who grew up in homes where their parents were violent or abusive towards each other are more likely to have violent or abusive relationships themselves. We have been looking into this in Children of the 90’s data, to get a better understanding of the relationship between growing up around violence or abuse between parents in the UK, as reported by the parents at the time of the violence or abuse, and being in a violent or abusive relationship as a young adult. However, some participants (both parents and children) will have left the study since being initially recruited, and it is likely that those who are in abusive relationships are more likely to be the ones that leave. In this study, we want to find ways to account for these people that have left, so that our estimates about the risks of being in an abusive relationship are more accurate.

Impact of research: 
These findings can inform future longitudinal work in DVA, both in parents and young adults, in terms of a better understanding of the sensitivity of findings to loss-to-follow-up, and publicising methods to correct for this loss-to-follow-up, within the DVA research literature. We expect the findings will be submitted to a relevant journal, such as Trauma, Violence & Abuse. By the end of the project, the student will have knowledge and skills in ALSPAC data, selection bias, regression analyses, multiple imputation, and inverse probability treatment weighting using the Stata or R programming package (depending on preference), as well as experience in interpreting study findings for public health.
Date proposal received: 
Friday, 13 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Sunday, 15 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, DVA, Statistical methods, Cohort studies - attrition, bias, participant engagement, ethics

B4689 - From birth to delivery lifelong preconception health - 15/09/2024

B number: 
B4689
Principal applicant name: 
Abigail Fraser | PHS, BMS (United Kingdom)
Co-applicants: 
Prof Laura Howe, Prof Kate Tilling, Prod DA lawlor
Title of project: 
From birth to delivery: lifelong preconception health
Proposal summary: 

There is an accumulating body of evidence suggesting that pregnancy is a whole-body stress test, identifying women who have an existing increased propensity for cardiovascular disease, common mental health conditions, and autoimmune disease. However, the vast majority of pregnancy cohorts, much like ALSPAC, recruit women who are already pregnant and therefore have limited pre-pregnancy data.
As many of the ALSPAC index participants are now becoming parents, there is a unique opportunity to chart lifelong trajectories of cardiometabolic and mental health, using prospectively collected data. This can identify if and when differences in these emerge to inform screening and interventions that may prevent complications during and immediately after pregnancy such as preeclampsia and post-natal depression.

Impact of research: 
As this data is unique, this work has the potential to yield much needed evidence about the optimal timing to screen and intervene to prevent maternal perinatal ill health, as well as educate young women and their families about the importance (or not) of health prior to conception.
Date proposal received: 
Thursday, 12 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Sunday, 15 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology, Hypertension, NMR, Proteomics, Statistical methods, Birth outcomes, Blood pressure, BMI, Cardiovascular

B4688 - Genetic architecture influencing the difference between peak and nadir of body weight during infancy and adolescence - 15/09/2024

B number: 
B4688
Principal applicant name: 
Brent Richards | 5 Prime Sciences Inc (Canada)
Co-applicants: 
Vince Forgetta, Ph.D., Matt Tudball, Ph.D., Thomas Harrison, Markus Munter, Sahir Bhatnagar, Urvashi Singh, Zoe Schmilovich, Yiheng Chen, Mike Sively, Marie Sadler
Title of project: 
Genetic architecture influencing the difference between peak and nadir of body weight during infancy and adolescence
Proposal summary: 

Early childhood growth and weight gain are vital indicators of a healthy development and growth and can have a significant impact on body weight later in life. In particular, the difference between the highest (peak) and lowest (nadir) body weight during infancy can provide valuable insights into long-term health outcomes and help understand how the body regulates weight over time. A key period in this process is known as the adiposity rebound (AR), which is when a child’s body fat reaches its lowest point before starting to increase again. During AR, adiposity increases signifacntly during the first year and then decreases again. Then, a renewed rise (termed AR), occurs at around 5-6 years of age. The speed and intensity of such a rebound in BMI/weight can be an important predictor of future obesity risk, but it remains unclear why some children experience this rebound earlier or quicker than others, affecting observed weight gain velocities/patterns in later stages of life. We think that humans are exposed to two different genetically programmed adiposities: The first is their adiposity at age one, and the second is the adiposity trajectory that they follow for the rest of their life.

In this study, we aim to understand the genetic factors influencing such rebounding changes in body weight during early childhood. By using data from the ALSPAC cohort, which includes detailed measurements of body weight from birth through early childhood, we will apply advanced genetic analyses, such as genome wide association studies (GWAS) and polygenic risk scores (PRS) as well as mendelian randomization studies. Using genetic markers across the genome and associating these markers with the adiposity rebound can help predict an individual’s likelihood of developing certain traits or conditions, such as a predisposition to being overweight in both childhood or adulthood.

Our goal is to conduct a GWAS with this adiposity rebound to identify genetic factors that might explain the variations in body weight changes during infancy. By understanding the genetic basis of these differences, we hope to identify links between early childhood growth patterns and future health outcomes, such as obesity.

Ultimately, this research could help identify key biological pathways involved in weight gain and loss, improving our understanding of how weight changes in early childhood can influence long-term health and weight.

Impact of research: 
We hope that our research program will help understand the genetic influences on regaining weight during infancy.
Date proposal received: 
Wednesday, 11 September, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Sunday, 15 September, 2024
Keywords: 
Genetic epidemiology (including association studies and mendelian randomisation), GWAS, Statistical methods, Biomarkers - e.g. cotinine, fatty acids, haemoglobin, etc., BMI, Cardiovascular, Genetic epidemiology, Genome wide association study, Mendelian randomisation

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