David Bellinger, PhD
Professor of Neurology
Harvard Medical School/Children's Hospital
Department of Neurology

MRRC Project(s)

U01 DE 11886
Health Effects of Dental Amalgams in Children

R01 HL64951-01
Neurobehavioral Sequelae of Cardiac Surgery

The overall focus of this research program is the functional sequelae of two broad classes of early insults to the developing nervous system, exogenous chemical exposures, (e.g., lead, fluoride, mercury, and cocaine), and endogenous metabolic insults related to serious medical conditions (e.g., congenital heart lesions). The specific aims of the chemical exposure studies are (1) to develop new strategies for exposure assessment, (2) to define the "behavioral signature", if any, associated with different exposure scenarios, (3) to identify factors that function as effect modifiers (i.e., that either enhance or mitigate the magnitude or presentation of toxicant-related effects), and (4) to evaluate exposure abatement interventions. The specific aims of the studies on endogenous insults related to medical conditions are to characterize the associated behavioral risks, particularly those that are associated with invasive interventions, such as reparative cardiac procedures for serious congenital heart disease.