Developmental Brain Disorders Study Section – DBD
The Developmental Brain Disorders (DBD) Study Section reviews applications to investigate genetic, metabolic, infectious, environmental and behavioral factors in fetal, neonatal or pediatric brain that lead to abnormal brain development and function.
Emphasis is on the vulnerability and plasticity of the developing brain in either clinical (patient-oriented research in infants/children) or basic studies (relevant vertebrate animal models, including nonhuman primates). Disorders of particular emphasis are intellectual and developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, developmental language impairments, dyslexia, autism, cerebral palsy, sudden infant death syndrome [SIDS], childhood mental disorders/developmental psychiatric disabilities [schizophrenia].
The List of Reviewers lists all present, whether standing members or temporary, to provide the full scope of expertise present on that date. Lists are posted 30 days before the meeting and are tentative, pending any last minute changes.
Review Dates
Topics
- Brain development in utero: Transplacental exposure to maternal drugs and metabolic imbalances.
- Developmental abnormalities of brain structure, congenital CSF abnormalities, [hydrocephalus]
- Developmental consequences of inborn errors of metabolism, storage diseases, and neurotransmitter/receptor function
- Identification and characterization of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, including genetic bases of metabolic and morphological abnormalities, and development of animal models
- Development of vertebrate animal models specifically relevant to disorders of the developing brain
- Developmental aspects of perinatal insults, pediatric brain injury and congenital infections involving the CNS (excluding HIV), low-birth-weight infants, viral infections such as Zika, hypoxic/ischemia, pediatric seizures/epilepsy
- Therapeutic strategies for interventions and brain plasticity: Medical, surgical, pharmacological, and behavioral interventions; plasticity and rehabilitation in the developing brain; clinical studies relevant to disorders of the developing brain
Shared Interests and Overlaps
Neurogenesis and Cell Fate Study Section (NCF) and DBD have shared interests in neurodevelopment - in the context of disease and disorders DBD vs. mechanisms involved in normal brain development including the use of mouse, Drosophila, C.elegans and other models NCF
Acute Neural Injury and Epilepsy (ANIE), Clinical Neuroplasticity and Neurotransmitters (CNNT) and DBD have shared interests in seizures/epilepsy - neonate/pediatric DBD vs. adolescent/adult human studies (ANIE) or experimental mechanistic studies CNNT
ANIE, Brain Injury and Neurovascular Pathologies (BINP) and DBD have shared interests in traumatic brain injury (TBI) \hypoxic/ischemia are predominantly reviewed in ANIE if involving juvenile to adult clinical studies ANIE or animal experimental studies BINP; DBD reviews pediatric TBI/hypoxic/ischemia.
Child Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities (CPDD) and DBD have shared interests in behavioral interventions; plasticity and rehabilitation in the developing human brain are predominately reviewed in CPDD
Pathophysiological Basis of Mental Disorders and Addictions (PMDA), Neural Basis of Psychopathology, Addictions and Sleep Disorders (NPAS) and DBD have shared interests in childhood mental disorders/developmental psychiatric disabilities [schizophrenia] - studies are shared with PMDA for mechanistic molecular and animal studies and NPAS for human studies
Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors (CNBT) and DBD have shared interests if applications are focused on viral brain infections (e.g., Zika) these are reviewed in CNBT; DBD reviews the disorders caused by these infections.
PMDA, Molecular Neurogenetics (MNG) and DBD - Depending on the focus of the applications, DBD shares review interests in studied focused on genetics of the diseases with PMDA and MNG.
