A new Canada Research Chair (CRC) at The University of Western Ontario is studying the relationship between fetal health during pregnancy and later development of the brain.
Lawson Health Research Institute Scientist and Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Paediatrics and Physiology & Pharmacology at The University of Western Ontario, Dr. Bryan Richardson has been named Tier One Canada Research Chair in Fetal/Neonatal Health & Development.
Adverse conditions during pregnancy or early childhood can alter developmental processes and lead to health problems later in life, including hypertension and type 2 diabetes. Disturbed brain development may also lead to later cognitive impairment, attention deficit disorder and, potentially, schizophrenia.
Dr. Richardson seeks to better understand the conditions during pregnancy and the neonatal period that will shape development later in life. As it is estimated about five per cent of human pregnancies result in intermittent oxygen deficiencies as a result of umbilical cord compression, he will also study how altered amounts of oxygen and nutrition affect the growth and development of the brain and cause irregularities.
With a better understanding of the triggers that impact development, Richardson plans to study markers for altered neurodevelopment, longer-term outcomes and the potential for brain plasticity, which is the ability to adapt to changed circumstances and uncover new ways to learn. He will also investigate a variety of therapies, including “enriched stimulus environments.”