The NICHD supports research in the neurosciences through its extramural programs. Brief descriptions of the NICHD components that support this research, as well as links to the Web sites for these components are listed below.

• The Child Development and Behavior (CDB) Branch supports research relevant to the psychological, psychobiological, and educational development of children, from birth through adolescence. Within this portfolio, the Branch supports neuroscience research on the following topics: developmental behavioral and cognitive neuroscience in human and animal models; neuroanatomical and neuroendocrine bases of behavior; developmental and behavioral neurotoxicology; neural bases of language, cognition, learning, memory, sensory, motor, and perceptual development; screening, diagnosis, and treatment of disabilities that affect learning, including reading disability, math disability, and attention and language disorders. The Branch encourages multidisciplinary approaches, including behavioral and molecular genetics, behavioral and cognitive interventions, structural and functional neuroimaging, and electrophysiology.
  
  
• The Developmental Biology, Genetics, and Teratology (DBGT) Branch supports research that focuses primarily on the basic mechanisms that regulate early embryonic development. Within this portfolio, the Branch supports neuroscience research on the following topics: normal and abnormal development of the central and peripheral nervous systems; neurogenesis, cell migration, patterning, and differentiation; axonal guidance and synapse formation; the role of growth factors and other molecules in neural development; neural tube formation/defects; neurodevelopmental teratogens; mechanisms underlying neural development; and multidisciplinary approaches, including animal models, genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology.

• The Endocrinology, Nutrition, and Growth (ENG) Branch supports research on the endocrinological and nutritional influences on growth, body composition, puberty, skeletal accretion, and brain development. Within this portfolio, the Branch supports neuroscience research on the following topics: nutritional effects on brain development; neurotropic growth factors in neuronal function, connectivity, and overall brain development; neuroendocrinology; sexual dimorphism of the nervous system; and innervation of endocrine organs.
  
  
• The Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) Branch supports research on topics related to the biomedical, behavioral, and biobehavioral aspects of mental retardation and other forms of developmental disabilities. Within this portfolio, the Branch supports neuroscience research on the following topics: etiology and pathophysiology of abnormal nervous system development and function; screening, diagnosis, treatment, and management of MRDD; research on specific disorders, including Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, autism, inborn errors of metabolism, self-injurious behavior; and multidisciplinary, integrative, and translational studies of gene-behavior relationships, including genetics, pharmacogenomics, proteomics, molecular and cell biology, animal models, imaging, gene therapy, and behavioral interventions.
  
  
• The Obsetric and Pediatric Pharmacology (OPP) Branch supports basic, translational, and clinical research aimed at improving the safety and effectiveness of current drugs, and at enhancing the development of new drugs for pediatric and obstetric patients. Within this portfolio, the Branch supports neuroscience research on the following topics: clinical trials and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies of drugs for neuropharmacological and psychopharmacological treatment of pediatric patients at different developmental stages, and of women during pregnancy; drug effects on neurocognitive outcomes; drug metabolism, disposition, neurotoxicity, and adverse drug effects; molecular and cellular mechanisms; neurotransmitters and their receptors; ion channels; intrauterine neurotoxicity; neuroprotective agents; biomarkers, pharmacogenomics, proteomics, and imaging, including pharmacological MRI, PET, and SPECT. Approaches include human and animal models as well as in vitro and in silico models. Some examples of OPP Branch studies are available through the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) Activities at the NICHD Web site.
  
  
• The Pregnancy and Perinatology (PP) Branch supports basic and clinical research directed toward improving the outcome of pregnancy, reducing infant mortality, and minimizing maternal and infant morbidities. Within this portfolio, the Branch supports neuroscience research on the following topics: management of maternal neurologic and mental health disorders and their affects on pregnancy and infant outcomes; placenta, uterine blood flow, and antenatal diagnosis, and their effects on fetal neurologic well-being; neurochemical control of labor and the fetal neuroendocrine system; pathogenesis and prevention of sequelae of preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction, still birth, asphyxia of the term newborn, transplacental effects of toxicants; tools to assess fetal, neonatal, and infant neurologic and behavioral maturity; disorders of the newborn that can result in neurologic sequelae, including adaptation to extrauterine life, hyperbilirubinemia, asphyxia, respiratory disorders, metabolic disorders, anemia, and infection; assessing the effect of intensive care environment and caregiving practices on growth and maturation of the brain, and special sensory apparatus; development and regulation of cardiovascular, thermal, and cardiorespiratory control and sleep states in infancy; and neurologic deficits in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
  
  
• The Reproductive Sciences (RS) Branch supports research aimed at alleviating human infertility and reproductive disorders, identifying new contraceptive leads, and expanding fundamental knowledge about the processes that underlie the success or failure of human reproduction. Within this portfolio, the Branch supports neuroscience research on the following topics: neuroendocrine control of reproduction, including the cellular and molecular mechanisms within the brain that govern ovulation and gametogenesis; genetics of reproductive neuroendocrine diseases and disorders; neural basis of reproductive behavior, sexual function, and sex differentiation; neuro-immuno-endocrine axis in fertility regulation; effects of photoperiod, circadian rhythms, and appetite control on reproduction; and basic and clinical approaches, including the development of animal models through genetic engineering, cell/tissue culture, imaging techniques, and tissue transplantation.
  
  
• The National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR), through basic and clinical research, fosters the development of scientific knowledge to enhance the health, productivity, independence, and quality of life of people with physical disabilities. The NCMRR supports neuroscience research on the following topics: pathophysiology and management of chronically injured nervous and musculoskeletal systems (including stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and orthopedic conditions); repair and recovery of motor and cognitive function; functional plasticity, adaptation, and windows of opportunity for rehabilitative interventions; rehabilitative strategies involving pharmaceutical and neuroengineering approaches, exercise, motor training, and behavioral modifications; pediatric critical care and rehabilitation; secondary conditions associated with chronic disabilities; improved diagnosis, assessment, and outcome measures; and development of orthotics, prosthetics, and other assistive technologies and devices.
  

The NICHD also conducts research in the neurosciences through its Division of Intramural Research (DIR). The DIR conducts neuroscience research that focuses on the biological, medical, and behavioral aspects of normal and abnormal development and function. For more information about DIR efforts in neuroscience research, please visit the DIR Web site.