A University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa project focused on identifying early brain-based markers in infants exposed to methamphetamine before birth was awarded a $50,000 grant from Ola HAWAIʻI through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The research represents a critical step toward improving how children at higher risk for adverse developmental outcomes are identified and supported early in life.
The project aims to identify neurodevelopmental biomarkers that can detect early neurobehavioral impairments associated with prenatal methamphetamine exposure. If successful, this work could lay the foundation for scalable screening tools and targeted intervention programs designed to improve outcomes for children across Hawaiʻi and beyond. According to Katy Tarrit, assistant professor in the Department of Information and Computer Sciences and principal investigator, “This project is about providing families with answers sooner and equipping providers with better tools to deliver care.”
Prenatal methamphetamine exposure has been linked to long-term cognitive, behavioral, motor, and developmental challenges. However, many children are not identified until these delays become more pronounced, often years later. The identification of objective neurodevelopmental biomarkers of risk in infancy enables a transition from reactive detection of developmental delays to early, targeted interventions that support optimal brain development during critical stages.
Ola HAWAIʻI is a UH Research Center in Minority Institutions Specialized Center funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, part of the National Institutes of Health. Based at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, the center works to advance minority health research in Hawaiʻi, focusing on communities that experience disproportionate disease burden and limited access to care. The center is supported through a five-year federal NIH award.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2026/05/06/prenatal-methamphetamine-exposure-effects/