Cerebral Palsy Resources

Links to websites of groups that study or provide information about cerebral palsy.

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.

Resources within the Division of Extramural Research (DER) include:

  • Developmental Biology and Congenital Anomalies Branch (DBCAB)
    DBCAB supports basic and clinical research on typical and atypical development that relates to the causes and prevention of structural congenital anomalies, as well as research training in relevant academic and medical areas.
    • Congenital Anomalies Initiative
      The DBCAB-supported working group aims to develop new, innovative, and valuable strategies for the molecular diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human structural congenital anomalies. Other funding for Congenital Anomalies Initiative research is provided by other NIH institutes and centers, including the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and the Office of Dietary Supplements. The initiative supports basic scientists and clinicians whose research projects span basic, translational, and clinical approaches to understanding the developmental biology and genetics of structural congenital anomalies.
  • Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch (IDDB)
    The IDDB sponsors research and research training aimed at preventing and ameliorating intellectual and related developmental disabilities.
  • Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch (PPB)
    The PPB seeks to improve the health of mothers and children by supporting research in maternal health, pregnancy, fetal well-being, labor and delivery, neonatal and infant health and well-being, and the long-term health outcomes associated with pregnancy and with fetal and infant development.
    • Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units (MFMU) Network
      The PPB-funded MFMU Network focuses on clinical questions in maternal fetal medicine and obstetrics, particularly with respect to the continuing problem of preterm birth. For the 2011–2016 cycle, the MFMU Network includes 14 clinical centers at U.S. universities and hospitals, and a data coordinating center. MFMU Network studies include randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, and registries. The MFMU Network has conducted clinical studies related to the following critical areas of research: maternal health; fetal health and development; gestational diabetes, asthma, and thyroid disorders; and preterm labor.
  • National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NCMRR)
    Through basic, translational, and clinical research, NCMRR fosters development of scientific knowledge needed to enhance the health, productivity, independence, and quality of life of people with physical disabilities, including cerebral palsy. NCMRR also coordinates rehabilitation research and activities across NIH, including leading the 2021 revision of the NIH Research Plan on Rehabilitation (PDF 1.51 MB).
    • Spinal Cord and Musculoskeletal Disorders and Assistive Devices (SMAD) Program
      The SMAD Program focuses on developing and supporting the application of devices to improve the human-environment interface and to restore or enhance an individual's capacity to function in his or her environment. This type of applied research and rehabilitation technology includes, but is not limited to, prosthetics, wheelchairs, biomechanical modeling, and other topics that aim to enhance mobility, communication, cognition, and environmental control.
    • Medical Rehabilitation Research Infrastructure Network (MRRIN)
      The MRRIN, funded through the NCMRR with additional support from NINDS and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, builds research infrastructure in medical rehabilitation by providing investigators at seven sites with access to expertise, courses and workshops, technologies, and other collaborative opportunities from allied disciplines such as neuroscience, engineering, applied behavior, and the social sciences. Medical rehabilitation, a key component of the NICHD mission, involves basic and clinical studies in the domains of pathophysiology, impairment, function, disability, and societal interaction. Access to technologies and approaches from allied fields is critical to promoting multidisciplinary collaborations and developing research opportunities needed to advance the field.

Resources within the Division of Intramural Research include:

  • Program in Perinatal Research and Obstetrics (PPRO)
    The PPRO conducts clinical and laboratory research on maternal and fetal diseases responsible for excessive infant mortality in the United States. The PPRO focuses on the mechanisms of disease responsible for premature labor and delivery, with particular emphasis on the role of subclinical intrauterine infection and inflammation. The prenatal diagnosis of congenital anomalies is also a major area of interest.
  • Section on Tissue Biophysics and Biomimetics (STBB)
    The STBB carries out research that aims to understand fundamental physical mechanisms governing tissue-level physiological processes that are essential for life, or necessary to achieve a high quality of life. Another aim is to transfer new methodologies to the biomedical research and health care communities. An example includes the invention and successful dissemination of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging from the bench to the bedside.

Other NICHD-supported resources include:

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.

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