Gale A. Kleven

My research focuses on the connections between prenatal neural insults and developmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy or autism, as well as later onset dysfunction of prenatal origins, such as Parkinson's disease. In order to study these intriguing connections, also known as the Fetal Basis of Adult Disease (FeBAD), my laboratory uses several mouse models of Parkinson's disease. Recently we have developed a guinea pig model designed for studying lifespan trajectories of biobehavioral development. Prior to birth, we observe behavioral development in the guinea pig fetus using high-resolution ultrasound with real-time 3D/4D. After birth, we track altered pathways (trajectories) of development across the lifespan with a series of behavioral assessments. Changes in neural development and functioning are examined using NMR quantification of metabolites, in collaboration with Dr. Nick Reo at the Cox Institute, and immunohistochemical methods. The goal of this research is to identify biobehavioral profiles that typify developmental pathways in FeBAD. As an applied goal, my laboratory is currently developing prenatal assessments for state, movement, and movement coordination in the fetus that hold promise as prenatal diagnostics for developmental disabilities of the central nervous system.