Leading researcher

Prof. Rouzha Pancehva, PhD

Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as those on the autism spectrum and cerebral palsy, arise as a result of disturbances in the normal mechanisms of brain maturation. One of the key factors for normal brain development is nutrition. The NutriLect project examines the relationship between nutrition, body composition, growth and neuropsychological development in children with cerebral palsy and autism. These children are more susceptible to nutritional imbalances due to the underlying condition and also have feeding problems that prevent them from eating adequately. Research can help build more effective support programs for these children by improving current methods of diagnosis and treatment. Tasks include investigating the medical and social needs of caregivers and parents of children, assessing nutritional status, investigating the impact of diet on growth and neurodevelopment, assessing the impact of nutrition on early childhood development, and investigating the impact of diet on in vitro and in vivo models of neurodevelopment.