carol_cheatham@unc.edu
704-250-5010
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Carol L. Cheatham, PhD
Associate Professor, Psychology & Neuroscience
An important member of the UNC Nutrition Research Institute’s research team, Carol L. Cheatham, PhD, focuses on how nutrition can improve children’s brain function. Specifically, her team studies the importance of nutrients for the development of memory and attention abilities.
Broadly defined, Dr. Cheatham’s research focuses on the relationship between an individual’s genome and the metabolism of nutrients, and how this leads to differences in cognitive and social development. Specifically, she is interested in the development of memory and attention as they are the basis for learning, and therefore school readiness. For example, her research asks if the supplementation of children’s diets with omega-3 fatty acids have an effect on their memory abilities over a determined period of time. Many different methods and tools are used in the Cheatham lab to assess abilities, including taking turns with the children building unique toys and the use of special equipment to read their brain activity while they are watching pictures on a computer screen.
“Dr. Cheatham is an expert on the importance of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils) for normal brain development,” said NRI Director Steven Zeisel, MD, PhD, “This is an exciting and promising area of research that is changing the way women eat during pregnancy and lactation.”
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When Chimps Outperform Humans
From the desk of: Carol L. Cheatham, Ph.D. As a developmental cognitive neuroscientist, I’m always interested in learning about studies that will inform my work. Recently, I attended the International Conference on Infant Studies where I heard a...
Carol L. Cheatham, Ph.D. presented with National TRIO Achiever’s Award
On September 9, at Council for Opportunity in Education’s 33rd Annual Conference Gala, Dr. Cheatham was bestowed the 2014 National TRIO Achiever’s Award. The National TRIO Achiever’s award was created as a tribute to the success and outstanding endeavors of TRIO students and the programs that supported them in their journey to accomplished careers.
NRI Receives Grant From Gates Foundation
Dr. Steven H. Zeisel, UNC NRI Director, will pursue an innovative global health and development research project, “Choline and Optimal Development”, through a Grand Challenges Explorations grant awarded by the Bill & Melina Gates Foundation.
NRI Scientist Joins International Public Education Campaign
Dr. Carol Cheatham, developmental cognitive neuroscientist with the NRI, is a featured expert with an international public education campaign. Sponsored by Abbott Nutrition, the makers of Similac infant formula, the campaign was designed to promote awareness of proper nutrition for pregnant women in Vietnam and Singapore.
2023
Cheatham, C.L., Lukowski, A.F., Bauer, P.J. (2023). Infant memory. In John H. Byrne (Ed.), Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference (Second Edition), Academic Press, 2017, Pages 383–402, ISBN 9780128052914, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809324-5.21052-3.
2022
*Camerota, M., *Wylie, A.C., *Goldblum, J., *Wideman, L., Cheatham, C.L., Propper, C.B. (2022) Testing a cascade model linking prenatal inflammation to child executive function. Behav Brain Res. 431:113959. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113959. Epub 2022 Jun 8. PMID: 35690156.
Cheatham, C.L., *Canipe, L.G. III, Millsap, G., Stegall, J.M., Chai, S.C., *Sheppard, K.W., Lila, M.A. (2022). Six-month intervention with wild blueberries improved speed of processing in mild cognitive decline: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Nutr Neurosci.6:1-15. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2022.2117475. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36066009.
Cheatham, C.L., Nieman, D.C., Neilson, A.P., Lila, M.A. (2022). Enhancing the cognitive effects of flavonoids with physical activity : Is there a case for the microbiome? Frontiers in Neuroscience, 16, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.833202
(*Student)
2021
*Canipe III, L. G., *Sioda, M., & Cheatham, C.L. (2021). Diversity of the gut-microbiome related to cognitive behavioral outcomes in healthy older adults. Archives of Gerontology & Geriatrics, 96,104464 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2021.104464
(*Student)
2020
Cheatham, C.L. (2020). Nutrigenetics, Fatty Acids, & Cognition, In Caterina, Martinez, & Kohlmeier (Eds.). Principles of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics: Fundamentals of Individualized Nutrition (pp. 347-354), London, UK: Academic Press.
Cheatham, C.L. (2020). Nutritional factors in fetal and infant brain development. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 75, 20-32. doi: 10.1159/000508052