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Castelli V, Lavanco G, Tringali G, D'Amico C, Feo S, Di Bartolomeo M, D'Addario C, Kuchar M, Brancato A, Cannizzaro C. Prenatal THC exposure drives sex-specific alterations in spatial memory and hippocampal excitatory/inhibitory balance in adolescent rats. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 181:117699. [PMID: 39571245 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.117699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2024] [Revised: 11/15/2024] [Accepted: 11/15/2024] [Indexed: 12/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The interaction between the main psychotropic ingredient of Cannabis, Δ⁹- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), with the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) is a critical and underrated issue that deserves utmost attention. The ECS, indeed, contributes to the formation and regulation of excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) neuronal networks that in the hippocampus underly spatial memory. This study explored sex-specific consequences of prenatal exposure to THC in hippocampus-dependent memory and the underlying cellular and molecular contributors of synaptic plasticity and E/I homeostasis. Sprague Dawley dams were exposed to THC (2 mg/kg) or vehicle, from gestational day 5-20. The adolescent progeny of both sexes was tested for: spatial memory retrieval and flexibility in the Barnes Maze; mRNA expression of relevant players of hippocampal synaptic plasticity; density of cholecystokinin-positive basket cells (CCK+BCs) - a major subtype of hippocampal inhibitory interneurons; mRNA expression of the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic proteins neuroligins (Nlgns), as a proxy of synaptic efficiency. Our results show a sex-specific disruption in spatial memory retrieval and flexibility, a male-specific decrease in CCK+BCs density and increase in the expression of markers of neuroplasticity, and consistent changes in the expression of Nlgn-1 and 3 isoforms. Despite a delay in memory retrieval, flexibility of memory was spared in prenatally-THC-exposed female offspring as well as most of the markers of neuroplasticity; a sex-specific increase in CCK+BCs density, and a consistent expression of Nlgn-3 was observed. The current results highlight a major vulnerability to prenatal exposure to THC on memory processing in the male progeny, and sex-specific alterations in the E/I balance and synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Castelli
- University of Palermo, Dept. of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, via del Vespro 129, Palermo 90127, Italy
| | - Gianluca Lavanco
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties of Excellence "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Tringali
- Pharmacology Section, Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cesare D'Amico
- University of Palermo, Dept. of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, via del Vespro 129, Palermo 90127, Italy
| | - Salvatore Feo
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Technologies, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; ATEN Center, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo 64100, Italy
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Teramo 64100, Italy; Dept. of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Kuchar
- Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czechia; Psychedelics Research Centre, National Institute of Mental Health, Prague, Czechia
| | - Anna Brancato
- Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties of Excellence "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.
| | - Carla Cannizzaro
- University of Palermo, Dept. of Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Advanced Diagnostics, via del Vespro 129, Palermo 90127, Italy
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2
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Moore BF, Salmons KA, Hoyt AT, Swenson KS, Bates EA, Sauder KA, Shapiro ALB, Wilkening G, Kinney GL, Neophytou AM, Sempio C, Klawitter J, Christians U, Dabelea D. Associations between Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Cannabis with Cognition and Behavior at Age 5 Years: The Healthy Start Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4880. [PMID: 36981794 PMCID: PMC10049128 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20064880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to cannabis may influence childhood cognition and behavior, but the epidemiologic evidence is mixed. Even less is known about the potential impact of secondhand exposure to cannabis during early childhood. OBJECTIVE This study sought to assess whether prenatal and/or postnatal exposure to cannabis was associated with childhood cognition and behavior. STUDY DESIGN This sub-study included a convenience sample of 81 mother-child pairs from a Colorado-based cohort. Seven common cannabinoids (including delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)) and their metabolites were measured in maternal urine collected mid-gestation and child urine collected at age 5 years. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to cannabis was dichotomized as exposed (detection of any cannabinoid) and not exposed. Generalized linear models examined the associations between prenatal or postnatal exposure to cannabis with the NIH Toolbox and Child Behavior Checklist T-scores at age 5 years. RESULTS In this study, 7% (n = 6) of the children had prenatal exposure to cannabis and 12% (n = 10) had postnatal exposure to cannabis, with two children experiencing this exposure at both time points. The most common cannabinoid detected in pregnancy was Δ9-THC, whereas the most common cannabinoid detected in childhood was CBD. Postnatal exposure to cannabis was associated with more aggressive behavior (β: 3.2; 95% CI: 0.5, 5.9), attention deficit/hyperactivity problems (β: 8.0; 95% CI: 2.2, 13.7), and oppositional/defiant behaviors (β: 3.2; 95% CI: 0.2, 6.3), as well as less cognitive flexibility (β: -15.6; 95% CI: -30.0, -1.2) and weaker receptive language (β: -9.7; 95% CI: -19.2, -0.3). By contrast, prenatal exposure to cannabis was associated with fewer internalizing behaviors (mean difference: -10.2; 95% CI: -20.3, -0.2) and fewer somatic complaints (mean difference: -5.2, 95% CI: -9.8, -0.6). CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that postnatal exposure to cannabis is associated with more behavioral and cognitive problems among 5-year-old children, independent of prenatal and postnatal exposure to tobacco. The potential risks of cannabis use (including smoking and vaping) during pregnancy and around young children should be more widely communicated to parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna F. Moore
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, Health Science Center, The University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Kaytlyn A. Salmons
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Adrienne T. Hoyt
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, Health Science Center, The University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Karli S. Swenson
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Emily A. Bates
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Katherine A. Sauder
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Allison L. B. Shapiro
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Greta Wilkening
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Gregory L. Kinney
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Andreas M. Neophytou
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA
| | - Cristina Sempio
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Jost Klawitter
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Uwe Christians
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Dana Dabelea
- Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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3
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Thompson M, Vila M, Wang L, Thabane L, Shea AK. Prenatal cannabis use and its impact on offspring neuro-behavioural outcomes: A systematic review. Paediatr Child Health 2023; 28:8-16. [PMID: 36865761 PMCID: PMC9971580 DOI: 10.1093/pch/pxac079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Cannabis is a widely used substance in pregnancy, yet there is a paucity of literature addressing the neuro-behavioural consequences for prenatally exposed children. Our systematic review synthesizes currently available data for the impact of prenatal cannabis use on offspring intelligence and cognitive functioning. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and Clinicaltrials.gov were searched. Observational studies comparing prenatal cannabis use to controls were included. Offspring neuro-behavioural outcomes were grouped in prespecified domains of (1) intelligence and (2) cognitive functioning. Random-effect models were performed for meta-analyses when at least three studies reported the same outcome. All others were summarized qualitatively. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations) framework was used to assess evidence certainty. Results Of the 1982 reviewed studies (n = 523,107 patients), 28 were included. Significant heterogeneity and cohort redundancy limited meta-analysis. Very low-quality evidence from pooled analyses showed no significant associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and attention [standardized mean difference = -0.27 (95% CI = -0.60 to 0.07)], global intelligence quotient [-0.16 (-0.42 to 0.10)], reading [-0.05 (-0.29 to 0.20)], written comprehension [-0.09 (-0.40 to 0.22)], spelling [-0.04 (-0.26 to 0.17)], and mathematics [-0.01 (-0.15 to 0.13)]. No significant associations were found between prenatal cannabis exposure for all other outcomes. Individual studies reported significant differences between the heavy use groups and non-exposed, although this did not prove to be significant when outcomes were pooled. Conclusions The current review did not find a clear association between prenatal cannabis use and offspring neuro-behavioural outcomes. However, evidence was low quality and heterogenous. Further prospective investigation is needed to elucidate any potential association between prenatal cannabis use and long-term neuro-developmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Thompson
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Merima Vila
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lehana Thabane
- Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alison K Shea
- The Research Institute, St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Singer LT, Lewis BA, Noland JS. Commentary: Totality of the Evidence Suggests Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Does Not Lead to Cognitive Impairments: A Systematic and Critical Review. Front Psychol 2021; 12:651064. [PMID: 33746861 PMCID: PMC7969787 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.651064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lynn T. Singer
- Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Psychological Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Barbara A. Lewis
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, GA, United States
| | - Julia S. Noland
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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5
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Torres CA, Medina-Kirchner C, O'Malley KY, Hart CL. Totality of the Evidence Suggests Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Does Not Lead to Cognitive Impairments: A Systematic and Critical Review. Front Psychol 2020; 11:816. [PMID: 32457680 PMCID: PMC7225289 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Despite limited data demonstrating pronounced negative effects of prenatal cannabis exposure, popular opinion and public policies still reflect the belief that cannabis is fetotoxic. Methods: This article provides a critical review of results from longitudinal studies examining the impact of prenatal cannabis exposure on multiple domains of cognitive functioning in individuals aged 0 to 22 years. A literature search was conducted through PsycINFO, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Articles were included if they examined the cognitive performance of offspring exposed to cannabis in utero. Results: An examination of the total number of statistical comparisons (n = 1,001) between groups of participants that were exposed to cannabis prenatally and non-exposed controls revealed that those exposed performed differently on a minority of cognitive outcomes (worse on <3.5 percent and better in <1 percent). The clinical significance of these findings appears to be limited because cognitive performance scores of cannabis-exposed groups overwhelmingly fell within the normal range when compared against normative data adjusted for age and education. Conclusions: The current evidence does not suggest that prenatal cannabis exposure alone is associated with clinically significant cognitive functioning impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ciara A Torres
- School of Social Work, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | | | - Kate Y O'Malley
- Division on Substance Use, Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne University, Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
| | - Carl L Hart
- Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.,Division on Substance Use, Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States
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6
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Barthelemy OJ, Richardson MA, Heeren TC, Chen CA, Liebschutz JM, Forman LS, Cabral HJ, Frank DA, Rose-Jacobs R. Do Differences in Learning Performance Precede or Follow Initiation of Marijuana Use? J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2020. [PMID: 30807269 DOI: 10.15288/jsad.2019.80.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Studies examining cross-sectional associations between age at marijuana initiation and memory deficits yield mixed results. Because longitudinal data are sparse, controversy continues regarding whether these deficits reflect premorbid risk factors or sequelae of early marijuana initiation; here, we examine this question in a community sample followed since birth. METHOD Masked examiners administered four subtests of the Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning (WRAML/WRAML2) from childhood until young adulthood to 119 urban, predominantly African American participants. Multivariable generalized estimated equation models measured longitudinal trajectories of learning. Participants were grouped as never users (n = 26), later initiators (≥16 years old; n = 31), and earlier initiators of marijuana use (n = 62). RESULTS Marijuana onset groups did not significantly differ on WRAML scaled scores or IQ in childhood, nor did they differ on WRAML scaled scores in adolescence. On most WRAML2 subtests, these groups did not significantly differ in young adulthood after taking into account sex and childhood IQ. However, on Story Memory, later initiators attained higher scaled scores in young adulthood, even after including additional covariates of anxiety, depression, postsecondary education, past-month marijuana use, and past-week high-risk drinking. They showed a significantly more positive trajectory than never users that was driven by within-group improvement after adolescence. Earlier initiators showed within-group decline in Story Memory after adolescence. CONCLUSIONS Differences in learning following earlier initiation of marijuana use may not be solely attributable to premorbid deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier J Barthelemy
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Mark A Richardson
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Timothy C Heeren
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Clara A Chen
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jane M Liebschutz
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.,Division of General Internal Medicine, Center for Research in Health Care, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Leah S Forman
- Biostatistics and Epidemiology Data Analytics Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Howard J Cabral
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Deborah A Frank
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ruth Rose-Jacobs
- Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.,Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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7
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Liebschutz JM, Buchanan-Howland K, Chen CA, Frank DA, Richardson MA, Heeren TC, Cabral HJ, Rose-Jacobs R. Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) correlations with prospective violence assessment in a longitudinal cohort. Psychol Assess 2018; 30:841-845. [PMID: 29847987 PMCID: PMC5986087 DOI: 10.1037/pas0000549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Retrospective recall-based measures administered to adults, like the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), are commonly used to determine experiences of childhood trauma in the home. However, the CTQ has not been compared with prospective measures of childhood violence exposure, whether at home or in the community. We evaluated the relationships between young adults' responses to the CTQ and their prospective self-reports of exposure to violence in childhood and adolescence. Participants were 127 (93% African American, 47% male) urban young adults in a longitudinal birth cohort study examining effects of prenatal substance exposure and environmental factors on development. Participants completed the Violence Exposure Scale for Children-Revised (VEX-R), a 21-item self-report measure of experience of/witness to interpersonal violence, administered face to face at 9, 10, and 11 years using cartoon pictures, and via audio-computer assisted self-interview at 12, 14, and 16 years. Participants also completed the CTQ, a 28-item, 5-scale screening measure, during a young-adult follow-up (ages 18-23). Using Pearson Correlation coefficients, VEX-R total scores significantly correlated with the sum of CTQ scales, r = .33, p < .01, and 3 (physical, emotional, and sexual abuse) of the 5 CTQ subscales, showing a moderate linear association. This study suggests that the CTQ serves as a reasonable retrospective assessment of prospectively ascertained childhood trauma exposure. The differences may be accounted for by disparities in domains assessed. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane M Liebschutz
- Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston University
| | | | - Clara A Chen
- Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston University
| | - Deborah A Frank
- Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston University
| | | | - Timothy C Heeren
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University
| | - Howard J Cabral
- Boston University Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Boston UniversityDepartment of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University
| | - Ruth Rose-Jacobs
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston University
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8
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Lisdahl KM, Sher KJ, Conway KP, Gonzalez R, Feldstein Ewing SW, Nixon SJ, Tapert S, Bartsch H, Goldstein RZ, Heitzeg M. Adolescent brain cognitive development (ABCD) study: Overview of substance use assessment methods. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 32:80-96. [PMID: 29559216 PMCID: PMC6375310 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the objectives of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (https://abcdstudy.org/) is to establish a national longitudinal cohort of 9 and 10 year olds that will be followed for 10 years in order to prospectively study the risk and protective factors influencing substance use and its consequences, examine the impact of substance use on neurocognitive, health and psychosocial outcomes, and to understand the relationship between substance use and psychopathology. This article provides an overview of the ABCD Study Substance Use Workgroup, provides the goals for the workgroup, rationale for the substance use battery, and includes details on the substance use module methods and measurement tools used during baseline, 6-month and 1-year follow-up assessment time-points. Prospective, longitudinal assessment of these substance use domains over a period of ten years in a nationwide sample of youth presents an unprecedented opportunity to further understand the timing and interactive relationships between substance use and neurocognitive, health, and psychopathology outcomes in youth living in the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista M Lisdahl
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2441 East Hartford Ave, 224 Garland Hall, Milwaukee, WI, 53211, United States.
| | - Kenneth J Sher
- Curators' Professor of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, 210 McAlester Hall, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Kevin P Conway
- Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research, National Institute on Drug Abuse,6001 Executive Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Raul Gonzalez
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University,11200 SW 8th Street AHC-4, 461, Miami, FL 33199, United States
| | - Sarah W Feldstein Ewing
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, Mail code: DC7P, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland OR 97239, United States
| | - Sara Jo Nixon
- Department of Psychiatry, P.O. Box 100256, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States
| | - Susan Tapert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0603, United States
| | - Hauke Bartsch
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego,9452 Medical Center Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, United States
| | - Rita Z Goldstein
- Department of Psychiatry (primary) and Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute (secondary), Chief, Brain Imaging Center (BIC), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, The Leon and Norma Hess Center for Science and Medicine, 1470 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Mary Heitzeg
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan,4250 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, United States
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9
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Rose-Jacobs R, Richardson MA, Buchanan-Howland K, Chen CA, Cabral H, Heeren TC, Liebschutz J, Forman L, Frank DA. Intrauterine exposure to tobacco and executive functioning in high school. Drug Alcohol Depend 2017; 176:169-175. [PMID: 28544995 PMCID: PMC5539953 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 02/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Executive functioning (EF), an umbrella construct encompassing gradual maturation of cognitive organization/management processes, is important to success in multiple settings including high school. Intrauterine tobacco exposure (IUTE) correlates with negative cognitive/behavioral outcomes, but little is known about its association with adolescent EF and information from real-life contexts is sparse. We evaluated the impact of IUTE on teacher-reported observations of EF in urban high school students controlling for covariates including other intrauterine and adolescent substance exposures. METHODS A prospective low-income birth cohort (51% male; 89% African American/Caribbean) was followed through late adolescence (16-18 years old). At birth, intrauterine exposures to cocaine and other substances (52% cocaine, 52% tobacco, 26% marijuana, 26% alcohol) were identified by meconium and/or urine assays, and/or maternal self-report. High school teachers knowledgeable about the student and unaware of study aims were asked to complete the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning-Teacher Form (BRIEF-TF) annually. RESULTS Teachers completed at least one BRIEF-TF for 131 adolescents. Multivariable analyses included controls for: demographics; intrauterine cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol exposures; early childhood exposures to lead; and violence exposure from school-age to adolescence. IUTE was associated with less optimal BRIEF-TF Behavioral Regulation scores (p <0.05). Other intrauterine substance exposures did not predict less optimal BRIEF-TF scores, nor did exposures to violence, lead, nor adolescents' own substance use. CONCLUSIONS IUTE is associated with offspring's less optimal EF. Prenatal counseling should emphasize abstinence from tobacco, as well as alcohol and illegal substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Rose-Jacobs
- Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 72 East Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, United States; Boston Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics,1 Medical Center Place, Boston, MA, 02118, United States.
| | - Mark A Richardson
- Boston University, Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences,648 Beacon Street, Boston, MA, 02215, United States
| | - Kathryn Buchanan-Howland
- Boston Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics,1 Medical Center Place, Boston, MA, 02118, United States
| | - Clara A Chen
- Boston University School of Public Health, Data Coordinating Center, 85 East Newton Street, United States
| | - Howard Cabral
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Timothy C Heeren
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, 715 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Jane Liebschutz
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Section of General Internal Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Leah Forman
- Boston University School of Public Health, Data Coordinating Center, 85 East Newton Street, United States
| | - Deborah A Frank
- Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, 72 East Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, United States; Boston Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics,1 Medical Center Place, Boston, MA, 02118, United States
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10
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Sheehan JC, Kerns KA, Müller U. The effect of task complexity on planning in preterm-born children. Clin Neuropsychol 2016; 31:438-458. [DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2016.1244248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John C. Sheehan
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
| | | | - Ulrich Müller
- Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
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11
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Minnes S, Min MO, Short EJ, Wu M, Lang A, Yoon S, Singer LT. Executive function in children with prenatal cocaine exposure (12-15years). Neurotoxicol Teratol 2016; 57:79-86. [PMID: 27485181 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Prenatal exposure to cocaine (PCE) may alter areas of the brain dense with monoamine receptors such as the prefrontal cortex and negatively affect cognitive processes implicated in executive function (EF). This study investigated the effects of PCE on EF at 12 and 15years. METHODS EF was examined in 189 PCE and 183 non-cocaine exposed (NCE) children who were primarily African American and of low socioeconomic status. Caregivers rated their child on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) at ages 12 and 15. The BRIEF includes two summary scales and eight subscales: Behavioral Regulation Index (BRI) (Inhibit, Shift, and Emotion) and Metacognition Index (MI) (Monitor, Working Memory, Plan/Organize, Organization of Materials and Task Completion). Two additional measures were included at age 15 (BRIEF Self-Report and the CANTAB Stockings of Cambridge (SOC)). RESULTS Girls with PCE were perceived by caregivers to have more behavioral regulation problems at age 12 (p<0.005) and more metacognitive problems at age 12 (p<0.003) than NCE females, but there was no association for males. PCE girls improved in behavioral regulation (p<0.05) and metacognition (p<0.04) from 12 to 15years compared to NCE girls based on caregiver report. By self-report PCE was associated with problems of inhibition (p<0.006). Girls with PCE performed more poorly on number of moves to complete the SOC, requiring planning and problem solving, than NCE girls. CONCLUSION Prenatally cocaine exposed girls were perceived by caregivers as having problems of behavioral regulation, and by self-report, inhibitory control problems. Girls with PCE also performed more poorly on a task of planning and problem solving at age 15 which corresponded to caregiver report at age 12. Early assessment and remediation of these weaknesses in girls may improve school performance and behavior associated with poor EF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Minnes
- The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
| | - Meeyoung O Min
- The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
| | - Elizabeth J Short
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
| | - Miaoping Wu
- The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
| | - Adelaide Lang
- The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
| | - Susan Yoon
- The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States; College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, 1947 College Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States.
| | - Lynn T Singer
- School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States.
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Parolin M, Simonelli A, Mapelli D, Sacco M, Cristofalo P. Parental Substance Abuse As an Early Traumatic Event. Preliminary Findings on Neuropsychological and Personality Functioning in Young Drug Addicts Exposed to Drugs Early. Front Psychol 2016; 7:887. [PMID: 27378983 PMCID: PMC4909766 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Parental substance use is a major risk factor for child development, heightening the risk of drug problems in adolescence and young adulthood, and exposing offspring to several types of traumatic events. First, prenatal drug exposure can be considered a form of trauma itself, with subtle but long-lasting sequelae at the neuro-behavioral level. Second, parents' addiction often entails a childrearing environment characterized by poor parenting skills, disadvantaged contexts and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), leading to dysfunctional outcomes. Young adults born from/raised by parents with drug problems and diagnosed with a Substance Used Disorder (SUD) themselves might display a particularly severe condition in terms of cognitive deficits and impaired personality function. This preliminary study aims to investigate the role of early exposure to drugs as a traumatic event, capable of affecting the psychological status of young drug addicts. In particular, it intends to examine the neuropsychological functioning and personality profile of young adults with severe SUDs who were exposed to drugs early in their family context. The research involved three groups, each consisting of 15 young adults (aged 18–24): a group of inpatients diagnosed with SUDs and exposed to drugs early, a comparison group of non-exposed inpatients and a group of non-exposed youth without SUDs. A neuropsychological battery (Esame Neuropsicologico Breve-2), an assessment procedure for personality disorders (Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure-200) and the Symptom CheckList-90-Revised were administered. According to present preliminary results, young drug addicts exposed to drugs during their developmental age were characterized by elevated rates of neuropsychological impairments, especially at the expense of attentive and executive functions (EF); personality disorders were also common but did not differentiate them from non-exposed youth with SUDs. Alternative multi-focused prevention and intervention programs are needed for children of drug-misusing parents, addressing EF and adopting a trauma-focused approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micol Parolin
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova Padua, Italy
| | - Alessandra Simonelli
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova Padua, Italy
| | - Daniela Mapelli
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova Padua, Italy
| | - Marianna Sacco
- Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova Padua, Italy
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Richardson GA, Goldschmidt L, Larkby C, Day NL. Effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on adolescent development. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2015; 49:41-8. [PMID: 25778776 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2014] [Revised: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The associations between prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) and adolescent behavior, cognitive development, and physical growth were examined in 219 15-year-olds who have participated in a longitudinal study since their fourth gestational month. During the first trimester, 42% of the women used cocaine, with use declining across pregnancy. At the 15-year follow-up, the caregivers were, on average, 43 years old, had 13 years of education, and 50% were African American. First trimester PCE was not associated with global cognitive development or with measures of learning and memory. First trimester PCE was significantly related to adolescent-reported delinquent behavior, poorer problem solving and abstract reasoning, and reduced weight, height, and head circumference at 15 years. These results were significant after other factors that affect these domains were controlled in regression analyses. In addition, exposure to violence partially mediated the effect of PCE on delinquent behavior. These adolescent domains are important because they are predictors of poorer adult functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gale A Richardson
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States.
| | - Lidush Goldschmidt
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Cynthia Larkby
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
| | - Nancy L Day
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
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Beeghly M, Rose-Jacobs R, Martin BM, Cabral HJ, Heeren TC, Frank DA. Level of intrauterine cocaine exposure and neuropsychological test scores in preadolescence: subtle effects on auditory attention and narrative memory. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2014; 45:1-17. [PMID: 24978115 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2014.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2013] [Revised: 06/13/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Neuropsychological processes such as attention and memory contribute to children's higher-level cognitive and language functioning and predict academic achievement. The goal of this analysis was to evaluate whether level of intrauterine cocaine exposure (IUCE) alters multiple aspects of preadolescents' neuropsychological functioning assessed using a single age-referenced instrument, the NEPSY: A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment (NEPSY) (Korkman et al., 1998), after controlling for relevant covariates. Participants included 137 term 9.5-year-old children from low-income urban backgrounds (51% male, 90% African American/Caribbean) from an ongoing prospective longitudinal study. Level of IUCE was assessed in the newborn period using infant meconium and maternal report. 52% of the children had IUCE (65% with lighter IUCE, and 35% with heavier IUCE), and 48% were unexposed. Infants with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, HIV seropositivity, or intrauterine exposure to illicit substances other than cocaine and marijuana were excluded. At the 9.5-year follow-up visit, trained examiners masked to IUCE and background variables evaluated children's neuropsychological functioning using the NEPSY. The association between level of IUCE and NEPSY outcomes was evaluated in a series of linear regressions controlling for intrauterine exposure to other substances and relevant child, caregiver, and demographic variables. Results indicated that level of IUCE was associated with lower scores on the Auditory Attention and Narrative Memory tasks, both of which require auditory information processing and sustained attention for successful performance. However, results did not follow the expected ordinal, dose-dependent pattern. Children's neuropsychological test scores were also altered by a variety of other biological and psychosocial factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjorie Beeghly
- Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Ruth Rose-Jacobs
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine & Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Brett M Martin
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Howard J Cabral
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Timothy C Heeren
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Deborah A Frank
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine & Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
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Abstract
Human infancy has been studied as a platform for hypothesis and theory testing, as a major physiological and psychological adjustment, as an object of adults' effects as well as a source of effects on adults, for its comparative value, as a stage of life, and as a setting point for the life course. Following an orientation to infancy studies, including previous reviews and a discussion of the special challenges infants pose to research, this article focuses on infancy as a foundation and catalyst of human development in the balance of the life course. Studies of stability and prediction from infancy illustrate the depth and complexity of modern research on infants and provide a long-awaited reply to key philosophical and practical questions about the meaningfulness and significance of infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc H Bornstein
- Child and Family Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, Bethesda, Maryland 20892;
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16
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Buckingham-Howes S, Berger SS, Scaletti LA, Black MM. Systematic review of prenatal cocaine exposure and adolescent development. Pediatrics 2013; 131:e1917-36. [PMID: 23713107 PMCID: PMC3666107 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2012-0945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Previous research found that prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) may increase children's vulnerability to behavior and cognition problems. Maturational changes in brain and social development make adolescence an ideal time to reexamine associations. The objective was to conduct a systematic review of published studies examining associations between PCE and adolescent development (behavior, cognition/school outcomes, physiologic responses, and brain morphology/functioning). METHODS Articles were obtained from PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases through July 2012 with search terms: prenatal drug, substance, or cocaine exposure; adolescence/adolescent; and in utero substance/drug exposure. Criteria for inclusion were nonexposed comparison group, human adolescents aged 11 to 19, peer-reviewed, English-language, and adolescent outcomes. RESULTS Twenty-seven studies representing 9 cohorts met the criteria. Four outcome categories were identified: behavior, cognition/school performance, brain structure/function, and physiologic responses. Eleven examined behavior; 7 found small but significant differences favoring nonexposed adolescents, with small effect sizes. Eight examined cognition/school performance; 6 reported significantly lower scores on language and memory tasks among adolescents with PCE, with varying effect sizes varied. Eight examined brain structure/function and reported morphologic differences with few functional differences. Three examined physiologic responses with discordant findings. Most studies controlled for other prenatal exposures, caregiving environment, and violence exposure; few examined mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with findings among younger children, PCE increases the risk for small but significantly less favorable adolescent functioning. Although the clinical importance of differences is often unknown, the caregiving environment and violence exposure pose additional threats. Future research should investigate mechanisms linking PCE with adolescent functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Buckingham-Howes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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Riggins T, Cacic K, Buckingham-Howes S, Scaletti LA, Salmeron BJ, Black MM. Memory ability and hippocampal volume in adolescents with prenatal drug exposure. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2012; 34:434-41. [PMID: 22652523 PMCID: PMC3405159 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2012.05.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2012] [Revised: 05/15/2012] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to examine the influence of prenatal drug exposure (PDE) on memory performance and supporting brain structures (i.e., hippocampus) during adolescence. To achieve this goal, declarative memory ability and hippocampal volume were examined in a well-characterized sample of 138 adolescents (76 with a history of PDE and 62 from a non-exposed comparison group recruited from the same community, mean age=14 years). Analyses were adjusted for: age at time of the assessments, gender, IQ, prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco, and indices of early childhood environment (i.e., caregiver depression, potential for child abuse, and number of caregiver changes through 7 years of age). Results revealed that adolescents with a history of PDE performed worse on the California Verbal Learning Test-Child Version (CVLT-C), and story recall from the Children's Memory Scale (CMS), and had larger hippocampal volumes, even after covariate adjustment. Hippocampal volume was negatively correlated with memory performance on the CVLT-C, with lower memory scores associated with larger volumes. These findings provide support for long-term effects of PDE on memory function and point to neural mechanisms that may underlie these outcomes.
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