Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Prenatal Cocaine Exposure May Compromise Neurocognitive Development During Middle Childhood

Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that heavier intrauterine cocaine exposure (IUCE) is associated with mild compromise on selective areas of neurocognitive development during middle childhood. The BUSM study appears in the May issue of Neurotoxicology and Teratology.

BUSM researchers evaluated whether the level of IUCE or the interaction between IUCE and contextual variables was related during middle childhood to executive functioning as measured by two neuropsychological assessments. The Stroop Color-Word Test measures verbal inhibitory control while the Rey Osterrieth Organizational score evaluates skills such as planning, organization and perception.

BUSM researchers classified subjects as either unexposed, lighter, or heavier IUCE by positive maternal reports and/or biological assay. Examiners who did not know the children’s history or group status assessed 143 children at 9 and 11 years of age (74 with IUCE and 69 demographically similar children without IUCE). After controlling for contextual variables including intrauterine exposures to other licit and illicit substances, level of IUCE was not significantly associated with either assessment scores. However, the heavier cocaine-exposed group of children had significantly lower Stroop scores compared to the combined lighter/unexposed group.

According to lead author Ruth Rose-Jacobs, Sc.D., assistant professor and research scientist at BUSM, “These research findings were present even in the absence of major cognitive differences in the same cohort as previously measured by standardized instruments in late infancy and early childhood. The emergence of these subtle IUCE effects suggests the possibility of neurocognitive “sleeper effects” of IUCE, which may become more apparent with the greater functional and cognitive demands of late middle childhood and preadolescence.”

In addition, researchers stated that further longitudinal assessment would help to clarify whether the IUCE group differences observed in this study are due to immaturity, delays in development, or potentially persistent deficits.

This study was supported by the National Institute of Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Research Resources. The National Institute of Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Health/National Center for Research Resources had no role in the design and conduct of the study, the collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data, or the preparation, review and approval of the manuscript.

source: MediLexicon

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Fears over alcohol test for mothers

Screening breast milk could increase women’s drinking and harm their babies, say doctors Opinions differ among doctors on what are safe levels of alcohol for a breastfeeding mother. A product that tests for traces of alcohol in breast milk has triggered warnings that mothers who rely on its findings could damage the health of babies….

Campaign tackles binge drinking

A new campaign has been launched in New South Wales aimed at curbing binge drinking. The $1 million anti-binge drinking campaign “What Are You Doing To Yourself?” targets the 16-20 year old age group and aims to stop young people from engaging in risky behaviour which is fuelled by alcohol. The campaign includes advertisements to….

Adventure helps boy beat alcohol problem

15-year-old who woke each morning wanting a drink has sobered up after therapy involving mountain biking and abseiling. The boy who spent eight months on a Christchurch City Mission adventure therapy course agreed to speak to The Press after an Otago University study into the care of young people with alcohol and drug problems. The….

U study: Too many troops tie one on

Binge drinking in the military is more common than you may think, university study finds. It may come as no surprise to anyone who’s served in the military, but 43 percent of active-duty personnel admit to frequent binge drinking, according to a new study from the University of Minnesota. On average, that means that every….

Clinical physician argues changes needed to cut into alcohol abuse

Fighting the estimated $5 billion impact of alcohol and drug abuse on society requires more than stricter criminal laws, a physician told a local group Friday. Dr. Richard Brown, Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles clinical director, argued there are several ways to cut such costs in courts, social services and health care: Boost community….