Changes in the Midbrain‐Rostral Forebrain Dopamine Circuitry in the Cocaine‐Exposed Primate Fetal Brain a

The relationship between prenatal cocaine use and preschooler's physical and cognitive development and behavioral characteristics was examined, controlling for other influences on child development. On average, children were 38.5 months old, women were 29.4 years old, had 12.3 years of education, and 47% were African American. During the first trimester, 18% of the women were frequent cocaine users (≥ 1 line/day). First trimester cocaine exposure predicted decreased head circumference at 3 years and lower scores on the short-term memory subscale of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (SBIS) [74]. There was no significant relationship between prenatal cocaine use and the other SBIS scales. First trimester cocaine use also predicted more total, internalizing, and externalizing behavior problems on the Child Behavior Checklist [3] and higher scores on the fussy/difficult scale of the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire [6]. Children who were exposed to cocaine throughout pregnancy had more behavior problems and were more fussy compared to children of women who never used cocaine prenatally. A repeated measures analysis showed that children of first trimester cocaine users became more fussy over time. These detrimental effects on growth and behavior are consistent with other reports in the literature and with the hypothesis that prenatal cocaine exposure affects development through changes in neurotransmitter systems.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Continued effects of prenatal cocaine use: Preschool development

Richardson¹,

Goldschmidt²,

Willford³

2009

“…PCE has been shown in laboratory studies to alter neural development, affecting brain function and behavior, and to have a direct effect on the development of monoaminergic systems (Meyer et al, 1993; Ronnekleiv et al, 1998; Seidler & Slotkin, 1992; Whitaker-Azmitia 1998), which regulate neuronal proliferation and migration (Buznikov et al, 2001; Levitt 1998; Lidow & Wang, 1995) and disrupt cortical architecture (McCarthy & Bhide, 2012; Seidler et al, 1995; Zachor et al, 1994). These direct effects of PCE on the developing nervous system may cause changes in brain structure and function that are an underlying mechanism for the behavioral outcomes reported here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on child behavior and growth at 10years of age

Richardson

Goldschmidt

Larkby

et al. 2013

We examined physical growth and behavioral outcomes in 226 10-year-old children who were participants in a longitudinal study of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE), while controlling for other factors that affect development. During the first trimester, 42% of the women used cocaine, with use declining across pregnancy. At the 10-year follow-up, the caregivers were 37 years old, had 12.8 years of education, and 50% were African American. First trimester cocaine exposure predicted decreased weight, height, and head circumference at 10 years. First trimester cocaine use also predicted maternal ratings of less sociability on the EAS Temperament Survey and more withdrawn behavior problems on the Child Behavior Checklist, more anxious/depressed behaviors on the Teacher Report Form, and more self-reported depressive symptoms on the Children’s Depression Inventory. In addition, exposure to violence mediated the effect of PCE on child and teacher reports of depressive symptoms, but not of maternal reports of sociability and withdrawn behaviors. These behaviors may be precursors of later psychiatric problems.

“…Cocaine exposure during gestation can alter critical events during neural development. For example, PCE has a direct effect on the development of monoaminergic systems in rats [61,75,78,93], which play a crucial regulatory role in neuronal proliferation and migration [14,51,53]. PCE has also been shown to delay cell proliferation and migration in rats, causing a disruption in cortical architecture [79,95].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of prenatal cocaine use on infant development

Richardson¹,

Goldschmidt²,

Willford³

2008

This study examined the effect of prenatal cocaine use on infant physical, cognitive, and motor development, and temperamental characteristics, controlling for other factors that affect infant development. Women were, on average, 26.8 years old, had 12 years of education, and 46% were African American. During the first trimester, 18% were frequent users of cocaine (≥ 1 line/day). The infants were, on average, 14.6 months old at this follow-up phase. Women who used cocaine during pregnancy rated their infants as more fussy/difficult and unadaptable than did women who did not use cocaine. Cocaine use in the second trimester was associated with significantly lower motor scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) [9]. There was no effect of prenatal cocaine use on BSID mental performance or on growth. These findings are consistent with other reports in the literature and with the hypothesis that prenatal cocaine exposure affects development through changes in neurotransmitter systems.