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Rockhold MN, Holman PJ. Structural MRI and mental health associations in children with and without fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Translational insights. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:241-245. [PMID: 38105111 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Parker J Holman
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Tran EL, England LJ, Park Y, Denny CH, Kim SY. Systematic Review: Polysubstance Prevalence Estimates Reported during Pregnancy, US, 2009-2020. Matern Child Health J 2023; 27:426-458. [PMID: 36752906 PMCID: PMC10521102 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-023-03592-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The objective of this systematic review is to describe polysubstance studies and their prevalence estimates among pregnant people in the US. METHODS This review was not subject to protocol preparation or registration with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) because outcome data were not reported. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Checklist was followed. Four scientific literature databases were used to identify articles published from January 1, 2009 to June 3, 2020 reporting prenatal exposure to two or more substances in the US. A standardized process of title and abstract screening followed by a two-phase full-text review was used to assess study eligibility. RESULTS A total of 119 studies were included: 7 case-control studies, 7 clinical trials, 76 cohort studies, and 29 cross-sectional studies. Studies varied with respect to study design, time period, region, sampling and participant selection, substances assessed, and method of exposure ascertainment. Commonly reported polysubstance prevalence estimates among studies of pregnant people included combinations with alcohol, marijuana, and/or tobacco/nicotine. The range of prevalence estimates was wide (alcohol 1-99%; marijuana 3-95%; tobacco/nicotine 2-95%). DISCUSSION Polysubstance use during pregnancy is common, especially with alcohol, marijuana, and/or tobacco/nicotine. Future research to assess polysubstance use during pregnancy could help better describe patterns and ultimately help mitigate its effects on maternal and infant health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmy L Tran
- Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, National Center On Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE MS S106-3, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
- Eagle Global Scientific, LLC, 2835 Brandywine Rd, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA.
| | - Lucinda J England
- Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, National Center On Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE MS S106-3, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Youngjoo Park
- Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, National Center On Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE MS S106-3, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Clark H Denny
- Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, National Center On Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE MS S106-3, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
| | - Shin Y Kim
- Division of Birth Defects and Infant Disorders, National Center On Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, NE MS S106-3, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA
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3
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Kunkler C, Lewis AJ, Almeida R. Methamphetamine exposure during pregnancy: A meta-analysis of child developmental outcomes. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104714. [PMID: 35661684 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
This paper examines developmental outcomes for children prenatally exposed to methamphetamine through maternal use. PSYCHINFO, Scopus, PubMed and ERIC databases were systematically searched for studies up to December 2020. The search identified 38 articles examining cognitive, language, motor and neuroanatomical outcomes in children from birth to 16 years. Study quality was appraised using the Newcastle Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Findings from neuroanatomical studies suggested that prenatal methamphetamine exposure may alter whole brain microstructure and reduce subcortical volumes across multiple brain regions. Meta-analysis of 14 studies using a random-effects model revealed associations between exposure and poorer intellectual functioning (Cohen's d = 0.89, 95 % CI: 0.47-1.30), problem solving skills (Cohen's d = 0.82, 95 % CI: 0.07 -1.56), short-term memory (Cohen's d = 0.91, 95 % CI: 0.38-1.43), and language development (Cohen's d = 0.74, 95 % CI: 0.30-1.18). These results emphasise the significant impact of intrauterine methamphetamine exposure across multiple areas of child development, noting that limited total sample size, heterogeneity between studies and control for confounds suggested further studies are required. There is a need for further intervention studies to identify effective prevention and harm minimisation approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrew J Lewis
- School of Psychology, Murdoch University, Australia; Perinatal Mental Health Unit, Level 2, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, 11 Robin Warren Drive, MURDOCH WA 6150.
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4
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Yu X, Dunstan J, Jacobson SW, Molteno CD, Lindinger NM, Turesky TK, Meintjes EM, Jacobson JL, Gaab N. Distinctive neural correlates of phonological and reading impairment in fetal alcohol-exposed adolescents with and without facial dysmorphology. Neuropsychologia 2022; 169:108188. [PMID: 35218791 PMCID: PMC9922095 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to atypical brain and cognitive development, including poor academic performance in reading. This study utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging to characterize functional and structural mechanisms mediating reading deficits in 26 adolescents with PAE-related facial dysmorphology (fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)/partial FAS (PFAS)), 29 heavily-exposed (HE) non-syndromal adolescents, in comparison with 19 typically developing controls. The FAS/PFAS and HE groups were balanced in terms of levels of PAE and reading (dis)ability. While neural alterations in the posterior association cortices were evident in both PAE groups, distinctive neural correlates of reading (dis)abilities were observed between adolescents with and without facial dysmorphology. Specifically, compared to the HE and control groups, the syndromal adolescents showed greater activation in the right precentral gyrus during phonological processing and rightward lateralization in an important reading-related tract (inferior longitudinal fasciculus, ILF), suggesting an atypical reliance on the right hemisphere. By contrast, in the HE, better reading skills were positively correlated with neural activation in the left angular gyrus and white matter organization of the left ILF, although the brain function-behavior relation was weaker than among the controls, suggesting less efficient function of the typical reading network. Our findings provide converging evidence at both the neural functional and structural levels for distinctive brain mechanisms underlying atypical reading and phonological processing in PAE adolescents with and without facial dysmorphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, MA, 02115, USA.
| | - Jade Dunstan
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa; Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Nadine M Lindinger
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Ted K Turesky
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, MA, 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA; Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, 7701, South Africa.
| | - Nadine Gaab
- Laboratories of Cognitive Neuroscience, Division of Developmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, MA, 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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5
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Brown J, Jonason A, Asp E, McGinn V, Carter MN, Spiller V, Jozan A. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and confabulation in psycholegal settings: A beginner's guide for criminal justice, forensic mental health, and legal interviewers. BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES & THE LAW 2022; 40:46-86. [PMID: 34689366 DOI: 10.1002/bsl.2540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are neurodevelopmental/neurobehavioral conditions caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Impairments caused by PAE contribute to the over-representation of individuals with FASD in the United States juvenile and adult criminal justice systems. These same impairments can equally impact on individuals with FASD who are witnesses to or victims of crime who also have to navigate the complexities of the criminal justice system. Difficulties include increased susceptibility to confabulation throughout the legal process that, in turn, can contribute to increased rates of poor outcomes including false confessions and wrongful convictions. Individuals with FASD are particularity at risk of confabulation when they are subjected to tactics, such as stressful and anxiety-provoking situations, threats, and leading, suggestive, or coercive questioning. Many professionals in the forensic context are unfamiliar with FASD or related confabulation risk and may unintentionally utilize tactics that intensify impacts of pre-existing impairment. This article serves as a beginner's guide for professionals working in criminal justice settings by (a) providing research-based overviews of FASD and confabulation, (b) describing how FASD may lead to confabulation, and (c) suggesting ways that professionals can modify protocols when interacting with individuals with FASD. Suggestions in this article hold the potential to decrease the risk of confabulation in the criminal justice system and decrease problematic outcomes, such as false confessions and wrongful convictions among individuals with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerrod Brown
- Pathways Counseling Center, Inc., St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Alec Jonason
- Department of Psychology, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Wesley & Lorene Artz Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
| | - Erik Asp
- Department of Psychology, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Wesley & Lorene Artz Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center, Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Valerie McGinn
- The FASD Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Population Health, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Megan N Carter
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Social and Health Services, Special Commitment Center, Steilacoom, Washington, USA
| | | | - Amy Jozan
- American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
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Stafford AM, Yamamoto BK, Phillips TJ. Combined and sequential effects of alcohol and methamphetamine in animal models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:248-269. [PMID: 34543650 PMCID: PMC8642292 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Comorbid drug use, often alcohol with other drugs, poses significant health and societal concerns. Methamphetamine is among the illicit drugs most often co-used with alcohol. The current review examines the animal literature for impacts of comorbid alcohol and methamphetamine exposure. We found evidence for additive or synergistic effects of combined or sequential exposure on behavior and physiology. Dopaminergic, serotonergic, and glutamatergic systems are all impacted by combined exposure to alcohol and methamphetamine and cyclooxygenase-2 activity plays an important role in their combined neurotoxic effects. Adverse consequences of comorbid exposure include altered brain development with prenatal exposure, impaired learning and memory, motor deficits, gastrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and augmented intake under some conditions. Given high susceptibility to drug experimentation in adolescence, studies of co-exposure during the adolescent period and of how adolescent exposure to one drug impacts later use or sensitivity to the other drug should be a priority. Further, to gain traction on prevention and treatment, additional research to identify motivational and neurobiological drivers and consequences of comorbid use is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Stafford
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Portland Alcohol Abuse Research Center and Methamphetamine Abuse Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
| | - Bryan K Yamamoto
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Tamara J Phillips
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Portland Alcohol Abuse Research Center and Methamphetamine Abuse Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR, USA
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Sanjari Moghaddam H, Mobarak Abadi M, Dolatshahi M, Bayani Ershadi S, Abbasi-Feijani F, Rezaei S, Cattarinussi G, Aarabi MH. Effects of Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure on the Developing Human Brain: A Systematic Review of Neuroimaging Studies. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:2729-2748. [PMID: 34297546 PMCID: PMC8763371 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
Methamphetamine
(MA) can cross the placenta in pregnant women and
cause placental abruption and developmental alterations in offspring.
Previous studies have found prenatal MA exposure effects on the social
and cognitive performance of children. Recent studies reported some
alterations in structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) of prenatal MA-exposed offspring. In this study, we aimed to
investigate the effect of prenatal MA exposure on brain development
using recently published structural, metabolic, and functional MRI
studies. According to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic
Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched PubMed
and SCOPUS databases for articles that used each brain imaging modality
in prenatal MA-exposed children. Seventeen studies were included in
this study. We investigated brain imaging alterations using 17 articles
with four different modalities, including structural MRI, diffusion
tensor imaging (DTI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and functional
MRI (fMRI). The participants’ age range was from infancy to
15 years. Our findings demonstrated that prenatal MA exposure is associated
with macrostructural, microstructural, metabolic, and functional deficits
in both cortical and subcortical areas. However, the most affected
regions were the striatum, frontal lobe, thalamus and the limbic system,
and white matter (WM) fibers connecting these regions. The findings
from our study might have valuable implications for targeted treatment
of neurocognitive and behavioral deficits in children with prenatal
MA exposure. Even so, our results should be interpreted cautiously
due to the heterogeneity of the included studies in terms of study
populations and methods of analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mahsa Dolatshahi
- Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | | | - Sahar Rezaei
- Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Giulia Cattarinussi
- Department of Neuroscience and Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Mohammad Hadi Aarabi
- Department of Neuroscience and Padova Neuroscience Center (PNC), University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
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8
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Woodburn M, Bricken CL, Wu Z, Li G, Wang L, Lin W, Sheridan MA, Cohen JR. The maturation and cognitive relevance of structural brain network organization from early infancy to childhood. Neuroimage 2021; 238:118232. [PMID: 34091033 PMCID: PMC8372198 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The interactions of brain regions with other regions at the network level likely provide the infrastructure necessary for cognitive processes to develop. Specifically, it has been theorized that in infancy brain networks become more modular, or segregated, to support early cognitive specialization, before integration across networks increases to support the emergence of higher-order cognition. The present study examined the maturation of structural covariance networks (SCNs) derived from longitudinal cortical thickness data collected between infancy and childhood (0–6 years). We assessed modularity as a measure of network segregation and global efficiency as a measure of network integration. At the group level, we observed trajectories of increasing modularity and decreasing global efficiency between early infancy and six years. We further examined subject-based maturational coupling networks (sbMCNs) in a subset of this cohort with cognitive outcome data at 8–10 years, which allowed us to relate the network organization of longitudinal cortical thickness maturation to cognitive outcomes in middle childhood. We found that lower global efficiency of sbMCNs throughout early development (across the first year) related to greater motor learning at 8–10 years. Together, these results provide novel evidence characterizing the maturation of brain network segregation and integration across the first six years of life, and suggest that specific trajectories of brain network maturation contribute to later cognitive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie Woodburn
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States.
| | - Cheyenne L Bricken
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Zhengwang Wu
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States; Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Gang Li
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States; Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Li Wang
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States; Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Weili Lin
- Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States; Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Margaret A Sheridan
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States; Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States; Carolina Institute of Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Jessica R Cohen
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States; Biomedical Research Imaging Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States; Carolina Institute of Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States
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9
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Radhakrishnan R, Grecco G, Stolze K, Atwood B, Jennings SG, Lien IZ, Saykin AJ, Sadhasivam S. Neuroimaging in infants with prenatal opioid exposure: Current evidence, recent developments and targets for future research. J Neuroradiol 2021; 48:112-120. [PMID: 33065196 PMCID: PMC7979441 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurad.2020.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) has shown to be a risk factor for adverse long-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes in offspring. However, the neural mechanisms of these outcomes remain poorly understood. While preclinical and human studies suggest that these outcomes may be due to opioid-mediated changes in the fetal and early postnatal brain, other maternal, social, and environmental factors are also shown to play a role. Recent neuroimaging studies reveal brain alterations in children with POE. Early neuroimaging and novel methodology could provide an in vivo mechanistic understanding of opioid mediated alterations in developing brain. However, this is an area of ongoing research. In this review we explore recent imaging developments in POE, with emphasis on the neonatal and infant brain, and highlight some of the challenges of imaging the developing brain in this population. We also highlight evidence from animal models and imaging in older children and youth to understand areas where future research may be targeted in infants with POE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupa Radhakrishnan
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
| | - Gregory Grecco
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Brady Atwood
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Samuel G Jennings
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Izlin Z Lien
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Andrew J Saykin
- Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Petrikova-Hrebickova I, Sevcikova M, Šlamberová R. The Impact of Neonatal Methamphetamine on Spatial Learning and Memory in Adult Female Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:629585. [PMID: 33679341 PMCID: PMC7930212 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.629585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study was aimed at evaluating cognitive changes following neonatal methamphetamine exposure in combination with repeated treatment in adulthood of female Wistar rats. Pregnant dams and their pups were used in this study. One half of the offspring were treated indirectly via the breast milk of injected mothers, and the other half of pups were treated directly by methamphetamine injection. In the group with indirect exposure, mothers received methamphetamine (5 mg/ml/kg) or saline (1 ml/kg) between postnatal days (PD) 1-11. In the group with direct exposure, none of the mothers were treated. Instead, progeny were either: (1) treated with injected methamphetamine (5 mg/ml/kg); or (2) served as controls and received sham injections (no saline, just a needle stick) on PD 1-11. Learning ability and memory consolidation were tested on PD 70-90 in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) using three tests: Place Navigation Test, Probe Test, and Memory Recall Test. Adult female progeny were injected daily, after completion of the last trial of MWM tests, with saline or methamphetamine (1 mg/ml/kg). The effects of indirect/direct neonatal methamphetamine exposure combined with acute adult methamphetamine treatment on cognitive functions in female rats were compared. Statistical analyses showed that neonatal drug exposure worsened spatial learning and the ability to remember the position of a hidden platform. The study also demonstrated that direct methamphetamine exposure has a more significant impact on learning and memory than indirect exposure. The acute dose of the drug did not produce any changes in cognitive ability. Analyses of search strategies (thigmotaxis, scanning) used by females during the Place Navigation Test and Memory Recall Test confirmed all these results. Results from the present study suggested extensive deficits in learning skills and memory of female rats that may be linked to the negative impact of neonatal methamphetamine exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Sevcikova
- Department of Physiology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Romana Šlamberová
- Department of Physiology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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11
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Wu D, Chang L, Ernst TM, Caffo BS, Oishi K. Developmental score of the infant brain: characterizing diffusion MRI in term- and preterm-born infants. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:2431-2445. [PMID: 32804327 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02132-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale longitudinal neuroimaging studies of the infant brain allow us to map the spatiotemporal development of the brain in its early phase. While the postmenstrual age (PMA) is commonly used as a time index to analyze longitudinal MRI data, the nonlinear relationship between PMA and MRI data imposes challenges for downstream analyses. We propose a mathematical model that provides a Developmental Score (DevS) as a data-driven time index to characterize the brain development based on MRI features. 319 diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) datasets were collected from 87 term-born and 66 preterm-born infants at multiple visits, which were automatically segmented based on the JHU neonatal atlas. The mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) in 126 brain parcels were used in the model to derive DevS. We demonstrate that transforming the time index from PMA to DevS improves the linearity of the longitudinal changes in MD and FA in both gray and white matter structures. More importantly, regional developmental differences in DTI metrics between preterm- and term-born infants were identified more clearly using DevS, e.g. 79 structures showed significantly different regression patterns in MD between preterm- and term-born infants, compared to only 27 structures that showed group differences using PMA as the index. Therefore, the DevS model facilitates linear analyses of DTI metrics in the infant brain, and provides a useful tool to characterize altered brain development due to preterm-birth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wu
- Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Linda Chang
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, and Neurology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Thomas M Ernst
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brian S Caffo
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kenichi Oishi
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Traylor 217, 720 Rutland Ave, Baltimore, MD, 21215, USA.
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12
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Garey JD, Lusskin SI, Scialli AR. Teratogen update: Amphetamines. Birth Defects Res 2020; 112:1171-1182. [PMID: 32755038 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Amphetamines are synthetic noncatecholamine sympathomimetic amines that act as psychostimulants. They have been prescribed for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and additional health conditions. Amphetamines are also drugs of abuse. Some experimental animal studies suggested adverse developmental effects of amphetamines, including structural malformations. These effects were most often observed in experimental animals at higher dose levels than those used for treatment or abuse and at dose levels that produce maternal toxicity. Controlled studies of amphetamine use for the treatment of ADHD and other indications did not suggest that amphetamines are likely to cause structural malformations, although there are three studies associating medication for ADHD or methamphetamine abuse with gastroschisis. We did not locate studies on the neurobehavioral effects of prenatal exposures to therapeutic amphetamine use. Amphetamine abuse was associated with offspring neurobehavioral abnormalities, but lack of adequate adjustment for confounding interferes with interpretation of the associations. Adverse effects of methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy may be due to factors associated with drug abuse rather than methamphetamine itself. The adverse effects observed in methamphetamine abuse studies may not be extrapolatable to amphetamine medication use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan D Garey
- Reproductive Toxicology Center, A Non-Profit Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Shari I Lusskin
- Reproductive Toxicology Center, A Non-Profit Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anthony R Scialli
- Reproductive Toxicology Center, A Non-Profit Foundation, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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13
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Laboy-Hernández S, Cruz-Bermúdez ND, Bernal G. Effects of Prenatal Drug Exposure on Children’s Working Memory: A Systematic Review. ANNALS OF CHILD NEUROLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.26815/acn.2020.00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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14
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Dodge NC, Thomas KGF, Meintjes EM, Molteno CD, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW. Reduced Hippocampal Volumes Partially Mediate Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Spatial Navigation on a Virtual Water Maze Task in Children. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:844-855. [PMID: 32196695 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to poorer performance on the Morris water maze (MWM), a test of spatial navigation in rodents that is dependent on hippocampal functioning. We recently confirmed these findings in children with PAE on a human analog of the MWM, the virtual water maze (VWM). Previous studies have shown that the hippocampus is particularly sensitive to PAE. Our aim was to determine whether hippocampal volume mediates the relation between PAE and virtual navigation. METHODS VWM and MRI hippocampal data were collected from 50 right-handed 10-year-old children in a heavily exposed Cape Town, South African sample. PAE data had been collected from their mothers during pregnancy, and the children were examined by expert fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) dysmorphologists. In the VWM, the participant attempts to learn the location of a hidden platform in a virtual pool of water across a series of learning trials using only distal room cues. Hippocampal volumes were derived using FreeSurfer from MRI scans administered within 1 week of completing the VWM task. RESULTS Both the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)/partial FAS and nonsyndromal heavy-exposed (HE) groups had smaller hippocampal volumes than controls. PAE was associated with reduced right hippocampal volumes even after control for total intracranial volume (ICV). Hippocampal volume was also positively associated with VWM performance. The relation between PAE and VWM performance was partially mediated by right hippocampal volume but not by total ICV. CONCLUSIONS These data confirm previous reports linking PAE to poorer spatial navigation on the VWM and are the first to provide direct evidence that volume reductions in this region partially mediate the relation of FASD diagnosis to place learning, suggesting that PAE specifically impairs the ability to encode the spatial information necessary for successful location of the hidden platform on a navigation task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil C Dodge
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States
| | - Kevin G F Thomas
- ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States.,Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States.,Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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15
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Conditional Effects of Lifetime Alcohol Consumption on Methamphetamine-Associated Neurocognitive Performance. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2019; 25:787-799. [PMID: 31179969 PMCID: PMC6733657 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617719000493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Methamphetamine (MA) dependence contributes to neurotoxicity and neurocognitive deficits. Although combined alcohol and MA misuse is common, how alcohol consumption relates to neurocognitive performance among MA users remains unclear. We hypothesized that alcohol and MA use would synergistically diminish neurocognitive functioning, such that greater reported alcohol consumption would exert larger negative effects on neurocognition among MA-dependent individuals compared to MA-nonusing persons. METHODS Eighty-seven MA-dependent (MA+) and 114 MA-nonusing (MA-) adults underwent neuropsychological and substance use assessments. Linear and logistic regressions examined the interaction between MA status and lifetime average drinks per drinking day on demographically corrected global neurocognitive T scores and impairment rates, controlling for recent alcohol use, lifetime cannabis use, WRAT reading performance, and lifetime depression. RESULTS MA+ displayed moderately higher rates of impairment and lower T scores compared to MA-. Lifetime alcohol use significantly interacted with MA status to predict global impairment (ORR = 0.70, p = .003) such that greater lifetime alcohol use increased likelihood of impairment in MA-, but decreased likelihood of impairment in MA+. Greater lifetime alcohol use predicted poorer global T scores among MA- (b = -0.44, p = .030) but not MA+ (b = 0.08, p = .586). CONCLUSIONS Contrary to expectations, greater lifetime alcohol use related to reduced risk of neurocognitive impairment among MA users. Findings are supported by prior research identifying neurobiological mechanisms by which alcohol may attenuate stimulant-driven vasoconstriction and brain thermotoxicity. Replication and examination of neurophysiologic mechanisms underlying alcohol use in the context of MA dependence are warranted to elucidate whether alcohol confers a degree of neuroprotection.
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16
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Hodkinson DJ, Mongerson CRL, Jennings RW, Bajic D. Neonatal functional brain maturation in the context of perioperative critical care and pain management: A case report. Heliyon 2019; 5:e02350. [PMID: 31485532 PMCID: PMC6716350 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Remarkable plasticity during the first year of life imparts heighted vulnerability of the developing infant brain. Application of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in infants may contribute to our understanding of neuroplastic changes associated with therapeutic interventions and/or brain insults. In addition to showing clinically relevant incidental brain MRI findings, the objective of our pilot study was to test feasibility of rs-fMRI methods at this early age in the context of pediatric perioperative critical care. METHODS We report the case of a former 33-week premature infant born with long-gap esophageal atresia that underwent complex perioperative critical care (Foker process) requiring prolonged post-operative sedation and whom presented with incidental subdural hematoma. Rs-fMRI data was acquired before (at 1-month corrected age) and after (at 2.25-months corrected age) complex perioperative care. We evaluated resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) using graph theory to explore the complex structure of brain networks. RESULTS A transient increase in head circumference coincided temporally with lifting of sedation and initiation of sedation drugs weaning, and qualified for hydrocephalus (93%) but not macrocephaly (>95%). RSFC analysis identified networks spatially consistent with those previously described in the literature, with notable pre-post-treatment qualitative differences in correlated and anticorrelated spontaneous brain activity. DISCUSSION Current definitions of macrocephaly may require lower threshold criteria for monitoring of critically ill infants. Although we demonstrate that available rs-fMRI could be effectively applied in a critically ill infant in the setting of brain pathology, future group-level studies should investigate RSFC to evaluate maintenance of network homeostasis during development of both healthy and critically ill infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan Jack Hodkinson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave., Bader 3, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA
| | - Chandler Rebecca Lee Mongerson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave., Bader 3, Boston, MA
| | - Russell William Jennings
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA
- Esophageal and Airway Treatment Center, Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave., Boston, MA
| | - Dusica Bajic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave., Bader 3, Boston, MA
- Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck St., Boston, MA
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17
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Little G, Reynolds J, Beaulieu C. Altered Functional Connectivity Observed at Rest in Children and Adolescents Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol. Brain Connect 2019; 8:503-515. [PMID: 30289280 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2017.0572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of brain structure in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have shown the global and focal effects that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has on the brain, suggesting but not measuring altered function in FASD. This study aimed to (1) identify resting-state functional networks in children and adolescents with FASD, (2) investigate functional connectivity differences compared with healthy controls, and (3) assess the links to cognitive deficits. Participants included 66 children/adolescents with FASD (aged 5.5-18.9 years) and 67 healthy controls (aged 5.8-18.5 years) scanned across four sites as part of the NeuroDevNet study. Six core functional networks with 27 regions of interest (ROIs) were examined using seed-based and ROI-to-ROI analyses. Average seed-based connectivity maps showed significant spatial overlap of positively correlated regions for all six core networks between FASD and controls, but there was less overlap for negatively correlated regions. ROI-to-ROI matrices demonstrated lower internetwork connectivity between regions primarily associated with the salience network (anterior cingulate cortex and bilateral insula), frontal-parietal network (bilateral posterior parietal cortex), and language network (right posterior superior temporal gyrus). Post hoc correlations of the FASD participants without medication revealed a relationship between functional connectivity and performance on two cognitive tests associated with mathematics ability and attention. Even though participants with PAE exhibit very similar intranetwork functional connectivity patterns as controls, their lower internetwork functional connectivity suggests underlying deficits in the functional network brain architecture that may be related to cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Little
- 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta , Edmonton, Canada
| | - James Reynolds
- 2 Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University , Kingston, Canada .,3 Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University , Kingston, Canada
| | - Christian Beaulieu
- 1 Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta , Edmonton, Canada
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18
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Smid MC, Metz TD, Gordon AJ. Stimulant Use in Pregnancy: An Under-recognized Epidemic Among Pregnant Women. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2019; 62:168-184. [PMID: 30601144 PMCID: PMC6438363 DOI: 10.1097/grf.0000000000000418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Stimulant use, including cocaine, methamphetamines, ecstasy, and prescription stimulants, in pregnancy is increasingly common. In the United States, stimulants are the second most widely used and abused substances during pregnancy and pregnant women using stimulants in pregnancy are at increased risk of adverse perinatal, neonatal, and childhood outcomes. In this review, we describe the pharmacology, pathophysiology, and epidemiology of stimulants, summarize the maternal and neonatal effects of perinatal stimulant use, and outline treatment options for stimulant use disorders among pregnant women. Development of effective treatment strategies for stimulant use disorders identified among pregnant women are urgently needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela C Smid
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, University of Utah School of Medicine
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center (IDEAS), Salt Lake City VA Health Care System, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Torri D Metz
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine
| | - Adam J Gordon
- Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge and Advocacy (PARCKA), Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, University of Utah School of Medicine
- Informatics, Decision-Enhancement, and Analytic Sciences Center (IDEAS), Salt Lake City VA Health Care System, Salt Lake City, Utah
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19
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Barrett CE, Kable JA, Madsen TE, Hsu CC, Coles CD. The Use of Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to Differentiate Alcohol-Related Neurodevelopmental Impairment. Dev Neuropsychol 2019; 44:203-219. [PMID: 30661412 PMCID: PMC6423538 DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2019.1567734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Oxygenated (HBO) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HBR) levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to determine if PFC activity during a cognitive inhibition task distinguishes children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE, n = 26) from both typically developing controls (n = 19) and a contrast group of children with other neurobehavioral problems (n = 14). Despite showing evidence of increased PFC activity in the non-inhibitory condition relative to controls, children in the PAE group displayed reduced PFC HBO and increased HBR relative to both other groups in the inhibitory condition, suggesting reduced PFC activity but increased oxygen consumption without sufficient oxygen replacement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E. Barrett
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Julie A. Kable
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park, Atlanta, GA 30329
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Teresa E Madsen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Chia-Chun Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park, Atlanta, GA 30329
| | - Claire D. Coles
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park, Atlanta, GA 30329
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park, Atlanta, GA 30329
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20
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Warton FL, Taylor PA, Warton CMR, Molteno CD, Wintermark P, Lindinger NM, Zöllei L, van der Kouwe A, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW, Meintjes EM. Prenatal methamphetamine exposure is associated with corticostriatal white matter changes in neonates. Metab Brain Dis 2018; 33:507-522. [PMID: 29063448 PMCID: PMC5866741 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-017-0135-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have shown that prenatal exposure to methamphetamine is associated with alterations in white matter microstructure, but to date no tractography studies have been performed in neonates. The striato-thalamo-orbitofrontal circuit and its associated limbic-striatal areas, the primary circuit responsible for reinforcement, has been postulated to be dysfunctional in drug addiction. This study investigated potential white matter changes in the striatal-orbitofrontal circuit in neonates with prenatal methamphetamine exposure. Mothers were recruited antenatally and interviewed regarding methamphetamine use during pregnancy, and DTI sequences were acquired in the first postnatal month. Target regions of interest were manually delineated, white matter bundles connecting pairs of targets were determined using probabilistic tractography in AFNI-FATCAT, and fractional anisotropy (FA) and diffusion measures were determined in white matter connections. Regression analysis showed that increasing methamphetamine exposure was associated with reduced FA in several connections between the striatum and midbrain, orbitofrontal cortex, and associated limbic structures, following adjustment for potential confounding variables. Our results are consistent with previous findings in older children and extend them to show that these changes are already evident in neonates. The observed alterations are likely to play a role in the deficits in attention and inhibitory control frequently seen in children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur L Warton
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Paul A Taylor
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- MRC/UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Division of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
- Scientific and Statistical Computing Core, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher M R Warton
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Pia Wintermark
- Department of Pediatrics, Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Nadine M Lindinger
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lilla Zöllei
- Athinoula A. Martinos Centre for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Andre van der Kouwe
- Athinoula A. Martinos Centre for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- MRC/UCT Medical Imaging Research Unit, Division of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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21
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Hendrickson TJ, Mueller BA, Sowell ER, Mattson SN, Coles CD, Kable JA, Jones KL, Boys CJ, Lee S, Lim KO, Riley EP, Wozniak JR. Two-year cortical trajectories are abnormal in children and adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2018; 30:123-133. [PMID: 29486453 PMCID: PMC5949095 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2018] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Cortical abnormalities in prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) are known, including in gyrification (LGI), thickness (CT), volume (CV), and surface area (CS). This study provides longitudinal and developmental context to the PAE cortical development literature. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Included: 58 children with PAE and 52 controls, ages 6-17 at enrollment, from four Collaborative Initiative on FASD (CIFASD) sites. Participants underwent a formal evaluation of physical anomalies and dysmorphic facial features associated with PAE. MRI data were collected on three platforms (Siemens, GE, and Philips) at four sites. Scans were spaced two years apart. Change in LGI, CT, CS, and CV were examined. PRINCIPAL OBSERVATIONS Several significant regional age-by-diagnosis linear and quadratic interaction effects in LGI, CT, and CV were found, indicating atypical developmental trajectories in PAE. No significant correlations were observed between cortical measures and IQ. CONCLUSIONS Regional differences were seen longitudinally in CT, CV, and LGI in those with PAE. The findings represent important insights into developmental trajectories and may have implications for the timing of assessments and interventions in this population. It is noteworthy that cortical metrics did not correlate with IQ, suggesting that more specific aspects of cognitive development may need to be explored to provide further context.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elizabeth R Sowell
- Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, USA; University of Southern California, USA
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Sirnes E, Griffiths ST, Aukland SM, Eide GE, Elgen IB, Gundersen H. Functional MRI in prenatally opioid-exposed children during a working memory-selective attention task. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2018; 66:46-54. [PMID: 29408607 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 01/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid induced cerebral changes may contribute to neuropsychological difficulties, like attention problems, frequently reported in prenatally opioid-exposed children. Reduced regional brain volumes have been shown after prenatal opioid exposure, but no study to date has explored the possible impact of prenatal opioids on brain activation patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS A hospital-based sample of prenatally opioid-exposed school-aged children (n = 11) and unexposed controls (n = 12) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a combined working memory-selective attention task. Within-group- and between-group analyses of blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) activation were performed using the SPM12 software package and group differences in task performance were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards modeling. RESULTS Overall, similar patterns of task related parietal and prefrontal BOLD activations were found in both groups. The opioid-exposed group showed impaired task performance, and during the most cognitive demanding versions of the working memory-selective attention task, increased activation in prefrontal cortical areas was found in the opioid-exposed group compared to controls. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that prenatal opioids affect later brain function, visible through changes in BOLD activation patterns. However, results should be considered preliminary until replicated in larger samples better suited to control for potential confounding factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eivind Sirnes
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Silja T Griffiths
- Department of Pediatrics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Stein Magnus Aukland
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Geir Egil Eide
- Centre for Clinical Research, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Irene B Elgen
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Hilde Gundersen
- Department of Sport and Physical Education, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Bergen, Norway
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23
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Cognitive outcomes in prenatal methamphetamine exposed children aged six to seven years. Compr Psychiatry 2018; 80:24-33. [PMID: 28950153 DOI: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methamphetamine use among pregnant women has become a significant problem. Research delineating the cognitive outcomes of prenatal methamphetamine exposure (PME) in early childhood is limited, however. The aim of this study was to examine effects of PME on cognition in six-to-seven-year-old children. METHODS PME children (n=23) and unexposed controls (n=22) completed a battery of neurocognitive tests, which included the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Boston Naming Test, Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, and Grooved Pegboard Test. RESULTS Independent samples t-tests revealed that PME children scored significantly worse than controls on the measures of IQ, learning and memory, confrontation naming, visual-motor integration, and fine motor coordination. Hierarchical regression analyses that included potential confounding sociodemographic, co-exposure and anthropometric variables confirmed that PME impacts negatively on cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS The study confirms that PME has deleterious effects on cognition in several broad cognitive domains, likely by altering underlying brain circuitry in development. These effects may be particularly pronounced at the time when children enter formal schooling. Extended follow-ups into late childhood might help elucidate the developmental trajectory of cognitive dysfunction in PME, and subsequent effects on everyday functioning.
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24
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Nash K, Stevens S, Clairman H, Rovet J. Preliminary Findings that a Targeted Intervention Leads to Altered Brain Function in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Brain Sci 2017; 8:brainsci8010007. [PMID: 29283403 PMCID: PMC5789338 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci8010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Revised: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) exhibit behavioral dysregulation, executive dysfunction, and atypical function in associated brain regions. Previous research shows early intervention mitigates these outcomes but corresponding brain changes were not studied. Given the Alert® Program for Self-Regulation improves behavioral regulation and executive function in children with FASD, we asked if this therapy also improves their neural functioning in associated regions. Twenty-one children with FASD aged 8–12 years were randomized to the Alert®-treatment (TXT; n = 10) or waitlist-control (WL; n = 11) conditions. They were assessed with a Go-NoGo functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm before and after training or the wait-out period. Groups initially performed equivalently and showed no fMRI differences. At post-test, TXT outperformed WL on NoGo trials while fMRI in uncorrected results with a small-volume correction showed less activation in prefrontal, temporal, and cingulate regions. Groups also demonstrated different patterns of change over time reflecting reduced signal at post-test in selective prefrontal and parietal regions in TXT and increased in WL. In light of previous evidence indicating TXT at post-test perform similar to non-exposed children on the Go-NoGo fMRI paradigm, our findings suggest Alert® does improve functional integrity in the neural circuitry for behavioral regulation in children with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Nash
- Psychiatry Department, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G1X8, Canada.
| | - Sara Stevens
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON M4G1R8, Canada.
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto, ON M4G1R8, Canada.
| | - Hayyah Clairman
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G1A0, Canada.
| | - Joanne Rovet
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G1A0, Canada.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G1X8, Canada.
- Psychology Department, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S3G3, Canada.
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25
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Prenatal methamphetamine exposure is associated with reduced subcortical volumes in neonates. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2017; 65:51-59. [PMID: 29069607 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Prenatal exposure to methamphetamine is associated with a range of neuropsychological, behavioural and cognitive deficits. A small number of imaging studies suggests that these may be mediated by neurostructural changes, including reduced volumes of specific brain regions. This study investigated potential volumetric changes in the brains of neonates with prenatal methamphetamine exposure. To our knowledge no previous studies have examined methamphetamine effects on regional brain volumes at this age. STUDY DESIGN Mothers were recruited antenatally and interviewed regarding methamphetamine use during pregnancy. Mothers in the exposure group reported using methamphetamine≥twice/month during pregnancy; control infants had no exposure to methamphetamine or other drugs and minimal exposure to alcohol. MRI scans were performed in the first postnatal month, following which anatomical images were processed using FreeSurfer. Subcortical and cerebellar regions were manually segmented and their volumes determined using FreeView. Pearson correlations were used to analyse potential associations between methamphetamine exposure and regional volumes. The associations between methamphetamine exposure and regional volumes were then examined adjusting for potential confounding variables. RESULTS Methamphetamine exposure was associated with reduced left and right caudate and thalamus volumes. The association in the right caudate remained significant following adjustment for potential confounding variables. CONCLUSIONS Our findings showing reduced caudate and thalamus volumes in neonates with prenatal methamphetamine exposure are consistent with previous findings in older exposed children, and demonstrate that these changes are already detectable in neonates. Continuing research is warranted to examine whether reduced subcortical volumes are predictive of cognitive, behavioural and affective impairment in older children.
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Nguyen VT, Chong S, Tieng QM, Mardon K, Galloway GJ, Kurniawan ND. Radiological studies of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in humans and animal models: An updated comprehensive review. Magn Reson Imaging 2017. [PMID: 28645698 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2017.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders encompass a wide range of birth defects in children born to mothers who consumed alcohol during pregnancy. Typical mental impairments in FASD include difficulties in life adaptation and learning and memory, deficits in attention, visuospatial skills, language and speech disabilities, mood disorders and motor disabilities. Multimodal imaging methods have enabled in vivo studies of the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the central nervous system, giving more insight into the FASD phenotype. This paper offers an up-to-date comprehensive review of radiological findings in the central nervous system in studies of prenatal alcohol exposure in both humans and translational animal models, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Computed Tomography, Positron Emission Tomography, Single Photon Emission Tomography and Ultrasonography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van T Nguyen
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam.
| | - Suyinn Chong
- Mater Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Quang M Tieng
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Karine Mardon
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Graham J Galloway
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nyoman D Kurniawan
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
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Hrebíčková I, Ševčíková M, Nohejlová K, Šlamberová R. Does effect from developmental methamphetamine exposure on spatial learning and memory depend on stage of neuroontogeny? Physiol Res 2017; 65:S577-S589. [PMID: 28006940 DOI: 10.33549/physiolres.933534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychostimulants, including methamphetamine (MA), have neurotoxic effect, especially, if they are targeting CNS during its critical periods of development. The present study was aimed to examine cognitive changes after prenatal and neonatal MA treatment in combination with chronic MA exposure in adulthood of male rats. Eight groups of male rats were tested in adulthood: males whose mothers were exposed to MA (5 mg/kg) or saline (SA, 1 ml/kg) during the first half of gestation period (GD 1-11), the second half of gestation period (GD 12-22) and neonatal period (PD 1-11). In addition, we compared indirect neonatal application via the breast milk with the group of rat pups that received MA or SA directly by injection (PD 1-11). Males were tested in adulthood for cognitive changes in the Morris Water Maze (MWM). MWM experiment lasted for 12 days: Learning (Day 1-6), Probe test (Day 8) and Retrieval Memory test (Day 12). Each day of the MWM animals were injected with MA (1 mg/kg) or SA (1 ml/kg). Prenatal MA exposure did not induce changes in learning abilities of male rats, but neonatal exposure to MA leads to an increase search errors and latencies to find the hidden platform. Prenatal and also neonatal MA exposure impaired cognitive ability to remember the position of the platform in Retrieval Memory test in adulthood. Animals exposed to the prenatal treatment within the second half of gestation (ED 12-22) swam longer, slower and spent more time to find the hidden platform in Retrieval Memory test than animals exposed throughout other periods. The present study demonstrated that stage of development is crucial for determination the cognitive deficits induced by prenatal or neonatal MA exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Hrebíčková
- Department of Normal, Pathological and Clinical Physiology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Hendrickson TJ, Mueller BA, Sowell ER, Mattson SN, Coles CD, Kable JA, Jones KL, Boys CJ, Lim KO, Riley EP, Wozniak JR. Cortical gyrification is abnormal in children with prenatal alcohol exposure. Neuroimage Clin 2017; 15:391-400. [PMID: 28580296 PMCID: PMC5447653 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2017.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) adversely affects early brain development. Previous studies have shown a wide range of structural and functional abnormalities in children and adolescents with PAE. The current study adds to the existing literature specifically on cortical development by examining cortical gyrification in a large sample of children with PAE compared to controls. Relationships between cortical development and intellectual functioning are also examined. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Included were 92 children with PAE and 83 controls ages 9-16 from four sites in the Collaborative Initiative on FASD (CIFASD). All PAE participants had documented heavy PAE. All underwent a formal evaluation of physical anomalies and dysmorphic facial features. MRI data were collected using modified matched protocols on three platforms (Siemens, GE, and Philips). Cortical gyrification was examined using a semi-automated procedure. PRINCIPAL OBSERVATIONS Whole brain group comparisons using Monte Carlo z-simulation for multiple comparisons showed significantly lower cortical gyrification across a large proportion of the cerebral cortex amongst PAE compared to controls. Whole brain comparisons and ROI based analyses showed strong positive correlations between cortical gyrification and IQ (i.e. less developed cortex was associated with lower IQ). CONCLUSIONS Abnormalities in cortical development were seen across the brain in children with PAE compared to controls. Cortical gyrification and IQ were strongly correlated, suggesting that examining mechanisms by which alcohol disrupts cortical formation may yield clinically relevant insights and potential directions for early intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elizabeth R Sowell
- Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, University of Southern California, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kelvin O Lim
- University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, United States
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Chang L, Oishi K, Skranes J, Buchthal S, Cunningham E, Yamakawa R, Hayama S, Jiang CS, Alicata D, Hernandez A, Cloak C, Wright T, Ernst T. Sex-Specific Alterations of White Matter Developmental Trajectories in Infants With Prenatal Exposure to Methamphetamine and Tobacco. JAMA Psychiatry 2016; 73:1217-1227. [PMID: 27829078 PMCID: PMC6467201 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.2794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Methamphetamine is a common illicit drug used worldwide. Methamphetamine and/or tobacco use by pregnant women remains prevalent. However, little is known about the effect of comorbid methamphetamine and tobacco use on human fetal brain development. OBJECTIVE To investigate whether microstructural brain abnormalities reported in children with prenatal methamphetamine and/or tobacco exposure are present at birth before childhood environmental influences. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A prospective, longitudinal study was conducted between September 17, 2008, and February 28, 2015, at an ambulatory academic medical center. A total of 752 infant-mother dyads were screened and 139 of 195 qualified neonates were evaluated (36 methamphetamine/tobacco exposed, 32 tobacco exposed, and 71 unexposed controls). They were recruited consecutively from the community. EXPOSURES Prenatal methamphetamine and/or tobacco exposure. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Quantitative neurologic examination and diffusion tensor imaging performed 1 to 3 times through age 4 months; diffusivities and fractional anisotropy (FA) assessed in 7 white matter tracts and 4 subcortical brain regions using an automated atlas-based method. RESULTS Of the 139 infants evaluated, 72 were female (51.8%); the mean (SE) postmenstrual age at baseline was 41.5 (0.27) weeks. Methamphetamine/tobacco-exposed infants showed delayed developmental trajectories on active muscle tone (group × age, P < .001) and total neurologic scores (group × age, P = .01) that normalized by ages 3 to 4 months. Only methamphetamine/tobacco-exposed boys had lower FA (group × age, P = .02) and higher diffusivities in superior (SCR) and posterior corona radiatae (PCR) (group × age × sex, P = .002; group × age × sex, P = .01) at baseline that normalized by age 3 months. Only methamphetamine/tobacco- and tobacco-exposed girls showed persistently lower FA in anterior corona radiata (ACR) (group, P = .04; group × age × sex, P = .01). Tobacco-exposed infants showed persistently lower axial diffusion in the thalamus and internal capsule across groups (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Prenatal methamphetamine/tobacco exposure may lead to delays in motor development, with less coherent fibers and less myelination in SCR and PCR only in male infants, but these abnormalities may normalize by ages 3 to 4 months after cessation of stimulant exposure. In contrast, persistently less coherent ACR fibers were observed in methamphetamine/tobacco- and tobacco-exposed girls, possibly from increased dendritic branching or spine density due to epigenetic influences. Persistently lower diffusivity in the thalamus and internal capsule of all tobacco-exposed infants suggests aberrant axonal development. Collectively, prenatal methamphetamine and/or tobacco exposure may lead to delayed motor development and white matter maturation in sex- and regional-specific manners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Chang
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Kenichi Oishi
- Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Jon Skranes
- Department of Pediatrics, Sørlandet Hospital, Arendal, Norway, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children’s and Women’s Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Steven Buchthal
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Eric Cunningham
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Robyn Yamakawa
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Sara Hayama
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Caroline S. Jiang
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Daniel Alicata
- Department of Psychiatry, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Antonette Hernandez
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Christine Cloak
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Tricia Wright
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
| | - Thomas Ernst
- Department of Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu
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Mechanisms involved in the neurotoxic and cognitive effects of developmental methamphetamine exposure. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 108:131-41. [DOI: 10.1002/bdrc.21130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Abstract
Alcohol consumption with psychostimulants is very common among drug addicts. There is little known about the possible pharmacological interactions between alcohol and psychostimulants. Among most commonly co-abused psychostimulants with alcohol are methamphetamine, cocaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetaminen, and nicotine. Co-abuse of alcohol with psychostimulants can lead to several neurophysiological dysfunctions such as decrease in brain antioxidant enzymes, disruption of learning and memory processes, cerebral hypo-perfusion, neurotransmitters depletion as well as potentiation of drug seeking behaviour. Moreover, co-abuse of alcohol and psychostimulants can lead to increase in heart rate, blood pressure, myocardial oxygen consumption and cellular stress, and the risk of developing different types of cancer. Co-abuse of alcohol with psychostimulants during pregnancy can lead to fetal brain abnormalities. Further studies are needed to investigate the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and neurochemical changes on co-abuse of alcohol and psychostimulants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf S Althobaiti
- University of Toledo, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Youssef Sari
- University of Toledo, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Toledo, OH, USA
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Neuroimaging effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing human brain: a magnetic resonance imaging review. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2015; 27:251-69. [PMID: 25780875 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2015.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This paper reviews the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) literature on the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing human brain. METHOD A literature search was conducted through the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. Combinations of the following search terms and keywords were used to identify relevant studies: 'alcohol', 'fetal alcohol spectrum disorders', 'fetal alcohol syndrome', 'FAS', 'FASD', 'MRI', 'DTI', 'MRS', 'neuroimaging', 'children' and 'infants'. RESULTS A total of 64 relevant articles were identified across all modalities. Overall, studies reported smaller total brain volume as well as smaller volume of both the white and grey matter in specific cortical regions. The most consistently reported structural MRI findings were alterations in the shape and volume of the corpus callosum, as well as smaller volume in the basal ganglia and hippocampi. The most consistent finding from diffusion tensor imaging studies was lower fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies are few to date, but showed altered neurometabolic profiles in the frontal and parietal cortex, thalamus and dentate nuclei. Resting-state functional MRI studies reported reduced functional connectivity between cortical and deep grey matter structures. Discussion There is a critical gap in the literature of MRI studies in alcohol-exposed children under 5 years of age across all MRI modalities. The dynamic nature of brain maturation and appreciation of the effects of alcohol exposure on the developing trajectory of the structural and functional network argue for the prioritisation of studies that include a longitudinal approach to understanding this spectrum of effects and potential therapeutic time points.
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Khoury JE, Milligan K, Girard TA. Executive Functioning in Children and Adolescents Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol: A Meta-Analytic Review. Neuropsychol Rev 2015; 25:149-70. [PMID: 26037669 DOI: 10.1007/s11065-015-9289-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with a constellation of adverse physical, neurocognitive and behavior outcomes, which comprise a continuum of disorders labeled Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). Extant research has consistently identified executive functions (EF) as a central impairment associated with FASD. Despite this, heterogeneity exists regarding the strength of the association between FASD and different EF, and this association has not yet been quantitatively synthesized. The current meta-analysis reviews 46 studies that compare children and adolescents with FASD to participants without FASD, on a variety of EF measures. In accordance with Miyake et al. Cognitive Psychology, 41, 49-100 (2000) three-factor model of EF, findings for the primary EF domains of working memory, inhibition, and set shifting are reviewed. Results indicate that children and adolescents with FASD demonstrate significant deficits across these EF, although the magnitude of effects diverged between EF, with working memory and inhibition yielding medium effects and set shifting yielding large effects. These results were moderated by sample characteristics, type of FASD diagnosis, and EF methodology. This quantitative synthesis offers novel future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E Khoury
- Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, M5B 2K3, Toronto, Canada,
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34
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Schweitzer JB, Riggins T, Liang X, Gallen C, Kurup PK, Ross TJ, Black MM, Nair P, Salmeron BJ. Prenatal drug exposure to illicit drugs alters working memory-related brain activity and underlying network properties in adolescence. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2015; 48:69-77. [PMID: 25683798 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2015.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Revised: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The persistence of effects of prenatal drug exposure (PDE) on brain functioning during adolescence is poorly understood. We explored neural activation to a visuospatial working memory (VSWM) versus a control task using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in adolescents with PDE and a community comparison group (CC) of non-exposed adolescents. We applied graph theory metrics to resting state data using a network of nodes derived from the VSWM task activation map to further explore connectivity underlying WM functioning. Participants (ages 12-15 years) included 47 adolescents (27 PDE and 20 CC). All analyses controlled for potentially confounding differences in birth characteristics and postnatal environment. Significant group by task differences in brain activation emerged in the left middle frontal gyrus (BA 6) with the CC group, but not the PDE group, activating this region during VSWM. The PDE group deactivated the culmen, whereas the CC group activated it during the VSWM task. The CC group demonstrated a significant relation between reaction time and culmen activation, not present in the PDE group. The network analysis underlying VSWM performance showed that PDE group had lower global efficiency than the CC group and a trend level reduction in local efficiency. The network node corresponding to the BA 6 group by task interaction showed reduced nodal efficiency and fewer direct connections to other nodes in the network. These results suggest that adolescence reveals altered neural functioning related to response planning that may reflect less efficient network functioning in youth with PDE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie B Schweitzer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Davis School of Medicine, United States; MIND Institute, University of California Davis School of Medicine, United States.
| | - Tracy Riggins
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland College Park, United States
| | - Xia Liang
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States
| | - Courtney Gallen
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States
| | - Pradeep K Kurup
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States
| | - Thomas J Ross
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States
| | - Maureen M Black
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, United States
| | - Prasanna Nair
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, United States
| | - Betty Jo Salmeron
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, United States
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Abstract
Intrauterine methamphetamine exposure adversely affects the neurofunctional profile of exposed children, leading to a variety of higher order cognitive deficits, such as decreased attention, reduced working-memory capability, behavioral dysregulation, and spatial memory impairments (Kiblawi et al. in J Dev Behav Pediatr 34:31-37, 2013; Piper et al. in Pharmacol Biochem Behav 98:432-439 2011; Roussotte et al. in Neuroimage 54:3067-3075, 2011; Twomey et al. in Am J Orthopsychiatry 83:64-72, 2013). In animal models of developmental methamphetamine, both neuroanatomical and behavioral outcomes critically depend on the timing of methamphetamine administration. Methamphetamine exposure during the third trimester human equivalent period of brain development results in well-defined and persistent wayfinding and spatial navigation deficits in rodents (Vorhees et al. in Neurotoxicol Teratol 27:117-134, 2005, Vorhees et al. in Int J Dev Neurosci 26:599-610, 2008; Vorhees et al. in Int J Dev Neurosci 27:289-298, 2009; Williams et al. in Psychopharmacology (Berl) 168:329-338, 2003b), whereas drug delivery during the first and second trimester equivalents produces no such effect (Acuff-Smith et al. in Neurotoxicol Teratol 18:199-215, 1996; Schutova et al. in Physiol Res 58:741-750, 2009a; Slamberova et al. in Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 380:109-114, 2009, Slamberova et al. in Physiol Res 63:S547-S558, 2014b). In this review, we examine the impact of developmental methamphetamine on emerging neural circuitry, neurotransmission, receptor changes, and behavioral outcomes in animal models. The review is organized by type of effects and timing of drug exposure (prenatal only, pre- and neonatal, and neonatal only). The findings elucidate functional patterns of interconnected brain structures (e.g., frontal cortex and striatum) and neurotransmitters (e.g., dopamine and serotonin) involved in methamphetamine-induced developmental neurotoxicity.
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Ware AL, Infante MA, O'Brien JW, Tapert SF, Jones KL, Riley EP, Mattson SN. An fMRI study of behavioral response inhibition in adolescents with and without histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. Behav Brain Res 2014; 278:137-46. [PMID: 25281280 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.09.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2014] [Revised: 09/21/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Heavy prenatal alcohol exposure results in a range of deficits, including both volumetric and functional changes in brain regions involved in response inhibition such as the prefrontal cortex and striatum. The current study examined blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response during a stop signal task in adolescents (ages 13-16 y) with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (AE, n=21) and controls (CON, n=21). Task performance was measured using percent correct inhibits during three difficulty conditions: easy, medium, and hard. Group differences in BOLD response relative to baseline motor responding were examined across all inhibition trials and for each difficulty condition separately. The contrast between hard and easy trials was analyzed to determine whether increasing task difficulty affected BOLD response. Groups had similar task performance and demographic characteristics, except for full scale IQ scores (AE<CON). The AE group demonstrated greater BOLD response in frontal, sensorimotor, striatal, and cingulate regions relative to controls, especially as task difficulty increased. When contrasting hard vs. easy inhibition trials, the AE group showed greater medial/superior frontal and cuneus BOLD response than controls. Results were unchanged after demographics and FAS diagnosis were statistically controlled. This was the first fMRI study to utilize a stop signal task, isolating fronto-striatal functioning, to assess response inhibition and the effects task difficulty in adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure. Results suggest that heavy prenatal alcohol exposure disrupts neural function of this circuitry, resulting in immature cognitive processing and motor-association learning and neural compensation during response inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Ware
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - M Alejandra Infante
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Jessica W O'Brien
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Susan F Tapert
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92037, USA; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161, USA
| | - Kenneth Lyons Jones
- University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Edward P Riley
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Sarah N Mattson
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA.
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Gautam P, Nuñez SC, Narr KL, Mattson SN, May PA, Adnams CM, Riley EP, Jones KL, Kan EC, Sowell ER. Developmental Trajectories for Visuo-Spatial Attention are Altered by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: A Longitudinal FMRI Study. Cereb Cortex 2014; 25:4761-71. [PMID: 25092900 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhu162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) reveals brain activation abnormalities during visuo-spatial attention and working memory among those with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in cross-sectional reports, but little is known about how activation changes over time during development within FASD or typically developing children. We studied 30 controls and 31 individuals with FASD over 2 years (7-14 years at first participation) with a total of 122 scans, as part of the Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Despite comparable performance, there were significant group differences in visuo-spatial activation over time bilaterally in frontal, parietal, and temporal regions. Controls showed an increase in signal intensity in these multiple regions whereas FASD participants showed a decrease in brain activation. Effects were also found in 2 small independent samples from the USA, corroborating the findings from the larger group. Results suggest that the long-lasting effect of prenatal alcohol may impact the maturation of visuo-spatial attention and differentiate those with FASD from controls. Based on this first longitudinal fMRI study in FASD children, our novel findings suggest a possible neural mechanism for attention deficits common among individuals with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Gautam
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine at USC/Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - S C Nuñez
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine at USC/Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - K L Narr
- Department of Neurology, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - S N Mattson
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - P A May
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Nutrition Research Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, NC, USA
| | - C M Adnams
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - E P Riley
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - K L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - E C Kan
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine at USC/Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - E R Sowell
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine at USC/Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Moore EM, Migliorini R, Infante MA, Riley EP. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Recent Neuroimaging Findings. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS REPORTS 2014; 1:161-172. [PMID: 25346882 DOI: 10.1007/s40474-014-0020-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Since the identification of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome over 40 years ago, much has been learned about the detrimental effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the developing brain. This review highlights recent neuroimaging studies, within the context of previous work. Structural magnetic resonance imaging has described morphological differences in the brain and their relationships to cognitive deficits and measures of facial dysmorphology. Diffusion tensor imaging has elaborated on the relationship between white matter microstructure and behavior. Atypical neuromaturation across childhood and adolescence has been observed in longitudinal neuroimaging studies. Functional imaging has revealed differences in neural activation patterns underlying sensory processing, cognition and behavioral deficits. A recent functional connectivity analysis demonstrates reductions in global network efficiency. Despite this progress much remains unknown about the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on the brain, and continued research efforts are essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen M Moore
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120
| | - Robyn Migliorini
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120 ; SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA 92120
| | - M Alejandra Infante
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120 ; SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA 92120
| | - Edward P Riley
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120 ; Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182
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Kwiatkowski MA, Roos A, Stein DJ, Thomas KGF, Donald K. Effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure: a review of cognitive and neuroimaging studies. Metab Brain Dis 2014; 29:245-54. [PMID: 24370774 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-013-9470-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 12/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal methamphetamine exposure (PME) is a significant problem in several parts of the world and poses important health risks for the developing fetus. Research on the short- and long-term outcomes of PME is scarce, however. Here, we summarize present knowledge on the cognitive and behavioral outcomes of PME, based on a review of the neuroimaging, neuropsychology, and neuroscience literature published in the past 15 years. Several studies have reported that the behavioral and cognitive sequelae of PME include broad deficits in the domains of attention, memory, and visual-motor integration. Knowledge regarding brain-behavior relationships is poor, however, in large part because imaging studies are rare. Hence, the effects of PME on developing neurocircuitry and brain architecture remain speculative, and are largely deductive. Some studies have implicated the dopamine-rich fronto-striatal pathways; however, cognitive deficits (e.g., impaired visual-motor integration) that should be associated with damage to those pathways are not manifested consistently across studies. We conclude by discussing challenges endemic to research on prenatal drug exposure, and argue that they may account for some of the inconsistencies in the extant research on PME. Studies confirming predicted brain-behavior relationships in PME, and exploring possible mechanisms underlying those relationships, are needed if neuroscience is to address the urgency of this growing public health problem.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review familiarizes clinicians with the symptoms of overdose and withdrawal, as well as neurologic complications, associated with particular illicit drugs. RECENT FINDINGS Recent arrivals on the recreational drug scene include synthetic cathinone analogs, synthetic cannabinoid agonists, and a variety of novel hallucinogens. SUMMARY Clinicians need to be aware of neurologic disorders associated with particular illicit drugs and should consider drug abuse in any patient with unexplained symptoms and signs.In addition to tobacco and alcohol, a large number of substances, legal and illegal, are used recreationally. Broad categories include opioids, psychostimulants, marijuana and related agents, sedatives, hallucinogens, inhalants, phencyclidine and related agents, and anticholinergics. Each type of agent has its own characteristic symptoms of overdose and withdrawal, and many agents are associated with trauma, infection, seizures, stroke, cognitive impairment, and teratogenicity. Some drugs have unique neurologic complications not encountered with other agents. A history of recreational drug use should be sought in any neurologic patient regardless of age or socioeconomic status.
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Glass L, Ware AL, Mattson SN. Neurobehavioral, neurologic, and neuroimaging characteristics of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. HANDBOOK OF CLINICAL NEUROLOGY 2014; 125:435-462. [PMID: 25307589 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-62619-6.00025-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have deleterious consequences for the fetus, including changes in central nervous system development leading to permanent neurologic alterations and cognitive and behavioral deficits. Individuals affected by prenatal alcohol exposure, including those with and without fetal alcohol syndrome, are identified under the umbrella of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). While studies of humans and animal models confirm that even low to moderate levels of exposure can have detrimental effects, critical doses of such exposure have yet to be specified and the most clinically significant and consistent consequences occur following heavy exposure. These consequences are pervasive, devastating, and can result in long-term dysfunction. This chapter summarizes the neurobehavioral, neurologic, and neuroimaging characteristics of FASD, focusing primarily on clinical research of individuals with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, although studies of lower levels of exposure, particularly prospective, longitudinal studies, will be discussed where relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Glass
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Ashley L Ware
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Sarah N Mattson
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Preventing academic difficulties in preterm children: a randomised controlled trial of an adaptive working memory training intervention - IMPRINT study. BMC Pediatr 2013; 13:144. [PMID: 24041245 PMCID: PMC3848656 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2431-13-144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Very preterm children exhibit difficulties in working memory, a key cognitive ability vital to learning information and the development of academic skills. Previous research suggests that an adaptive working memory training intervention (Cogmed) may improve working memory and other cognitive and behavioural domains, although further randomised controlled trials employing long-term outcomes are needed, and with populations at risk for working memory deficits, such as children born preterm. In a cohort of extremely preterm (<28 weeks’ gestation)/extremely low birthweight (<1000 g) 7-year-olds, we will assess the effectiveness of Cogmed in improving academic functioning 2 years’ post-intervention. Secondary objectives are to assess the effectiveness of Cogmed in improving working memory and attention 2 weeks’, 12 months’ and 24 months’ post-intervention, and to investigate training related neuroplasticity in working memory neural networks 2 weeks’ post-intervention. Methods/Design This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised controlled trial aims to recruit 126 extremely preterm/extremely low birthweight 7-year-old children. Children attending mainstream school without major intellectual, sensory or physical impairments will be eligible. Participating children will undergo an extensive baseline cognitive assessment before being randomised to either an adaptive or placebo (non-adaptive) version of Cogmed. Cogmed is a computerised working memory training program consisting of 25 sessions completed over a 5 to 7 week period. Each training session takes approximately 35 minutes and will be completed in the child’s home. Structural, diffusion and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, which is optional for participants, will be completed prior to and 2 weeks following the training period. Follow-up assessments focusing on academic skills (primary outcome), working memory and attention (secondary outcomes) will be conducted at 2 weeks’, 12 months’ and 24 months’ post-intervention. Discussion To our knowledge, this study will be the first randomised controlled trial to (a) assess the effectiveness of Cogmed in school-aged extremely preterm/extremely low birthweight children, while incorporating advanced imaging techniques to investigate neural changes associated with adaptive working memory training, and (b) employ long-term follow-up to assess the potential benefit of improved working memory on academic functioning. If effective, Cogmed would serve as a valuable, available intervention for improving developmental outcomes for this population. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000124831.
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Thorpy M, Zhao CG, Dauvilliers Y. Management of narcolepsy during pregnancy. Sleep Med 2013; 14:367-76. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2012.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2012] [Revised: 11/05/2012] [Accepted: 11/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Bennett DS, Mohamed FB, Carmody DP, Malik M, Faro SH, Lewis M. Prenatal tobacco exposure predicts differential brain function during working memory in early adolescence: a preliminary investigation. Brain Imaging Behav 2013; 7:49-59. [PMID: 22820891 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-012-9192-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Children prenatally exposed to tobacco exhibit higher rates of learning and emotional-behavioral problems related to worse working memory performance. Brain function, however, among tobacco exposed children while performing a working memory task has not previously been examined. This study compared the brain function of tobacco-exposed (n = 7) and unexposed (n = 11) 12-year-olds during a number N-back working memory task using an event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) design. Prenatal alcohol exposure, neonatal medical problems, environmental risk, and sex were statistically controlled. Tobacco-exposed children showed greater activation in inferior parietal regions, whereas unexposed children showed greater activation in inferior frontal regions. These differences were observed in the context of correct responses, suggesting that exposed and unexposed children use different brain regions and approaches to succeed in working memory tasks. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David S Bennett
- GLAD Program, Drexel University College of Medicine, Building C, Box 118, 4700 Wissahickon Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144, USA.
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Colby JB, Smith L, O’Connor MJ, Bookheimer SY, Van Horn JD, Sowell ER. White matter microstructural alterations in children with prenatal methamphetamine/polydrug exposure. Psychiatry Res 2012; 204:140-8. [PMID: 23149028 PMCID: PMC3634917 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2012.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2011] [Revised: 04/20/2012] [Accepted: 04/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Little is known about the effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure on white matter microstructure, and the impact of concomitant alcohol exposure. Diffusion tensor imaging and neurocognitive testing were performed on 21 children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure (age 9.8±1.8 years; 17 also exposed to alcohol), 19 children with prenatal alcohol but not methamphetamine exposure (age 10.8±2.3 years) and 27 typically developing children (age 10.3±3.3 years). Whole-brain maps of fractional anisotropy (FA) were evaluated using tract-based spatial statistics. Relative to unexposed controls, children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure demonstrated higher FA mainly in left-sided regions, including the left anterior corona radiata (LCR) and corticospinal tract Post-hoc analyses of these FA differences showed they likely result more from lower radial diffusivity (RD) than higher axial diffusivity (AD). Relative to the methamphetamine-exposed group, children with prenatal alcohol exposure showed lower FA in frontotemporal regions-particularly, the right external capsule. We failed to find any group-performance interaction (on tests of executive functioning and visuomotor integration) in predicting FA; however, FA in the right external capsule was significantly associated with performance on a test of visuomotor integration across groups. This report demonstrates unique diffusion abnormalities in children with prenatal methamphetamine/polydrug exposure that are distinct from those associated with alcohol exposure alone, and illustrates that these abnormalities in brain microstructure are persistent into childhood and adolescence--long after the polydrug exposure in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B. Colby
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Interdepartmental Program for Biomedical Engineering, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lynne Smith
- Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA
| | - Mary J. O’Connor
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Susan Y. Bookheimer
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John D. Van Horn
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth R. Sowell
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Corresponding author: Dr. Elizabeth R. Sowell, Director, Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Professor of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Blvd., Mailstop #130, Los Angeles, CA 90027, , Phone: 323-361-7347, Fax: 323-361-7836
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O'Brien JW, Norman AL, Fryer SL, Tapert SF, Paulus MP, Jones KL, Riley EP, Mattson SN. Effect of predictive cuing on response inhibition in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2012; 37:644-54. [PMID: 23094678 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2012] [Accepted: 08/12/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heavy prenatal exposure to alcohol leads to widespread cognitive deficits, including problems with attention and response inhibition. This study examined blood oxygen level-dependent response in children with and without histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure during a task of response inhibition consisting of cued and noncued trials. METHODS Children and adolescents (ages 8 to 18 years) with (alcohol-exposed [AE] = 20) and without (control [CON] = 15) histories of heavy prenatal exposure to alcohol underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a go/no-go task. Unbeknownst to subjects, a predictive cue preceded the no-go stimulus in 87% of trials. RESULTS Groups were matched on demographic variables and did not differ on most measures of task performance. However, following cued stimuli, the AE group demonstrated a lower hit rate to go stimuli and more conservative response bias than the CON group. AE participants demonstrated more activation during no-go trials (inhibition) relative to go trials in the left precuneus, cingulate gyrus, anterior cingulate, and right medial frontal gyrus. During cue-dependent response inhibition, the AE group demonstrated less activation in the left precentral and postcentral gyrus compared to the CON group. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with previous studies of response inhibition, the AE group demonstrated greater frontal and parietal activation when attempting to inhibit prepotent responses than the CON group, despite similar rates of commission errors. This study further demonstrated that the AE group had impaired behavioral performance on cued trials and demonstrated less activation in precentral and postcentral gyri relative to the CON group on these trials. This investigation provides evidence of impaired behavioral and neural processing of sequential information in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which can help improve inhibition in typical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica W O'Brien
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
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Abstract
The objective of this study is to review and summarize available evidence regarding the impact of amphetamines on pregnancy, the newborn infant and the child. Amphetamines are neurostimulants and neurotoxins that are some of the most widely abused illicit drugs in the world. Users are at high risk of psychiatric co-morbidities, and evidence suggests that perinatal amphetamine exposure is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, but data is confounded by other adverse factors associated with drug-dependency. Data sources are Government data, published articles, conference abstracts and book chapters. The global incidence of perinatal amphetamine exposure is most likely severely underestimated but acknowledged to be increasing rapidly, whereas exposure to other drugs, for example, heroin, is decreasing. Mothers known to be using amphetamines are at high risk of psychiatric co-morbidity and poorer obstetric outcomes, but their infants may escape detection, because the signs of withdrawal are usually less pronounced than opiate-exposed infants. There is little evidence of amphetamine-induced neurotoxicity and long-term neurodevelopmental impact, as data is scarce and difficult to extricate from the influence of other factors associated with children living in households where one or more parent uses drugs in terms of poverty and neglect. Perinatal amphetamine-exposure is an increasing worldwide concern, but robust research, especially for childhood outcomes, remains scarce. We suggest that exposed children may be at risk of ongoing developmental and behavioral impediment, and recommend that efforts be made to improve early detection of perinatal exposure and to increase provision of early-intervention services for affected children and their families.
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Prenatal methamphetamine exposure and inhibitory control among young school-age children. J Pediatr 2012; 161:452-9. [PMID: 22424953 PMCID: PMC3392459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2012.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2011] [Revised: 01/06/2012] [Accepted: 02/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association between prenatal methamphetamine exposure and inhibitory control in 66-month-old children followed since birth in the multicenter, longitudinal Infant Development, Environment, and Lifestyle study. STUDY DESIGN The sample included 137 children with prenatal methamphetamine exposure and 130 comparison children matched for race, birth weight, maternal education, and type of insurance. Inhibitory control, an executive function related to emotional and cognitive control, was assessed using a computerized Stroop-like task developed for young children. Hierarchical linear modeling tested the relationship between the extent of prenatal methamphetamine exposure (heavy, some, or none) and accuracy and reaction time outcomes, adjusting for prenatal exposure to alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana; age; sex; socioeconomic status; caregiver IQ and psychological symptoms; Child Protective Services report of physical or sexual abuse; and site. RESULTS In adjusted analyses, heavy prenatal methamphetamine exposure was related to reduced accuracy in both the incongruent and mixed conditions on the Stroop-like task. Caregiver psychological symptoms and Child Protective Services report of physical or sexual abuse were associated with reduced accuracy in the incongruent and mixed consitions and in the incongruent conditions, respectively. CONCLUSION Heavy prenatal methamphetamine exposure, along with caregiver psychological distress and child maltreatment, are related to subtle deficits in inhibitory control during the early school-age years.
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Yang Y, Roussotte F, Kan E, Sulik KK, Mattson SN, Riley EP, Jones KL, Adnams CM, May PA, O'Connor MJ, Narr KL, Sowell ER. Abnormal cortical thickness alterations in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and their relationships with facial dysmorphology. Cereb Cortex 2012; 22:1170-9. [PMID: 21799209 PMCID: PMC3328347 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhr193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence from structural brain imaging studies on individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) has supported links between prenatal alcohol exposure and brain morphological deficits. Although global and regional volumetric reductions appear relatively robust, the effects of alcohol exposure on cortical thickness and relationships with facial dysmorphology are not yet known. The structural magnetic resonance imaging data from 69 children and adolescents with FASD and 58 nonexposed controls collected from 3 sites were examined using FreeSurfer to detect cortical thickness changes across the entire brain in FASD and their associations with facial dysmorphology. Controlling for brain size, subjects with FASD showed significantly thicker cortices than controls in several frontal, temporal, and parietal regions. Analyses conducted within site further revealed prominent group differences in left inferior frontal cortex within all 3 sites. In addition, increased inferior frontal thickness was significantly correlated with reduced palpebral fissure length. Consistent with previous reports, findings of this study are supportive of regional increases in cortical thickness serving as a biomarker for disrupted brain development in FASD. Furthermore, the significant associations between thickness and dysmorphic measures suggest that the severity of brain anomalies may be reflected by that of the face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Yang
- Laboratory of NeuroImaging (LONI), Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Roussotte FF, Rudie JD, Smith L, O'Connor MJ, Bookheimer SY, Narr KL, Sowell ER. Frontostriatal connectivity in children during working memory and the effects of prenatal methamphetamine, alcohol, and polydrug exposure. Dev Neurosci 2012; 34:43-57. [PMID: 22472800 DOI: 10.1159/000336242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2011] [Accepted: 12/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Various abnormalities in frontal and striatal regions have been reported in children with prenatal alcohol and/or methamphetamine exposure. In a recent fMRI study, we observed a correlation between accuracy on a working-memory task and functional activation in the putamen in children with prenatal methamphetamine and polydrug exposure. Because the putamen is part of the corticostriatal motor loop whereas the caudate is involved in the executive loop, we hypothesized that a loss of segregation between distinct corticostriatal networks may occur in these participants. The current study was designed to test this hypothesis using functional connectivity MRI. We examined 50 children ranging in age from 7 to 15, including 19 with prenatal methamphetamine exposure (15 of whom had concomitant prenatal alcohol exposure), 13 with prenatal exposure to alcohol but not methamphetamine, and 18 unexposed controls. We measured the coupling between blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) fluctuations during a working-memory task in four striatal seed regions and those in the rest of the brain. We found that the putamen seeds showed increased connectivity with frontal brain regions involved in executive functions while the caudate seeds showed decreased connectivity with some of these regions in both groups of exposed subjects compared to controls. These findings suggest that localized brain abnormalities resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol and/or methamphetamine lead to a partial rewiring of corticostriatal networks. These results represent important progress in the field, and could have substantial clinical significance in helping devise more targeted treatments and remediation strategies designed to better serve the needs of this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence F Roussotte
- Developmental Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory, Children's Hospital Los Angeles and Department of Pediatrics, University of Southern California, CA 90027, USA
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