Cited by 58Prenatal Substance Exposure EffectsFetal and Pediatric Neurological DisordersSubstance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes

Neuroanatomical characteristics of youths with prenatal opioid and poly-drug exposure

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Nygaard, Egil, Slinning, Kari, Moe, Vibeke, Due-Tønnessen, Paulina, Fjell, Anders, Walhovd, Kristine B.·2018·Neurotoxicology and Teratology

Abstract

Neuroanatomical and cognitive differences have been documented during childhood between children with prenatal opioid- and poly-drug exposure and controls in small samples. We investigated whether these differences persisted in larger samples of youth at older ages. Quantitative MRI and cognitive data were compared between 38 youths in the risk group and 44 youths in the non-exposed group (aged 17 to 22 years) who had been followed prospectively since birth. Most drug-exposed youths (84%) moved to permanent foster or adoptive homes before one year of age. The drug-exposed group displayed smaller neuroanatomical volumes (0.70 SD difference in total brain volume, p = 0.001), smaller cortical surface areas and thinner cortices than the comparison group. The birth weight accounted for some of the intergroup differences. Neuroanatomical characteristics partially mediated group differences in cognitive function. The present study cannot differentiate between causal factors but indicates persistent neurocognitive differences associated with prenatal opioid or poly-drug exposure.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.04.004

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  • Similar structural and behavioral defects of the PFC can be observed in kids with prenatal exposure to opioids, cocaine, amphetamines and other drugs-of-abuse.

    “Similar structural and behavioral defects of the PFC can be observed in kids with prenatal exposure to opioids, cocaine, amphetamines and other drugs-of-abuse [322–330].”

    From Development of prefrontal cortex (2022) · cites this paper as [322]

    The Results (§3.2 and §3.5; page unavailable) report smaller cortical surface area in frontal regions and poorer cognitive and behavioural outcomes among youths with prenatal opioid and polydrug exposure. They do not establish a behavioural defect specifically of the PFC, or show that cocaine and amphetamines individually produce the stated defects. The frontal surface-area differences were also no longer significant after adjustment for intracranial volume. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Wechsler, D., 2003. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale -Third Edition, Norsk Version. Psykologiförlaget AB, Stockholm, Sweden.
  2. Walhovd, K.B., Moe, V., Slinning, K., Due-Tønnessen, P., Bjørnerud, A., Dale, A.M., van Der Kouwe, A., Quinn, B.T., Kosofsky, B., Greve, D., Fischl, B., 2008. Corrigendum to "Volumetric cerebral characteristics of children exposed to opiates and other sub- stances in utero". NeuroImage 36 (2007), 1331-1344.
  3. A1957. · DOI · Paper page
  4. Zhu, J., 1999. WASI Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence Manual. NCS Pearson, Inc., San Antonio.

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Authors
Nygaard, E., Slinning, K., Moe, V., Due-Tønnessen, P., Fjell, A., & Walhovd, K. B.
Affiliations
University of Oslo (NO)
Corresponding author
Nygaard, Egil
Venue
Neurotoxicology and Teratology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-07
Volume
68
Pages
13-26
ISSN
0892-0362 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2799999187
Cited by
58
References
115
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 8
FWCI
5.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neurotoxicology and Teratology (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • BIBSYS Brage (BIBSYS (Norway)) (submittedVersion)
  • NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
Norwegian Research Council (190411, 213762)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Fetal and Pediatric Neurological Disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
Keywords
prenatal opioid exposure, neuroanatomical differences, brain volume, cortical surface area, cortical thickness, birth weight, cognitive function, youth, prenatal drug exposure
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Analgesics, Opioid, Brain, Cognition, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Pregnancy, Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects, Case-Control Studies, Polypharmacy, Young Adult, Neuroimaging

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