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DrugScreening.org


 
Drug Exposure Causes Fetal Brain Changes, Researchers Say
April 8, 2008

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Research Summary

Brain scans reveal that cocaine, alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy can cause changes in the brain scan of developing fetuses, and that these changes can remain detectable for years, HealthDay News reported April 7.

"We found that reductions in cortical gray matter and total brain volumes were associated with prenatal exposure to cocaine, alcohol or cigarettes," said researcher Michael Rivkin of Children's Hospital Boston.

Rivkin and colleagues from Children's Hospital and the Boston Medical Center conducted MRI scans on the brains of 35 children with an average age of 12 who had been exposed to cocaine, tobacco or alcohol before birth. Children with fetal alcohol syndrome were excluded from the study.

Researchers found that the more substances the adolescents had been exposed to, the more brain volume they lost.

The study was published in the April 2008 issue of the journal Pediatrics.
This article summarizes an external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal. When available, links to the sources are provided above.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by wisegrl74 on 14 Apr 08 08:59 AM EDT
My ex-husband's mother used drugs while she was pregnant with him, including alcohol, marijuana, PCP, hallucinogens, and possibly cocaine. He was ADHD and has had severe learning disabilities his entire life. He is now in his mid-thirties and reads at a 2nd-3rd grade level and never got a HS diploma or GED.

Posted by LadyAlthea on 09 Apr 08 11:52 AM EDT
My greatest shame is that i smoked cocaine while in the last stages of pregnancy with my son. He developed schizophrenia at age 17, but had learnign disabilities his entire life. I am so sorry, my son.

Posted by Pastor Darlene on 09 Apr 08 10:12 AM EDT
I am guardian of 2 METH born children. I can tell you that there is a definate brain issue with these kids. I have raised 25 children and these 2 have behavior and aggression like I have never seen and they are now 4 and 6 years old they were 8weeks and 2 years old when they came to live with me. Some of the other kids were alcohol, tobacco and other drugs mixed children and they had issues but not like these two.

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