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

Egil Nygaard; Kari Slinning; Vibeke Moe; Paulina Due-Tønnessen; Anders Fjell; Kristine B Walhovd

doi:10.1016/j.ntt.2018.04.004

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

Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2018 Jul-Aug:68:13-26. doi: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.04.004. Epub 2018 Apr 18.

Authors

Egil Nygaard¹, Kari Slinning², Vibeke Moe³, Paulina Due-Tønnessen⁴, Anders Fjell⁵, Kristine B Walhovd⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Postbox 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway; Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway (RBUP), Postbox 4623 Nydalen, 0405 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: egilny@psykologi.uio.no.
² Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Postbox 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway; Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway (RBUP), Postbox 4623 Nydalen, 0405 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: kari.slinning@r-bup.no.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Postbox 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway; Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway (RBUP), Postbox 4623 Nydalen, 0405 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: vibeke.moe@psykologi.uio.no.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Postbox 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway; Department of Radiology, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: pdue@ous-hf.no.
⁵ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Postbox 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: a.m.fjell@psykologi.uio.no.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Postbox 1094 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: k.b.walhovd@psykologi.uio.no.

PMID: 29679636
DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2018.04.004

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.

Keywords: Brain structure; Cognition; MRI; Opioid; Prenatal drug exposure.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Analgesics, Opioid / adverse effects*
Brain / pathology*
Case-Control Studies
Cognition / drug effects*
Female
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Neuroimaging
Polypharmacy*
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / pathology*
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / psychology*
Young Adult

Substances

Analgesics, Opioid