Kwiatkowski MA, et al. – This study investigated the influences of prenatal methamphetamine exposure (PME) on cognition in six–to–seven–year–old children. The results seemed to suggest that PME has deleterious effects on cognition in several broad cognitive domains, likely by altering underlying brain circuitry in development. In addition, extended follow–ups into late childhood might help elucidate the developmental trajectory of cognitive dysfunction in PME, and subsequent effects on everyday functioning.

Methods

• For this study, PME children (n = 23) and unexposed controls (n = 22) finished a battery of neurocognitive tests, which incorporated the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Boston Naming Test, Beery Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration, and Grooved Pegboard Test.

Results

• Based on the results of the present study, independent samples t-tests uncovered 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 affirmed that PME impacts adversely on cognitive performance.