Event-related potentials in cocaine-exposed children during a Stroop task.
OBJECTIVE
Prenatal cocaine-exposure may interfere with the ontogeny of prefrontal cortical executive functions due to cocaine's effect on the developing monoaminergic system. This study presents findings regarding cortical functioning in 29 prenatally cocaine-exposed (CE) and non-drug-exposed (NDE) 7- to 9-year-old children participating in event related potential (ERP) studies.


METHODS
ERPs were recorded using 128-electrode high-density arrays while children responded to a standard Stroop paradigm.


RESULTS
In the Stroop paradigm, CE children generated prolonged responses to the words while the NDE children produced briefer responses. Effects were noted in the region of the initial positive peak (P1), the second negative peak (N2) and the later positive peak (P3).


CONCLUSIONS
Early cocaine exposure may inhibit the specialization and streamlining of brain region involvement during cognitive processing such that task processing is slower to begin, requires more diverse cortical involvement, and requires more time to complete. ERP methodology has considerable potential for studying frontal maturation and may provide additional information to clarify generally the specific effects of prenatal CE on cortical functioning and the developmental course of cognitive functions.
Mayes
Linda C
LC
Yale Child Study Center, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. Linda.Mayes@yale.edu
Molfese
Dennis L
DL
Key
Alexandra P F
AP
Hunter
Nicole C
NC
D002648:Child; D003042:Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000523:psychology*
D003042:Cocaine