Impact of prenatal cocaine exposure on attention and response inhibition as assessed by continuous performance tests.
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the influence of prenatal cocaine exposure on attention and response inhibition measured by continuous performance tests (CPTs) at ages 5 and 7 years.


METHODS
The baseline sample consisted of 253 cocaine-exposed and 223 non-cocaine-exposed children enrolled prospectively at birth and assessed comprehensively through age 7 years in the longitudinal Miami Prenatal Cocaine Study. This report includes a subsample of 415 children (219 cocaine-exposed, 196 non-cocaine-exposed) who completed at least one CPT assessment at ages 5 and/or 7 years. Prenatal cocaine exposure was measured by maternal self-report and maternal and infant bioassays. Deficits in attention and response inhibition are estimated in relation to prenatal cocaine exposure using generalized estimating equations within the general linear model.


RESULTS
Results indicate cocaine-associated increases in omission errors at ages 5 and 7 as well as increases in response times for target tasks (i.e., slower reaction times) and decreased consistency in performance at age 7. There were no demonstrable cocaine-associated deficits in commission errors. Estimates did not change markedly with statistical adjustment for selected prenatal and postnatal covariates.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence supports cocaine-associated deficits in attention processing through age 7 years.
Accornero
Veronica H
VH
Department of Pediatrics, Perinatal CARE Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA. vaccornero@med.miami.edu
Amado
Alfred J
AJ
Morrow
Connie E
CE
Xue
Lihua
L
Anthony
James C
JC
Bandstra
Emmalee S
ES
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis
D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D003042:Cocaine