Visual evoked potentials in infants exposed to methadone in utero.
We investigated the effects of maternal drug misuse on neonatal visual evoked potentials (VEPs). Flash VEPs were recorded within 4 days of birth from 21 term infants of mothers misusing drugs and prescribed substitute methadone and 20 controls. Waveforms were classified as typical, atypical, immature or non-detectable, and amplitude and latencies were measured. VEPs from drug-exposed infants were less likely to be of typical waveform and more likely to be immature or non-detectable (p<0.01) than those of control infants. They were also smaller in amplitude (median 10.8 vs 24.4 microV, p<0.001). VEPs of drug-exposed infants had matured after 1 week but remained of lower amplitude than VEPs of newborn controls (p<0.01) and were non-detectable in 15%. Flash VEPs differ between maternal drug-exposed and non-drug-exposed newborns. Future research should address the specific effects of maternal methadone and/or other illicit drug misuse on infant VEPs, and associations between neonatal VEPs and subsequent visual development.
McGlone
L
L
Princess Royal Maternity Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland, UK. helen.mactier@northglasgow.scot.nhs.uk
Mactier
H
H
Hamilton
R
R
Bradnam
M S
MS
Boulton
R
R
Borland
W
W
Hepburn
M
M
McCulloch
D L
DL
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008691:Methadone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009035:Mothers; D009294:Narcotics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone