title: Prenatal methamphetamine exposure and neonatal neurobehavioral outcome in the USA and New Zealand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methamphetamine (MA) use among pregnant women is a world-wide problem, but little is known of its impact on exposed infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective, controlled longitudinal Infant Development, Environment and Lifestyle (IDEAL) study of prenatal MA exposure from birth to 36 months was conducted in the US and NZ. The US cohort has 183 exposed and 196 comparison infants; the NZ cohort has 85 exposed and 95 comparison infants. Exposure was determined by self-report and meconium assay with alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco exposures present in both groups. The NICU Neurobehavior Scale (NNNS) was administered within 5 days of life. NNNS summary scores were analyzed for exposure including heavy exposure and frequency of use by trimester and dose-response relationship with the amphetamine analyte.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MA exposure was associated with poorer quality of movement, more total stress/abstinence, physiological stress, and CNS stress with more nonoptimal reflexes in NZ but not in the USA. Heavy MA exposure was associated with lower arousal and excitability. First trimester MA use predicted more stress and third trimester use more lethargy and hypotonicity. Dose-response effects were observed between amphetamine concentration in meconium and CNS stress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Across cultures, prenatal MA exposure was associated with a similar neurobehavioral pattern of under arousal, low tone, poorer quality of movement and increased stress.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Women & Infants Hospital, Providence, RI, USA. Linda_Lagasse@brown.edu
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: LaGasse
authors.forename: Trecia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wouldes
authors.forename: Elana
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Lynne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Rizwan Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Derauf
authors.forename: Marilyn A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huestis
authors.forename: Amelia M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Arria
authors.forename: Sheri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Della Grotta
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wilcox
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lester
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000523:psychology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009520:New Zealand; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D008694:Methamphetamine