title: Prenatal methamphetamine exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children from 1 to 3 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the evidence that women world-wide are using methamphetamine (MA) during pregnancy little is known about the neurodevelopment of their children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The controlled, prospective longitudinal New Zealand (NZ) Infant Development, Environment and Lifestyle (IDEAL) study was carried out in Auckland, NZ. Participants were 103 children exposed to MA prenatally and 107 who were not exposed. The Mental Developmental Index (MDI) and the Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Second Edition (BSID-II) measured cognitive and motor performances at ages 1, 2 and 3, and the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale, Second Edition (PDMS-II) measured gross and fine motor performances at 1 and 3. Measures of the child's environment included the Home Observation of Measurement of the Environment and the Maternal Lifestyle Interview. The Substance Use Inventory measured maternal drug use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After controlling for other drug use and contextual factors, prenatal MA exposure was associated with poorer motor performance at 1 and 2 years on the BSID-II. No differences were observed for cognitive development (MDI). Relative to non-MA exposed children, longitudinal scores on the PDI and the gross motor scale of the PDMS-2 were 4.3 and 3.2 points lower, respectively. Being male and of Maori descent predicted lower cognitive scores (MDI) and being male predicted lower fine motor scores (PDMS-2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prenatal exposure to MA was associated with delayed gross motor development over the first 3 years, but not with cognitive development. However, being male and of Maori descent were both associated with poorer cognitive outcomes. Males in general did more poorly on tasks related to fine motor development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand. Electronic address: t.wouldes@auckland.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Trecia A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Wouldes
authors.affiliation: Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905, USA. Electronic address: Linda_LaGasse@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Linda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lagasse
authors.affiliation: Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 200, Room 05A-721, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Marilyn A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Huestis
authors.affiliation: Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905, USA. Electronic address: SDellaGrotta@Wihri.org.
authors.forename: Sheri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dellagrotta
authors.affiliation: Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905, USA. Electronic address: LDansereau@Wihri.org.
authors.forename: Lynne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dansereau
authors.affiliation: Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, 101 Dudley Street, Providence, RI 02905, USA. Electronic address: Barry_Lester@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lester
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D009520:New Zealand; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine
keywords: Longitudinal; Methamphetamine; Neurodevelopment; Prenatal exposure