title: Developmental consequences of fetal exposure to drugs: what we know and what we still must learn.
abstract: Most drugs of abuse easily cross the placenta and can affect fetal brain development. In utero exposures to drugs thus can have long-lasting implications for brain structure and function. These effects on the developing nervous system, before homeostatic regulatory mechanisms are properly calibrated, often differ from their effects on mature systems. In this review, we describe current knowledge on how alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamine, Ecstasy, and opiates (among other drugs) produce alterations in neurodevelopmental trajectory. We focus both on animal models and available clinical and imaging data from cross-sectional and longitudinal human studies. Early studies of fetal exposures focused on classic teratological methods that are insufficient for revealing more subtle effects that are nevertheless very behaviorally relevant. Modern mechanistic approaches have informed us greatly as to how to potentially ameliorate the induced deficits in brain formation and function, but conclude that better delineation of sensitive periods, dose-response relationships, and long-term longitudinal studies assessing future risk of offspring to exhibit learning disabilities, mental health disorders, and limited neural adaptations are crucial to limit the societal impact of these exposures.
authors.affiliation: Chemical & Physical Biology Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Devon L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Kelli M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Money
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA [2] The Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Gregg D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Stanwood
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000633:toxicity; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D009538:Nicotine