title: Child neuroanatomical, neurocognitive, and visual acuity outcomes with maternal opioid and polysubstance detoxification.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Maternal opioid and polysubstance use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of child neurocognitive and visual problems and neuroanatomical differences. We hypothesized that, in contrast to findings from a previous study of children born to mothers not detoxified, children born to detoxified mothers would not show gross neuroanatomical and neurocognitive differences.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mothers with opioid and polysusbstance abuse problems and their infants (n = 11 + 12) were recruited from residential treatment institutions. Comparison mothers and infants (n = 12 + 12) were recruited from child health centers. The studies were approved by the Regional Committee of Medical Research Ethics. Children had magnetic resonance imaging scanning, neurocognitive, and visual acuity testing at 4.5 years. Neuroanatomical, cognitive, and visual acuity characteristics were compared across groups by analysis of variance and general linear models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences across groups in neuroanatomical volumes, or cortical thickness, area, or volume. There were no differences in general neurocognitive functioning, but significantly lower left eye visual acuity, and a trend toward lower binocular visual acuity, in the drug-exposed relative to the comparison group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study does not demonstrate gross differences relative to a comparison group in neuroanatomical and general neurocognitive characteristics of children born to mothers with opioid and polysubstance abuse who were detoxified during pregnancy. However, visual acuity was significantly lower in the drug-exposed group, requiring attention. There is a pressing need for additional and larger studies of long-term and specific child outcomes in this at-risk group.
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Unit of Neuropsychology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Electronic address: k.b.walhovd@psykologi.uio.no.
authors.forename: Kristine B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Walhovd
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Unit of Neuropsychology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bjørnebekk
authors.affiliation: The Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Haabrekke
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Torill
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Siqveland
authors.affiliation: The Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Slinning
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Egil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nygaard
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Unit of Neuropsychology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Anders M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fjell
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Radiology, Section of Neuroradiology, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Due-Tønnessen
authors.affiliation: Research Group for Lifespan Changes in Brain and Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Norway; Intervention Center, Oslo University Hospital, Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Atle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bjørnerud
authors.affiliation: The Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, Norway; Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: Vibeke
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moe
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000633:toxicity*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic / Q000502:physiology*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009357:Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009664:Norway; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid
keywords: MRI; brain; detoxification; development; neurocognitive; opioid; outcome; vision