title: Association of fatty acid ethyl esters in meconium and cognitive development during childhood and adolescence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine associations between amounts of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium and cognitive development in school-aged children exposed to alcohol and drugs in utero.
  
  
  METHODS
  A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of children, primarily African American and of low socioeconomic status, that was recruited at birth. FAEEs were quantified with gas chromatography via a flame ionization detector. Meconium was analyzed for FAEEs in 216 newborns; 191 of these infants were assessed for IQ at ages 9, 11, and 15 years with the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-Fourth Edition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Longitudinal mixed model analyses indicated that, after we controlled for maternal and child covariates, greater concentrations of FAEEs (ethyl myristate, ethyl oleate, ethyl linoleate, and ethyl linolenate) were associated with lower Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-Fourth Edition Verbal Comprehension Index, Working Memory Index, and Full-Scale IQ scores. Associations of FAEEs with Verbal Comprehension Index, Working Memory Index, and Full-Scale IQ did not vary over time. No associations of FAEEs with Perceptual Reasoning and Processing Speed Indices were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevated levels of FAEEs in meconium are potential markers for identifying newborns at risk for poor cognitive development related to prenatal alcohol exposure.
authors.affiliation: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH. Electronic address: meeyoung.min@case.edu.
authors.forename: Meeyoung O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Lynn T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.affiliation: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minnes
authors.affiliation: Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH.
authors.forename: Miaoping
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Cynthia F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Bearer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001095:Arachidonic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004952:Esters / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008470:Meconium / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001095:Arachidonic Acids; D015415:Biomarkers; D004952:Esters; D005227:Fatty Acids; C035723:ethyl arachidonate