Eichler A, Hudler L, Grunitz J, Grimm J, Raabe E, Goecke TW, Fasching P, Beckmann M, Kratz O, Moll G, Kornhuber J, Heinrich H (2018)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2018
Book Volume: 59
Pages Range: 110-118
Journal Issue: 2
DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12794
BACKGROUND: Alcohol intake during pregnancy is considered to be a risk factor for child development. Child biomarkers of intrauterine alcohol exposure have been rarely studied. We investigated whether a meconium alcohol metabolite (ethyl glucuronide, EtG) was associated with cognitive development, ADHD-related behaviour and neurophysiological markers of attention and executive control of children at primary-school age. METHODS: Mothers provided self-report on prenatal alcohol consumption during their 3rd trimester. Meconium samples were collected at birth. A total of 44 children with a meconium EtG above the detection limit (≥10 ng/g) and 44 nonexposed matched controls were compared. A second threshold (≥154 ng/g) was applied to study the dose effects. When children reached primary-school age, mothers rated ADHD-related behaviour, child cognitive development was measured using an IQ test battery, and event-related potentials were recorded during a cued go/nogo task. RESULTS: Children in both EtG-positive groups allocated fewer attentional resources than controls to the go/nogo task (reduced P3 component in go-trials). Children with a meconium EtG above 154 ng/g were also found to have an IQ that was six points lower than the other groups. Within the EtG ≥ 154 ng/g group, there was a positive correlation between EtG value and ADHD-related behaviour. These significant effects were not observed in relation to the maternal self-report data. CONCLUSIONS: Associations between EtG and cognitive deficits, attentional resource capacity and ADHD-related behaviour could be documented with effects that were partially dose-dependent. In addition to maternal self-reports, this biomarker of intrauterine alcohol exposure may be considered as a predictor of child development.
APA:
Eichler, A., Hudler, L., Grunitz, J., Grimm, J., Raabe, E., Goecke, T.W.,... Heinrich, H. (2018). Effects of prenatal alcohol consumption on cognitive development and ADHD-related behaviour in primary-school age: a multilevel study based on meconium ethyl glucuronide. The journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 59(2), 110-118. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.12794
MLA:
Eichler, Anna, et al. "Effects of prenatal alcohol consumption on cognitive development and ADHD-related behaviour in primary-school age: a multilevel study based on meconium ethyl glucuronide." The journal of child psychology and psychiatry 59.2 (2018): 110-118.
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