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Prenatal marijuana exposure and intelligence test performance at age 6.
Lidush Goldschmidt1, Gale A Richardson2, Jennifer Willford2
1Dr. Goldschmidt is with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Drs. Richardson, Willford, and Day are with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine..
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|January 25, 2008
Summary
Prenatal marijuana exposure, particularly heavy use, is linked to lower intelligence scores in children by age six. This study highlights potential long-term impacts on cognitive development.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Prenatal substance exposure is a significant concern for child development.
- Limited research exists on the specific long-term cognitive effects of marijuana use during pregnancy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between prenatal marijuana exposure and intelligence test performance in children at age six.
- To determine if the timing and amount of marijuana use during pregnancy influence cognitive outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 648 children with follow-up at age six.
- Maternal interviews assessed marijuana use at 4, 7 months, and delivery.
- Children's intelligence evaluated using the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale by blinded examiners.
Main Results:
- Significant nonlinear relationship observed between prenatal marijuana exposure and child intelligence.
- Heavy marijuana use (≥1 cigarette/day) in the first trimester correlated with lower verbal reasoning.
- Heavy use in the second trimester predicted deficits in composite, short-term memory, and quantitative scores.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal marijuana exposure significantly impacts intellectual development in school-aged children.
- Findings suggest that the timing of exposure during pregnancy is critical.
- Maternal IQ, home environment, and social support are also key predictors of child intelligence.
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