Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 5, 2026

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

87.4K

White Matter Injury and Structural Anomalies in Infants with Prenatal Opioid Exposure

S L Merhar1,2, N A Parikh3,2, A Braimah4

  • 1From the Perinatal Institute, Division of Neonatology (S.L.M., N.A.P., B.B.P.) Stephanie.merhar@cchmc.org.

AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|October 19, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal opioid exposure in infants may cause brain abnormalities, including white matter lesions and septopreoptic fusion anomalies. Further research is needed to understand long-term effects.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Imaging
  • Developmental Pediatrics

Background:

  • Previous research has not identified structural brain injuries in infants with prenatal opioid exposure.
  • Prenatal opioid exposure is a growing public health concern with potential neurodevelopmental impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in infants exposed to opioids prenatally.
  • To identify potential brain abnormalities associated with prenatal opioid exposure in early infancy.

Main Methods:

  • Structural brain MRI scans were reviewed for 20 term infants with prenatal opioid exposure.
  • A control group of 20 term infants without prenatal opioid exposure was included for comparison.
  • Infants were assessed at 4-8 weeks of age.

Main Results:

  • Eight of 20 opioid-exposed infants showed punctate white matter lesions or white matter signal abnormalities.
  • Two opioid-exposed infants presented with a septopreoptic fusion anomaly.
  • No white matter injury or structural malformations were observed in the control group.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal opioid exposure is associated with detectable structural brain abnormalities in early infancy.
  • Findings highlight the need for comprehensive neuroimaging and long-term outcome studies.
  • Clinical neurodevelopmental follow-up is crucial for infants with prenatal opioid exposure.

More Related Videos

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats07:36

Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats

Published on: November 20, 2015

11.7K
Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development15:27

Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development

Published on: July 13, 2014

15.1K

Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
3.9K