Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 24, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Clinical and basic research investigations into the long-term effects of prenatal opioid exposure on brain
Taylor Boggess1, W Christopher Risher1
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA.
Insights
Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) causes neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), impacting infant brain development. This review highlights long-term neurological deficits from POE, urging further research into this multigenerational threat.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Public Health
Background:
- The opioid epidemic has led to a rise in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS).
- Current NAS research primarily addresses short-term infant care and withdrawal management.
- Long-term effects of prenatal opioid exposure (POE) on brain development remain under-investigated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current understanding of long-term effects of POE on brain development.
- To synthesize findings from human studies and animal models regarding POE-induced neurological deficits.
- To identify promising future research directions for addressing the multigenerational impact of NAS.
Main Methods:
- Literature review synthesizing human and preclinical animal studies on NAS and POE.
- Analysis of research focusing on cellular, synaptic, and behavioral outcomes.
- Identification of knowledge gaps and future research priorities.
Main Results:
- POE can induce significant and prolonged deficits in brain structure and function.
- Disturbances in synaptic network formation and glial development are key mechanisms.
- Long-term impacts on brain connectivity and cognition are evident.
Conclusions:
- POE poses a significant, lasting threat to infant brain development and cognition.
- Further research is crucial to understand and mitigate the long-term consequences of NAS.
- Addressing this growing public health crisis requires a focus on developmental impacts beyond acute withdrawal.
Abstract:
Coincident with the opioid epidemic in the United States has been a dramatic increase in the number of children born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a form of withdrawal resulting from opioid exposure during pregnancy. Many research efforts on NAS have focused on short-term care, including acute symptom treatment and weaning of the infants off their drug dependency prior to authorizing their release. However, investigations into the long-term effects of prenatal opioid exposure (POE) on brain development, from the cellular to the behavioral level, have not been as frequent. Given the importance of the perinatal period for human brain development, opioid-induced disturbances in the formation and function of nascent synaptic networks and glia have the potential to impact brain connectivity and cognition long after the drug supply is cutoff shortly after birth. In this review, we will summarize the current state of NAS research, bringing together findings from human studies and preclinical animal models to highlight what is known about how POE can induce significant, prolonged deficits in brain structure and function. With rates of NAS continuing to rise, particularly in regions that already face substantial socioeconomic challenges, we speculate as to the most promising avenues for future research to alleviate this growing multigenerational threat.
More Related Videos
15:27Construction of Vapor Chambers Used to Expose Mice to Alcohol During the Equivalent of all Three Trimesters of Human Development
Published on: July 13, 2014
05:13Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes
Published on: February 28, 2025
