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Neuroimaging in infants with prenatal opioid exposure: Current evidence, recent developments and targets for future
Rupa Radhakrishnan1, Gregory Grecco2, Kellen Stolze3
1Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
Insights
Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) can negatively impact child development. This review explores neuroimaging in infants exposed to opioids, examining brain changes and research challenges.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) is linked to adverse cognitive and behavioral outcomes in offspring.
- Neural mechanisms underlying these outcomes are not fully understood.
- Opioid-induced changes in the fetal and early postnatal brain are suspected, alongside other contributing factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent neuroimaging advancements for assessing brain alterations in infants with POE.
- To highlight challenges in imaging the developing brain in this population.
- To integrate findings from animal models and older children to guide future infant research.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent neuroimaging studies focusing on the neonatal and infant brain.
- Analysis of evidence from animal models of prenatal opioid exposure.
- Examination of imaging data from older children and youth with POE.
Main Results:
- Neuroimaging studies reveal structural and functional brain alterations in children with POE.
- Early neuroimaging offers potential for in vivo mechanistic understanding of POE effects.
- Significant challenges exist in imaging the developing brain, particularly in vulnerable populations.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the impact of POE on brain development requires advanced neuroimaging techniques.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the long-term neural consequences of POE starting in infancy.
- Integrating data across species and age groups can inform targeted interventions for affected infants.
Abstract:
Prenatal opioid exposure (POE) has shown to be a risk factor for adverse long-term cognitive and behavioral outcomes in offspring. However, the neural mechanisms of these outcomes remain poorly understood. While preclinical and human studies suggest that these outcomes may be due to opioid-mediated changes in the fetal and early postnatal brain, other maternal, social, and environmental factors are also shown to play a role. Recent neuroimaging studies reveal brain alterations in children with POE. Early neuroimaging and novel methodology could provide an in vivo mechanistic understanding of opioid mediated alterations in developing brain. However, this is an area of ongoing research. In this review we explore recent imaging developments in POE, with emphasis on the neonatal and infant brain, and highlight some of the challenges of imaging the developing brain in this population. We also highlight evidence from animal models and imaging in older children and youth to understand areas where future research may be targeted in infants with POE.
