Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 30, 2025
The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Published on: August 5, 2017
Cross-Sectional Analysis of Spatial Working Memory Development in Children with Histories of Heavy Prenatal Alcohol
Eileen M Moore1, Leila Glass1,2, M Alejandra Infante1,3
1From the, Department of Psychology, (EMM, LG, MAI, EPR, SNM), Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California.
Background:
In children with prenatal alcohol exposure, spatial working memory is affected and brain regions important for spatial working memory performance exhibit atypical neurodevelopment. We therefore hypothesized that children with prenatal alcohol exposure may also have atypical development of spatial working memory ability.
Methods:
We examined the relation between spatial working memory and age using a cross-sectional developmental trajectory approach in youth with and without histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery Spatial Working Memory subtest was administered to children 5.0 to 16.9 years old.
Results:
While the controls and children with prenatal alcohol exposure showed similar performance at younger ages, larger group differences were observed in older children. This effect was replicated in a separate sample.
Conclusions:
The atypical brain development that has previously been reported in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure may have clinically relevant implications for cognitive development; however, longitudinal cognitive analyses are needed.
