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Prenatal nicotine exposure during pregnancy results in adverse neurodevelopmental alterations and neurobehavioral

Alicia C Wells1, Shahrdad Lotfipour1,2

  • 1School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States.

Advances in Drug and Alcohol Research
|February 23, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Maternal nicotine exposure during pregnancy, from smoking or e-cigarettes, increases risks for miscarriage, SIDS, and neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD. This review examines prenatal nicotine exposure

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Maternal tobacco and e-cigarette use expose fetuses to nicotine, increasing risks for miscarriage, prematurity, low birth weight, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
  • Prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE) is linked to neurodevelopmental issues, including Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, and altered brain circuitry in infants.
  • High percentages of pregnant women in the U.S. and globally use nicotine products, necessitating a comprehensive review of PNE's effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize pre-clinical and clinical research on neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental complications from prenatal nicotine exposure (PNE).
  • To investigate PNE's impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and specific brain regions (PFC, VTA, NA, hippocampus, caudate).
  • To discuss PNE's association with altered nAChR signaling, long-term drug-seeking behavior, and developmental disorders like ADHD, ASD, schizophrenia, anxiety, and obesity.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and synthesis of existing pre-clinical and clinical studies.
  • Analysis of research focusing on neurodevelopmental outcomes and brain alterations.
  • Examination of epidemiological data on maternal nicotine product usage during pregnancy.

Main Results:

  • PNE is associated with significant alterations in fetal neurodevelopment, impacting brain structure and function.
  • Nicotine exposure affects key neurotransmitter systems and receptor signaling, including cholinergic pathways.
  • Evidence suggests a correlation between PNE and increased risk for various neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in offspring.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal nicotine exposure poses substantial risks to infant neurodevelopment and long-term behavioral outcomes.
  • Understanding these risks is crucial for public health initiatives aimed at reducing maternal nicotine use.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise mechanisms and long-term consequences of PNE.

Keywords:
e-cigarettesmaternal smokingneonatal exposureteratogentobacco

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