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Children with in utero cocaine exposure do not differ from control subjects on intelligence testing
H Hurt1, E Malmud, L Betancourt
1Division of Neonatology, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA. hurth@aehn2.einstein.edu
Insights
In utero cocaine exposure did not impact IQ scores in 4-year-old children. However, both exposed and control groups demonstrated lower-than-average intelligence quotient scores.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurodevelopment
- Prenatal Substance Exposure Research
- Child Psychology
Background:
- Prenatal exposure to illicit substances, such as cocaine, raises concerns about potential long-term neurodevelopmental effects in children.
- Understanding the impact of maternal cocaine use during pregnancy on cognitive development is crucial for early intervention and support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between in utero cocaine exposure and intelligence quotient (IQ) scores in children at four years of age.
- To compare cognitive outcomes in children with and without documented prenatal cocaine exposure.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, longitudinal study involving blinded examiners assessing IQ scores.
- Participants included 101 cocaine-exposed and 118 control children from a low socioeconomic status, inner-city cohort, observed since birth.
- Intelligence quotient was measured using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence--Revised.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found in mean Performance, Verbal, or Full Scale IQ scores between cocaine-exposed and control children (P > or = .10).
- Multivariate analyses did not reveal an association between cocaine exposure and any of the measured IQ scores.
- A high percentage of children in both groups (93% of exposed, 96% of control) scored below the population average IQ of 100.
Conclusions:
- In this inner-city cohort, in utero cocaine exposure was not associated with significantly different IQ scores at age four compared to controls.
- Both cocaine-exposed and control children exhibited lower-than-average IQ scores, suggesting broader environmental or socioeconomic factors may influence cognitive development.
- Further research is warranted to explore the complex factors affecting cognitive outcomes in vulnerable populations.
Objective:
To determine if in utero cocaine exposure affects IQ scores in children at age 4 years.
Design:
A prospective, longitudinal evaluation by blinded examiners of the IQ scores of cocaine-exposed and control children of low socioeconomic status who have been observed since birth.
Setting:
A study center in an inner-city hospital.
Participants:
One hundred one children with in utero cocaine exposure and 118 control children, all of whom were 34 weeks' gestational age or older and nonasphyxiated at birth.
Main Outcome Measure:
Intelligence quotient scores on a standardized intelligence test, the Wechsler preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence--Revised.
Results:
Seventy-one cocaine-exposed and 78 control children were administered the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence--Revised. Maternal, natal, and 30-month characteristics of the children tested did not differ from those not tested. Groups did not differ on mean Performance (83.2 vs 87.0), Verbal (79.0 vs 80.8), or Full Scale (79.0 vs 81.9) IQ scores (all P > or = .10 [values for cocaine-exposed children given first]). None of these 3 scores was associated with cocaine exposure in multivariate linear regressions. Although cocaine-exposed and control groups did not differ in outcome, 93% of cocaine-exposed and 96% of control children had Full Scale IQ scores below 100, the mean IQ score for the test.
Conclusions:
In an inner-city cohort, IQ scores did not differ between cocaine-exposed and control children. However, both groups performed poorly.