Prenatal opioid exposure is associated with smaller brain volumes in multiple regions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The impact of prenatal opioid exposure on brain development remains poorly understood.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study of term-born infants with and without prenatal opioid exposure. Structural brain MRI was performed between 40 and 48 weeks postmenstrual age. T2-weighted images were processed using the Developing Human Connectome Project structural pipeline. We compared 63 relative regional brain volumes between groups.

Results

Twenty-nine infants with prenatal opioid exposure and 42 unexposed controls were included. The groups had similar demographics, except exposed infants had lower birth weights, more maternal smoking and maternal Hepatitis C, fewer mothers with a college degree, and were more likely non-Hispanic White. After controlling for s

SUBMITTER: Merhar SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8110593 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature