DNA methylation as a potential mediator of the association between prenatal tobacco and alcohol exposure and child neurodevelopment in a South African birth cohort.

ABSTRACT: Prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE) and prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have been associated with an increased risk of delayed neurodevelopment in children as well as differential newborn DNA methylation (DNAm). However, the biological mechanisms connecting PTE and PAE, DNAm, and neurodevelopment are largely unknown. Here we aim to determine whether differential DNAm mediates the association between PTE and PAE and neurodevelopment at 6 (N = 112) and 24 months (N = 184) in children from the South African Drakenstein Child Health Study. PTE and PAE were assessed antenatally using urine cotinine measurements and the ASSIST questionnaire, respectively. Cord blood DNAm was measured using the EPIC and 450 K BeadChips. Neurodevelopment (cognitive, language, motor, adaptive behavior, socioemotional)

SUBMITTER: Abrishamcar S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9525659 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature