Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Apr;166(4):1042-7.
doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.12.008. Epub 2015 Jan 13.

Association of fatty acid ethyl esters in meconium and cognitive development during childhood and adolescence

Meeyoung O Min  1 , Lynn T Singer  2 , Sonia Minnes  3 , Miaoping Wu  3 , Cynthia F Bearer  4
Affiliations

Association of fatty acid ethyl esters in meconium and cognitive development during childhood and adolescence

Meeyoung O Min et al. J Pediatr. 2015 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: To examine associations between amounts of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium and cognitive development in school-aged children exposed to alcohol and drugs in utero.

Study design: A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort of children, primarily African American and of low socioeconomic status, that was recruited at birth. FAEEs were quantified with gas chromatography via a flame ionization detector. Meconium was analyzed for FAEEs in 216 newborns; 191 of these infants were assessed for IQ at ages 9, 11, and 15 years with the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-Fourth Edition.

Results: Longitudinal mixed model analyses indicated that, after we controlled for maternal and child covariates, greater concentrations of FAEEs (ethyl myristate, ethyl oleate, ethyl linoleate, and ethyl linolenate) were associated with lower Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children-Fourth Edition Verbal Comprehension Index, Working Memory Index, and Full-Scale IQ scores. Associations of FAEEs with Verbal Comprehension Index, Working Memory Index, and Full-Scale IQ did not vary over time. No associations of FAEEs with Perceptual Reasoning and Processing Speed Indices were found.

Conclusion: Elevated levels of FAEEs in meconium are potential markers for identifying newborns at risk for poor cognitive development related to prenatal alcohol exposure.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Jones KL, Smith DW. Recognition of the fetal alcohol syndrome in early infancy. Lancet. 1973;302:999–1001. - PubMed
    1. Abel EL, Sokol RJ. A revised estimate of the economic impact of fetal alcohol syndrome. Recent Dev Alcohol. 1991;9:117–25. - PubMed
    1. Mattson SN, Crocker N, Nguyen TT. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Neuropsychological and behavioral features. Neuropsychol Rev. 2011;21:81–101. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Willford J, Leech S, Day N. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and cognitive status of children at age 10. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2006;30:1051–9. - PubMed
    1. Richardson GA, Ryan C, Willford J, Day NL, Goldschmidt L. Prenatal alcohol and marijuana exposure: Effects on neuropsychological outcomes at 10 years. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2002;24:309–20. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms