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. 1998 May;34(3):565-73.
doi: 10.1037//0012-1649.34.3.565.

Cognitive functioning in 8- to 18-month-old drug-exposed infants

S M Alessandri  1 , M Bendersky, M Lewis
Affiliations

Cognitive functioning in 8- to 18-month-old drug-exposed infants

S M Alessandri et al. Dev Psychol. 1998 May.

Abstract

This study examined the cognitive functioning in 236 infants at 8 and 18 months of age. Thirty-seven infants were heavily exposed to cocaine in-utero, 30 were lightly exposed, and 169 were not exposed to cocaine. Cognitive functioning was evaluated with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (2nd ed.; N. Bayley, 1993) at both ages. Infant information processing was also assessed with an infant-controlled habituation procedure. Results indicated that (a) infants of cocaine-abusing women had higher neonatal medical and environmental risk scores; (b) at 8 months, exposure groups did not differ in Psychomotor Development Index, Mental Development Index (MDI) scores, or recovery to a novel stimulus; and (c) infants heavily exposed to cocaine or high environmental risk had a decrease in MDI scores from 8 to 18 months. These results were obtained when neonatal medical and environmental risk, as well as polydrug exposure, were controlled.

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References

    1. Alessandri SM, Sullivan MW, Imaizumi S, Lewis M. Learning and emotional responsivity in cocaine-exposed infants. Developmental Psychology. 1993;29:989–997.
    1. Bayley N. Manual for the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Psychological Corporation; New York: 1969.
    1. Bayley N. Barley Scales of Infant Development. 2nd ed. Psychological Corporation; San Antonio, TX: 1993.
    1. Bendersky M, Alessandri SM, Sullivan MW, Lewis M. Measuring the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure. In: Lewis M, Bendersky M, editors. Mothers, babies, and cocaine: The role of toxins in development. Erlbaum; Hillsdale, N J: 1995. pp. 163–178.
    1. Bendersky M, Lewis M. Environmental risk, medical risk, and cognition. Developmental Psychology. 1994;30:484–494.

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