Impact of prenatal exposure to cocaine and tobacco on diffusion tensor imaging and sensation seeking in adolescents

Abstract

Objective: To study white matter integrity with diffusion tensor imaging in adolescents with prenatal cocaine exposure, tobacco exposure, or both.

Study design: Subjects included 20 adolescents with prenatal cocaine exposure (15 with tobacco exposure) and 20 non-cocaine-exposed subjects (8 with tobacco exposure). Diffusion tensor imaging measures were assessed in 5 subregions of the corpus callosum. The Sensation Seeking Scale for Children was administered to evaluate behavioral inhibition.

Results: No significant differences were found between the cocaine-exposed and non-cocaine-exposed groups in each subregion of the corpus callosum on measures of fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity, although the cocaine-exposed group showed a trend (P = .06) toward higher FA in projections to the supplementary motor area and premotor cortex. Prenatal tobacco exposure was associated with decreased FA in the supplementary motor area and premotor cortex projections after adjustment for relevant co-variates (P = .03). Decreased FA was related to more sensation seeking in the adolescents who were prenatally exposed to tobacco.

Conclusion: Prenatal tobacco exposure could affect white matter integrity, which is related to sensation seeking in adolescents. Developmental neurotoxins might have differential influences on white matter maturation in adolescence.