The Maternal Health Practices and Child Development Project provides a unique opportunity to assess the development and maturation of young adults who have been followed since their fourth month of gestation through the age of 16. At this proposed phase, the offspring will be 21 years of age. We will explore the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure (PME) on the offspring in young adulthood. We will integrate this assessment with measures at prior phases and evaluate the developmental trajectories of these young adults across the multiple time points of the study. Importantly, at this proposed phase, we will assess the effects of prenatal exposure to marijuana on the transition into and adjustment to the roles and responsibilities of adulthood. The women in this project were interviewed in their fourth and seventh prenatal months and with their offspring at delivery, birth, 8 and 18 months, 3, 6, 10, 14 and 16 years of age. The cohort was selected from a prenatal clinic and the women represent the spectrum of prenatal marijuana use. At each of the 10 phases, we measured demographic status, the psychological, social, and household environment, maternal, paternal, and household substance use. We assessed the children's cognitive, behavioral, academic, psychological, physical, and neuropsychological status, and substance use and abuse. Study results to date demonstrate that marijuana exposure during gestation affects the development of the CNS, resulting in problems with mood, response suppression, and aspects of executive function. These outcomes, as well as the sequelae of these effects, such as academic difficulties and externalizing behaviors, may lead to more serious problems in adulthood. The deficits that result from prenatal exposure to marijuana have important implications for long-term development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DA017786-04
Application #
7388295
Study Section
Child Psychopathology and Developmental Disabilities Study Section (CPDD)
Program Officer
Borek, Nicolette T
Project Start
2005-02-15
Project End
2010-01-31
Budget Start
2008-02-01
Budget End
2009-01-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2008
Total Cost
$529,019
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Pittsburgh
Department
Psychiatry
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004514360
City
Pittsburgh
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
15213
De Genna, Natacha Marie; Goldschmidt, Lidush; Day, Nancy L et al. (2017) Maternal trajectories of cigarette use as a function of maternal age and race. Addict Behav 65:33-39
Sonon, Kristen; Richardson, Gale A; Cornelius, Jack et al. (2016) Developmental pathways from prenatal marijuana exposure to Cannabis Use Disorder in young adulthood. Neurotoxicol Teratol 58:46-52
Goldschmidt, Lidush; Richardson, Gale A; Larkby, Cynthia et al. (2016) Early marijuana initiation: The link between prenatal marijuana exposure, early childhood behavior, and negative adult roles. Neurotoxicol Teratol 58:40-45
De Genna, Natacha M; Goldschmidt, Lidush; Day, Nancy L et al. (2016) Prenatal and Postnatal Maternal Trajectories of Cigarette Use Predict Adolescent Cigarette Use. Nicotine Tob Res 18:988-92
Pugh, S J; Hutcheon, J A; Richardson, G A et al. (2016) Gestational weight gain, prepregnancy body mass index and offspring attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms and behaviour at age 10. BJOG 123:2094-2103
De Genna, Natacha M; Cornelius, Marie D; Goldschmidt, Lidush et al. (2015) Maternal age and trajectories of cannabis use. Drug Alcohol Depend 156:199-206
Diesel, J C; Eckhardt, C L; Day, N L et al. (2015) Gestational weight gain and the risk of offspring obesity at 10 and 16 years: a prospective cohort study in low-income women. BJOG 122:1395-402
Day, Nancy L; Leech, Sharon L; Goldschmidt, Lidush (2011) The effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on delinquent behaviors are mediated by measures of neurocognitive functioning. Neurotoxicol Teratol 33:129-36