Health and Developmental Consequences of Youth Drug Abuse

Research Findings from September, 1999 Director's Report

This section lists selected summaries from NIDA funded research projects that investigate the developmental implications of drug use. The summaries provided were selected from recent issues of the Director's Report to the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse. For a more comprehensive listing of NIDA funded projects see the Director's Report.

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy And Offspring Psychopathology

Data from a longitudinal study of depressed probands and normal controls were used to replicate findings from several other reports of an association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and substance abuse in offspring. Among offspring of mothers who reported smoking 10 or more cigarettes per day during pregnancy, boys showed a significantly increased risk of early onset conduct disorder, and girls a significant increase in adolescent drug dependence. Controlling for several relevant factors such as maternal substance abuse and parental diagnosis did not alter the findings. Thus, findings from several other studies were supported, underscoring concerns about the potential impact of prenatal exposure to maternal smoking. Weissman, M.M., Warner, V., Wickramaratne, P.J., Kandel, D.B. Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Psychopathology in Offspring Followed to Adulthood. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 38, pp. 892-899, 1999.

Association between Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder

This study extends previous findings regarding maternal smoking and ADHD in offspring, by studying the siblings of probands in a high-risk (ADHD) sample. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with over four times the risk of ADHD in offspring (OR 4.4) even when controlling for parental ADHD, parental IQ, and socioeconomic status. These findings replicate those of these authors and others. If confirmed in other populations and using other methods, these findings have implications for the need for prevention and smoking cessation programs for women of child-bearing age. Milberger, S., Biederman, J., Faraone, S.V., and Jones, J. Further Evidence Of An Association Between Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy And Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Findings From A High- Risk Sample Of Siblings. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 27, pp. 352-358, 1998.