Premium
Neurodevelopmental investigation of the mirror neurone system in children of women receiving opioid maintenance therapy during pregnancy
Author(s) -
Konijnenberg Carolien,
Melinder Annika
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.04006.x
Subject(s) - neurocognitive , cognition , opioid , medicine , eye movement , pregnancy , psychology , affect (linguistics) , physical medicine and rehabilitation , developmental psychology , psychiatry , ophthalmology , genetics , receptor , communication , biology
Aims Opioid maintenance therapy ( OMT ) is generally recommended for pregnant opioid‐dependent women. Previous studies investigating the long‐term effects of OMT on children's cognitive development found that children of women in OMT have an increased risk of developing deficits in motor and visual perceptual skills, which are important aspects of the mirror neurone system ( MNS ), a complex neural circuit involved in learning and social interactions. The aim of the current study was to investigate aspects of the MNS in children of women in OMT . Design A 2 (control group versus OMT group) × 2 (human versus mechanic) mixed factorial design. Setting The C ognitive D evelopmental R esearch U nit at the U niversity of O slo, N orway. Participants Fifteen children of women in OMT and 15 non‐exposed children participated. Measurements Goal‐directed eye movements were recorded using a T obii 1750 eye tracker. Neurocognitive tests were employed to map children's cognitive development. Findings The OMT group made fewer proactive goal‐directed eye movements [mean = −37.73, standard deviation ( SD ) = 208.56] compared to the control group (mean = 181.47, SD = 228.65), F (1,28) = 7.53, P = 0.01, η 2 = 0.21. No differences were found on tests of visual perception or goal understanding. Conclusions Use of opioid maintenance therapy during pregnancy appears to be associated with impaired goal‐directed eye movements in the 4‐year‐old infant which may affect later social adjustment adversely.