Margolis, Emma T., Davel, Lauren, Bourke, Niall J., Bosco, Cara, Zieff, Michal R., Monachino, Alexa D., Mazubane, Thandeka, Williams, Simone R., Miles, Marlie, Jacobs, Chloë A., Williams, Sadeeka, Bradford, Layla, Knipe, Candice, Madi, Zamazimba, Methola, Bokang, Mhlakwaphalwa, Tembeka, Mlandu, Nwabisa, Nkubungu, Khanyisa, Goolam Nabi, Zayaan, Pan, Tracy, Samuels, Reese, Pini, Nicolò, Klepac-Ceraj, Vanja, Fifer, William P., Alexander, Daniel C., Jones, Derek K.  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4409-8049, Williams, Steve C. R., Amso, Dima, Donald, Kirsten A. and Gabard-Durnam, Laurel J.
2024.
Longitudinal effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on visual neurodevelopment over infancy.
Developmental Psychology
60
(9)
, pp. 1673-1698.
10.1037/dev0001727
|
Preview |
PDF
- Accepted Post-Print Version
Download (2MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects neurodevelopment in over 59 million individuals globally. Prior studies using dichotomous categorization of alcohol use and comorbid substance exposures provide limited knowledge of how prenatal alcohol specifically impacts early human neurodevelopment. In this longitudinal cohort study from Cape Town, South Africa, PAE is measured continuously—characterizing timing, dose, and drinking patterns (i.e., binge drinking). High-density electroencephalography (EEG) during a visual-evoked potential (VEP) task was collected from infants aged 8 to 52 weeks with prenatal exposure exclusively to alcohol and matched on sociodemographic factors to infants with no substance exposure in utero. First trimester alcohol exposure related to altered timing of the P1 VEP component over the first 6 months postnatally, and first trimester binge drinking exposure altered timing of the P1 VEP components such that increased exposure was associated with longer VEP latencies while increasing age was related to shorter VEP latencies (n = 108). These results suggest alcohol exposure in the first trimester may alter visual neurodevelopmental timing in early infancy. Exploratory individual-difference analysis across infants with and without PAE tested the relation between VEP latencies and myelination for a subsample of infants with usable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T1w and T2w scans collected at the same time point as EEG (n = 47). Decreased MRI T1w/T2w ratios (an indicator of myelin) in the primary visual cortex (n = 47) were linked to longer P1 VEP latencies. Results from these two sets of analyses suggest that prenatal alcohol and postnatal myelination may both separately impact VEP latency over infancy. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement For infants prenatally exposed exclusively to alcohol, continuous measures of first trimester exposure and binge drinking exposure were associated with altered timing of visual neurodevelopment over the first 6 months postnatally. Myelination may serve as a partial mechanism for these differences. The World Health Organization Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test is an acceptable tool to detect alcohol risk in pregnant populations. This work can inform efforts to support pregnant people and their infants pre- and postnatally.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Psychology |
| Publisher: | American Psychological Association |
| ISSN: | 1939-0599 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 8 May 2026 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 10 January 2024 |
| Last Modified: | 11 May 2026 12:00 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/173392 |
Actions (repository staff only)
 |
Edit Item |
Altmetric
Altmetric