The Effect of Prenatal and Postnatal Adversity on Neurodevelopment and Behavioral Functioning

Project Summary/Abstract Very little is known about the joint effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and childhood adversity. PAE acts as a disruptor to prenatal development and is known to impact postnatal development, as seen through structural brain changes, cognitive deficits, and behavioral symptoms. Compared to individuals without PAE, children with PAE have been studied to have smaller overall brain volume with regions such as the corpus callosum, basal ganglia, and cerebellum particularly affected. These differences are reflected in neurobehavioral symptoms, such as deficits in executive functioning and externalizing behaviors (e.g., aggression, hyperactivity, and conduct problems) that are seen through adulthood. Therefore, the consequences of PAE have a significant impact on lifelong well-being, and with high rates of misdiagnosis, PAE is a great public health concern. Similarly, childhood adversity, characterized through adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), also disrupts typical neurodevelopment, and differences are seen in the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus. In consequence, childhood adversity is related to cognitive deficits and elevated externalizing and problem behaviors across the lifespan. Despite the similar behavioral impacts of PAE and ACEs and their high rates of co-occurrence, little research has been done to observe the neurological impacts of both, especially in adulthood. The need for this research is vital because it may result in a more accurate portrayal of symptoms that individuals with PAE are experiencing. Therefore, there is a significant need for research in this area to understand the underlying neurodevelopmental processes associated with PAE and ACEs that then result in cognitive and behavioral difficulties. Furthermore, these externalizing behaviors have the potential to affect daily functioning, severely impacting well-being in adulthood. Childhood adversity has been associated with an increased risk of contact with the justice system, and PAE has been associated with increased delinquency as well in other countries (i.e., Canada, Australia). Therefore, there is a need to better understand if the joint impact of PAE and ACEs may increase justice system involvement in the United States. This proposed project will fill a gap in the research as it will (1) assess the joint impact of PAE and ACEs on neurodevelopment and consequent neurobehavioral outcomes and (2) study how the neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes from PAE and childhood adversity can increase the likelihood of trouble with the law.