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Drinking While Pregnant and ADHD
• Pregnancy and Drinking
Research Shows There May Be a Link
Mothers-to-be were given another reason to avoid alcohol during pregnancy by a
study that shows a possible link between drinking and Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder.
Dr. Roh-Yu Shen and researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo
reported that part of the brain damaged by alcohol before birth involves a
complex communication system between nerve cells.
"We have found that the electrical activity of... dopamine neurons in the brain
is reduced in the offspring of pregnant rats treated with alcohol," Shen told
Reuters Health in an interview[/link]. "These neurons normally generate a
certain amount of spontaneous electrical activity... resulting in dopamine
release in brain areas... responsible for attention."
Reduced Activity
Dopamine is one of a number of natural chemical substances called
neurotransmitters that help transmit impulses across the synapse, or gap,
between nerve cell endings.
"We think that attention-hyperactivity problems[/link]... may be caused by the
reduced activity in (these) dopamine neurons," Shen explained. She observed no
structural differences in the areas where these neurons are situated, no loss
or destruction of neurons, but rather "reduced activity" of the cells in both
young and adult animals.
Shen said "alcohol exposure impairs the development of brain dopamine neurons."
This impairment "ultimately results in a decrease in the quantity of dopamine
released in areas of the brain that control attention and the ability to
focus."
Beyond Childhood
The new study results strongly suggest that "substances of abuse could lead to
mental deficits that continue beyond childhood." Shen said, "clinicians might
want to reexamine the notion that ADHD may be 'outgrown' (since) a reduced
dopamine function is a persistent phenomenon during adulthood. It may simply
take a more subtle form."
"The rat model provides us with a systematic approach to investigate the
therapeutic potential of various pharmacologic agents in ADHD following fetal
alcohol exposure." She cited Ritalin as an example of a stimulant drug whose
properties may be useful in treating alcohol-induced ADHD.
Alcohol is not the only culprit. Substances such as cocaine and certain
psychiatric medications also reduce dopamine neuron activity, she said, and
"any events that disrupt dopamine neurons during fetal development, for
example, stress, could lead to dysfunction of neurons and ADHD."
More Information
FAQ About ADD
Probably the single most informative page on the Internet about Attention
Deficit Disorder, from About.com ADD Guide Eileen Bailey.
Pregnancy Resources
Find a wealth of information and resources about pregnancy at the About.com
Pregnancy site, from your Guide Robin Weiss.
Alcohol and Pregnancy
Some experts say moderate drinking during pregnancy is okay, but there are
others who believe taking even one drink is like playing Russian Roulette with
your baby's health.
Issues for Women
Women who abuse alcohol, or even occasionally drink to excess, face greater
risks to their health than their male counterparts.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Other risks of drinking while pregnant.