@Article{info:doi/10.2196/20658,
author="Louw, Jacobus Gidion
and van Heerden, Alastair
and Olivier, Leana
and Lambrechts, Tersius
and Broodryk, Mandi
and Bunge, Liska
and Vosloo, Martl{\'e}
and Tomlinson, Mark",
title="Executive Function After Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in Children in a South African Population: Cross-sectional Study",
journal="JMIR Form Res",
year="2021",
month="Jul",
day="2",
volume="5",
number="7",
pages="e20658",
keywords="fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; FASD; cognitive; executive function; experimental games; brain drug effects; child development; serious games; games; alcohol; training",
abstract="Background: Alcohol is a teratogen; its consumption during pregnancy can lead to negative birth outcomes, collectively referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Neurodevelopmental delays in higher-order cognitive functions that affect development of executive functions are a common feature. Studies on executive function in children have focused on children diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and there is a lack of information on the impact on children not diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder but who had been exposed to alcohol. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the development of executive function in children between 4 and 6 years of age with and without prenatal exposure to alcohol. Methods: Children both exposed and not exposed to alcohol were recruited as part of a feasibility RCT evaluating a computer-based cognitive training program for improving executive function development. The study was conducted in a low--socioeconomic status community in South Africa with a high prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Neurodevelopment was assessed in participating children; NEPSY-II standardized scores for executive function domains were compared using a multivariate analysis of variance with group membership as the predictor variable. Results: No significant differences in executive functions assessments (P=.39) were found between children in the alcohol-exposed group (n=76) and those in the nonexposed group (n=40). Both groups showed moderate to severe delays in domains. In all but one subtest, the average score for both groups was below the 25th percentile of expected norms. Conclusions: We expected that alcohol exposure would have a measurable impact on executive function development. The lack of differences highlights the prevalence of developmental delays in low--socioeconomic status communities in South Africa and suggests that children are exposed to various threats to cognitive development. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/14489 ",
issn="2561-326X",
doi="10.2196/20658",
url="https://formative.jmir.org/2021/7/e20658",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/20658",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34255647"
}