Prescription Drugs

Prescription Drugs

Higher order question: What factors influence how severely teratogens influence the developing organism? Most vulnerable in the early stages of pregnancy More frequent exposure and higher doses =

more severe damage Poor nutrition, lack of prenatal care, and

presence of multiple teratogens can worsen effects

Effect depends on organism: Thalidomide: human fetus extremely sensitive; no effect on

rats or rabbits

Importance of timing of exposure: During the zygote period: Fluids do not mix with mother’s,

not as susceptible. Embryonic period: Organs are forming and are especially

vulnerable. Fetal period: Growth retardation and tissue damage.

Rubella in mothers affect 2-3% in the zygote period; 50% in the early embryo period (1st month); 22% in the late embryo period (2nd month); 6-8% in the early fetal period (3rd month).

What factors influence how severely teratogens influence the developing organism?

What common teratogens haven’t been discussed?

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Alcohol: F e t a l A lc o h o l S y n d r o m e ( F A S ) : A

cluster of abnormalities that appear in the offspring of mothers who drink alcohol heavily during pregnancy

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Facial abnormalities Heart problems Lower IQ

Developmental lag Poor attention Poor social skills

Study on effects of moderate drinking (Streissguth, 1989)

Low versus moderate consumption of alcohol Less than 1.5 oz (1/4 glass) alcohol/day More than 1.5 o z alcohol/ day

Design features: Large sample (n= 421) Longitudinal (prenatal to 4 yrs old) Control for: education race, smoking, aspirin,

antibiotics, illicit drugs, sex & birth order, preschool attendance

Findings: Moderate consumption lowers IQ by 4

points 3 times greater risk for IQ lower than 85

by age 4 Poor heart and lung function at birth

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Alcohol interferes with migration of neurons during brain development

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Amount of alcohol ingested does not uniquely determine severity of FAS

Susceptibility is affected by the mother’s physiological state: Age Nutritional status Overall health, etc.

Effects of agents on the mother might be negligible or temporary

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Street Drugs

M a r i ju a n a : Growth retardation Premature birth Poorer verbal and memory development at 4 years of age

C o c a in e a n d C r a c k : Growth retardation Spontaneous abortion Premature birth Withdrawal symptoms such as tremors and irritability

H e r o in a n d m e t h a d o n e : Deficient growth SIDS Withdrawal symptoms Premature birth

Study on cocaine and tobacco useNess et al., 1999

A large inner city sample n = 400, miscarriages n = 570, no miscarriage Adjusted for demographics and other drug use

Findings: S e l f -r e p o r t e d c o c a in e u s e : neither

drug was significantly related to miscarriage A c t u a l u s e w a s d e t e r m in e d b y

a n a ly s is o f u r in e a n d h a ir s a m p le s : both drugs were significantly related to miscarriage Cocaine increased probability of miscarriage 1.4

times Smoking increases probability of miscarriage 1.8

times

Cocaine “crack” babies of the 1990s

Child born to mother who used crack-cocaine during pregnancy

Once written off as “lost generation” Susceptible to prenatal stroke,

irreversible brain damage, or a heart attack

Withdrawal symptoms at birth Increased risk of mental

retardation and cerebral palsy Deficits in information-

processing, and attention to tasks

The Parent Child Intervention Program was established specifically to help prenatally drug-exposed youngsters. Teachers try to provide a carefully monitored and highly structured environment for the students.

Crack babies are now seen as 1990s myth because adopted babies do well

It was the post-natal environment, combined with prenatal vulnerability, that led to learning disabilities and ADHD in cocaine-exposed children

Addendum: Theorists working in new or unexplored domains often borrow ideas from well understood domains

E x a mp l e : T h e s o la r s y s t e m m a y h a v e s e r v e d a s t h e s o u r c e

D o m a in f o r N e i l B o h r ' s m o d e l o f t h e a t o m .

S o u r c e d o m a in : S o la r s y s t e m ' s p la n e t s a r e k e p t c ir c l in g a r o u n d t h e s u n b y g r a v it a t io n a l f o r c e s

T a r g e t d o m a in : e le c t r o n s c i r c le t h e m a s s f o r m e d b y p r o t o n s a n d n e u t r o n s

Characteristics of the Stages of Organogenesis

N o t u r n in g b a c k : T im e ( v ia a m a t u r a t io n a l

c lo c k ) d r iv e s t h e s t a g e s O r g a n s c a n o n ly

d i f f e r e n t ia t e d u r in g a c e r t a in p e r io d

N o s e c o n d c h a n c e s D e v e lo p m e n t p r o c e e d s v ia : In c r e a s in g d i f f e r e n t ia t io n

o f s t r u c t u r e s In c r e a s in g in t e g r a t io n o f

s t r u c t u r e s

Prenatal development: “No turningback…

F r e u d b o r r o w e d " n o t u r n in g b a c k , n o s e c o n d c h a n c e s " f r o m s t u d ie s o f m a m m a l ia n p r e n a t a l d e v e lo p m e n t w h e n h e f o r m u la t e d h is t h e o r y o f h u m a n p e r s o n a l i t y d e v e lo p m e n t .