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Do maternal opioids reduce neonatal regional brain volumes? A pilot study

Journal of Perinatology volume 34, pages 909–913 (2014)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective:

A substantial number of children exposed to gestational opioids have neurodevelopmental, behavioral and cognitive problems. Opioids are not neuroteratogens but whether they affect the developing brain in more subtle ways (for example, volume loss) is unclear. We aimed to determine the feasibility of using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess volumetric changes in healthy opioid-exposed infants.

Study design:

Observational pilot cohort study conducted in two maternity hospitals in New South Wales, Australia. Maternal history and neonatal urine and meconium screens were obtained to confirm drug exposure. Volumetric analysis of MRI scans was performed with the ITK-snap program.

Result:

Scans for 16 infants (mean (s.d.) gestational age: 40.9 (1.5) weeks, birth weight: 3022.5 (476.6) g, head circumference (HC): 33.7 (1.5 cm)) were analyzed. Six (37.5%) infants had HC <25th percentile. Fourteen mothers used methadone, four used buprenorphine and 11 used more than one opioid (including heroin, seven). All scans were structurally normal whole brain volumes (357.4 (63.8)) and basal ganglia (14.5 (3.5)) ml were significantly smaller than population means (425.4 (4.8), 17.1 (4.4) ml, respectively) but lateral ventricular volumes (3.5 (1.8) ml) were larger than population values (2.1(1.5)) ml.

Conclusion:

Our pilot study suggests that brain volumes of opioid-exposed babies may be smaller than population means and that specific regions, for example, basal ganglia, that are involved in neurotransmission, may be particularly affected. Larger studies including correlation with neurodevelopmental outcomes are warranted to substantiate this finding.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Ms Eszter Jozsa and Ms Joanna Michalowski for helping us conduct the MRI scans. This study was funded by the Cornucopia Foundation of the Royal Hospital for Women and the Langton Centre, South East Sydney Local Health District, New South Wales, Australia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia

    Q Yuan, M Rubic, J Seah, J M Feller & J L Oei

  2. Neuroscience Research Australia, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia

    C Rae

  3. Graduate School of Medicine and Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    I M R Wright

  4. Department of Pediatrics, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    K Kaltenbach

  5. Department of Paediatrics, Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia

    J M Feller

  6. Department of Neonatology, Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, Canberra, ACT, Australia

    M E Abdel-Latif

  7. School of Clinical Medicine, Australian National University, Woden, ACT, Australia

    M E Abdel-Latif

  8. Department of Radiology, The Wollongong Hospital, Wollongong, NSW, Australia

    C Chu

  9. Department of Newborn Care, Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, NSW, Australia

    J L Oei

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  1. Q Yuan
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Consortia

BOB COLLABORATIVE GROUP

  • M Pham
  • , S Lees
  • , R Nanan
  • , B Fonseca
  • , A Lovett
  • , M Abdel-Latif
  • , J Sinn
  • , C Maher
  • , J Stack
  • , K Yates
  • , S Clews
  • , J Falconer
  • , C Rae
  • , J Fullerton
  • , P Schofield
  • , I Wright
  • , K Kaltenbach
  • , J Feller
  •  & J Lee Oei

Corresponding author

Correspondence to J L Oei.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

BOB COLLABORATIVE GROUP M Pham, S Lees, R Nanan, B Fonseca, A Lovett, M Abdel-Latif, J Sinn, C Maher, J Stack, K Yates, S Clews, J Falconer, C Rae, J Fullerton, P Schofield, I Wright, K Kaltenbach, J Feller, J Lee Oei

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Yuan, Q., Rubic, M., Seah, J. et al. Do maternal opioids reduce neonatal regional brain volumes? A pilot study. J Perinatol 34, 909–913 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2014.111

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