Prenatal Cocaine Exposure and Attentional Dysfunction

Cornell University Ithaca, Ithaca NY

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION: (Provided by Applicant): Recent research has shown that prenatal exposure to cocaine has long-term cognitive effects, with attentional functioning being most prominently affected. Based on the nature of the observed attentional effects, a likely neural mechanism is alterations in the coeruleocortical noradrenergic (NA) System. Using a rodent model of intravenous cocaine administration that mimics human recreational exposure, the present study will investigate the putative relationship between the long-term effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on the developing NA system and alterations in selective attention. In this study, adult rats that were exposed to cocaine prenatally will be tested on a series of tasks that provide specific indices of sustained and selective attention. Measures of these different aspects of attention (plus other functions as controls) will then be correlated with neural measures of coeruleocortical activity (obtained from the tested animals). This proposed study should provide important new information to determine whether early loss or dysfunction of NA cells contributes to the long-term cognitive changes observed after prenatal cocaine exposure. This information is crucial in formulating pharmacological interventions that may ameliorate the dysfunction in exposed children. The results of this study will also help clarify the neural mechanisms that underlie the regulation of sustained and selective attention.