Examining the effects of prenatal neurotoxin exposure on the development of the prefrontal cortex and its impact on executive functioning and attentional capacities in children

Title : Examining the effects of prenatal neurotoxin exposure on the development of the prefrontal cortex and its impact on executive functioning and attentional capacities in children

Abstract:

Three groups of psychiatrically hospitalized children (N=813) ages 9-17 years old were comprehensively evaluated for executive functioning development.  Included in this study were children (n-295) with confirmed prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), children diagnosed with an acquired neurocognitive impairment but no suspected history of PAE (n=201), and children without suspected neurocognitive impairment (n=317).  Neuropsychological testing (Category Test, Stroop Color-Word Test, Conners’ Continuous Performance Test) results demonstrated significant delays in children with PAE and children with acquired cognitive impairments with no history of PAE as compared to children with no history of PAE or acquired cognitive impairments.  Cross-sectional analysis by age demonstrated that although executive functioning delays modestly improved with age, the cognitive impairments and delayed performance observed persisted over time with PAE children and these children never fully caught up with their non-alcohol exposed peers.  Implications for assessment, intervention, and rehabilitation strategies will be discussed.

Biography:

Dr. Sperbeck graduated from the University of Rochester in 1982.  He completed a clinical neuropsychology residency at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Bath, NY prior to serving as the chief forensic and neuropsychologist at the Alaska Psychiatric Institute from 1982-2005.  Dr. Sperbeck was the chief of pediatric neuropsychology at the North Star Hospital in Anchorage Ak from 2005-2019.  He held the position of Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine from 1985-2019 and is currently in private practice in Anchorage, Alaska.  Dr. Sperbeck has authored more than 150 professional papers in the areas of neurodevelopmental disorders, degenerative aging, personality and cognition, and neuropsychological assessment across the lifespan.