Smoking During Pregnancy Affects Newborns' Speech Processing
Author Information
Author(s): Alexandra P.F. Key, Melissa Ferguson, Dennis L. Molfese, Kelley Peach, Casey Lehman, Victoria J. Molfese
Primary Institution: Vanderbilt University
Hypothesis
Newborns born to smoking mothers will show altered speech processing compared to those born to nonsmoking mothers.
Conclusion
Prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke is linked to significant changes in brain physiology related to speech processing in newborns.
Supporting Evidence
- Newborns of nonsmoking mothers showed typical brain responses to speech sounds.
- Infants of smoking mothers began processing speech sounds later than those of nonsmokers.
- Prenatal smoking exposure is associated with poorer speech sound discrimination.
Takeaway
Babies whose moms smoked while pregnant have a harder time understanding sounds than babies whose moms didn't smoke.
Methodology
High-density ERPs were recorded from 16 newborns (8 from smoking mothers and 8 from nonsmoking mothers) within 48 hours of birth in response to speech sounds.
Potential Biases
Possibility of residual confounding by differences between smoking and nonsmoking mothers.
Limitations
Limited information on the exact amount of tobacco exposure and potential environmental confounding factors.
Participant Demographics
16 newborns (10 females, 6 males) matched on various maternal and socioeconomic characteristics.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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