Maternal alcohol and drug use during pregnancy affects the motor behaviour and general movements of infants aged 3-4 months.

BACKGROUND: Exposure of alcohol and/or other addictive drugs in pregnancy is a documented risk factor for later neurological impairment. AIMS: The aim of the study was to determine whether infants suffering from prenatal exposure to addictive drugs and alcohol develop an abnormal motor behaviour at three to four months of age. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled cohort study of infants exposed to alcohol and/or other addictive drugs in pregnancy who were recruited from a hospital follow-up programme. The control group consisted of healthy, unexposed infants. SUBJECTS: The study group of 108 infants exposed to alcohol and/or addictive drugs in pregnancy were enrolled based on referrals from primary health care. The control group included 106 infants who had not been exposed to the aforementioned substances. OUTCOME MEASURES: We assessed the general movements (Prechtl's General-Movement-Assessment, GMA), the motor repertoire (Assessment-of-Motor-Repertoire, AMR), and the Alberta-Infant Motor-Scale (AIMS) in all infants at three to four months of age. RESULTS: None of the infants in either group had absent fidgety movements (FMs). In the study group 5(5%) had exaggerated FMs and 5(5%) had sporadic FMs; and 68(63%) infants in the study group displayed an abnormal movement character, compared to 23(22%) in the control group (p<0.001). On the AIMS, 46(44%) infants in the study group scored below the 10th percentile, compared to 2(3%) controls (p< 0.001). CONCLUSION: The study describes an abnormal movement character of infants exposed to alcohol and/or addictive drugs in pregnancy when their motor repertoire was assessed at three to four months of age. The AIMS also showed negative effects on their motor behaviour.

An experimental evaluation of the euphoric properties of antiparkinson drugs on psychotic patients.

Seven psychotic inpatients (two women and five men) aged between 18 and 74 years, treated with neuroleptic and antiparkinson drugs, participated in a double-blind study with 1/3 DDD (Defined Daily Dose) of procyclidine, orphenadrine, or trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride against placebo. Euphoric effects were scored on a self-rating scale and extrapyramidal side-effects on the Simpson-Angus rating scale at drug administration and 1, 3 and 6 h thereafter. With regard to euphoric effect, there was a significant (P less than 0.02) difference between start and end point (0 and 6 h) for placebo but not for the active antiparkinson drugs. There was no significant difference in extrapyramidal side-effects. No preference of drug was found, and it was not possible to recognize the patient's own drug among the tested drugs. Side-effects from the antiparkinson drugs were also measured prior to the administration. Five patients did not return to their earlier antiparkinson drugs after the study.