Children of parents who smoke show weaker response in certain areas of the brain while processing a task that requires the ability to control inappropriate responses, a new study reveals.
Researchers studied 178 mothers and 175 children who had ADHD symptoms throughout childhood. Of the 178 mothers, 140 were non-smokers.
The research team performed functional magnetic resonance imaging on the offsprings after they reached 25 years of age. They were tracked since birth to examine the effect of prenatal tobacco smoke exposure on neural activity.
The study results showed that people, who were prenatally exposed to tobacco smoke, exhibited less activity in some regions of the brain when they were entrusted with a task that measured inhibitory control vs. neutral stimuli. The group was also observed to study more lifetime ADHD symptoms.
Past studies have shown that smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
"Therefore, our findings strengthen the importance of smoking cessation programs for pregnant women, and women planning to become pregnant, to minimize prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke by the offspring," researchers wrote in a press release.
A recent study showed that treating ADHD with stimulant medications reduces the risk of smoking. The study analysis showed an important link between stimulant treatment and lower smoking rates. The effect was more in those with severe ADHD and when participants took stimulant medications continuously.
The research has been published in the journal 'JAMA Psychiatry'.
