Effects of prenatal neuroleptic drug exposure on motor performance in children

AbstractIn a previous study we showed that prenatal neuroleptic drug exposure has postnatal effects on children's growth (Platt et al., 1988). In the present study the effect of prenatal exposure to neuroleptic drugs on motor performance at birth, 8 months, 4 years and 7 years of age was examined in children of psychiatrically normal parents, and of parents with a history of psychiatric treatment, using-data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project of the National Institute of Neurological Diseases, Communicative Disorders and Stroke. The majority of the analyses were done using multiple logistic regression to control for possible confounding factors and to derive risk ratios. Some negative effects on motor behaviour were present in all groups at birth, most noticeably in the group of children who had been exposed to dopamine (DA)-depleting drugs. Negative effects were less prevalent at later ages, but were still present. The results are discussed in terms of possible mechanisms and methodological limitations.