Verbal and Nonverbal Memory in Adults Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol

Abstract

Background Neurocognitive effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in adulthood are not well documented. Questions persist regarding the extent to which there are specific, measurable effects beyond those associated with global ability deficits, whether individuals without the full fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) demonstrate alcohol-related cognitive impairments and whether observed memory effects are specific to a particular modality, that is, verbal versus visual/spatial domains. Methods In this study, verbal and nonverbal selective reminding paradigms were used to assess memory function in 234 young adults (M age: 22.78, SD: 1.79). Alcohol-exposure was quantified prenatally. Alcohol groups included: Individuals with physical effects of alcohol exposure (Dysmorphic Group, n=47); Exposed individuals without such effects (n=74). Contrast groups included: Controls (n=59) matched for ethnicity, socioeconomic status and hospital of birth; Special Education contrast group (n=54) included to control for disability status. Memory outcomes entailed total recall, delayed recall, and measures of encoding and retrieval and learning over trials as indexed by slope. Results Results indicated that Dysmorphic individuals were significantly less efficient in memory performance than Controls on all of the outcomes measured but they did not differ from those in the Special Education contrast group. The non-dysmorphic, alcohol-exposed group was intermediate in their performance, suggesting a continuum of effects of prenatal exposure. Evaluation of the encoding and retrieval aspects of memory performance indicated that learning rather than forgetting accounted for the deficits associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Finally, no interaction was found between modality of presentation (verbal and nonverbal) and effects of alcohol exposure on memory performance. Conclusion These findings indicate that prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with persistent and specific effects on memory performance and that these problems result from less efficient encoding of information across both verbal and nonverbal modalities. Education and training efforts with this clinical group should take these characteristics into account.

Neurobehavioral Disorder Associated with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (ND-PAE): Proposed DSM-5 Diagnosis

“…Deficits in organizational or metamemory strategies for encoding and retrieving information have been identified among children with PAE [37]. However, strategies to support memory can be helpful and retrieval or retention of learned material may be less affected than encoding [38].…”

Caregivers of Youth with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Hopes for Them as Adults

“…Case accounts of individuals with FASD have shown that postsecondary education and consistent employment outcomes are possible (e.g., Boyle Street Education Centre 2007;Community Living British Columbia 2011;Erb 2015). However, the literature is generally reflective of lower expectations of adult development for youth with FASD, noting that memory challenges and social challenges contribute to learning and health difficulties for many (Coles et al 2010;Denys et al 2011;O'Connor and Paley 2009). However, educational and occupational opportunities can be facilitated through community-based initiatives that inform adults and their caregivers about appropriate programs (Grant et al 2004;Denys et al 2011).…”

“…In general, extensive and diffuse alcohol effects result in significant disabilities that require intensive and longerterm support (Fagerlund et al 2011). It has been noted, for example, that memory problems persist from childhood into young adulthood (Coles et al 2010) and that children with FASD will have elevated rates of mental health problems as young adults (Denys et al 2011;O'Connor and Paley 2009). Anecdotally, however, as reflected in several case accounts, a high quality of life is possible (e.g., Boyle Street Education Centre 2007; Community Living British Columbia 2011;Erb 2015).…”

Lens Neurofeedback Treatment with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Neglect

“…FASD children and adults have been found to commonly have deficits in IQ , attention and executive control (e.g., planning and problem-solving ability, impulse control; Brown et al, 1991;Coles et al, 1997;Connor, Streissguth, Sampson, Bookstein, & Barr, 1999), speed of information processing (Burden et al, 2005;Jacobson, 1998), mathematics and number processing (Goldschmidt, Richardson, Stoffer, Geva, & Day, 1996;Mattson, Riley, Gramling, Delis, & Jones, 1998), memory (Coles, Lynch, Kable, Johnson, & Goldstein, 2010;Uecker & Nadel, 1996), and social information processing (McGee, Bjorkquist, Price, .…”