A small study has found that babies exposed to methamphetamine and alcohol before birth have smaller caudate nucleus regions in the brain than non-exposed children or children exposed to alcohol only in the womb, HealthDay News reported March 17.

Researchers compared brain scans of 13 children exposed to alcohol before birth, 21 children exposed to meth and alcohol, and 27 children who were not exposed to either drug.

The caudite nucleus assists in learning, memory, motor control and motivation.

“We know that alcohol exposure is toxic to the developing fetus and can result in lifelong brain, cognitive and behavioral problems,” said researcher Elizabeth Sowell of the University of California at Los Angeles. “In this study, we show that the effects of prenatal meth exposure, or the combination of meth and alcohol exposure, may actually be worse. Our findings stress the importance of drug abuse treatment for pregnant women.”

The findings were published March 17, 2010 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Get cutting edge informative updateson birth defects and developmental disabilities. You can have this valuable resource sent directly to your mail box FREE. Do it today!

January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month.  The External Partners of the National Center of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities describe below some events that are taking place during this month in their January newsletter:

1. A Note from Our Friends at NCBDDD: Folic Acid Resources & Research

   January 5-11 is National Folic Acid Awareness Week. In observance, CDC has developed several promotional tools, sharing the message that consuming 400 mcg of folic acid daily, before and during early pregnancy, can help reduce a woman’s risk of having a pregnancy affected by a serious birth defect of the spine or brain. CDC encourages you to share these resources with your colleagues, family and friends: 1) A web feature article, “Women Need 400 Micrograms of Folic Acid Every Day,” 2) e-cards in English and in Spanish and 3) podcasts in English and in Spanish. Additionally, NCBDDD has published a study on the effects of folic acid fortification of corn masa flour. Click here to view the press release on this report.

   

2. A Note from the Executive Committee: New Year, New Challenges & Opportunities

   Greetings and best wishes from the Executive Committee. The year 2009 will be very exciting, posing many challenges that may disguise opportunities, as well. The EC met in mid-December, and is finalizing a one-page document for use in education and advocacy for developmental disabilities, birth defects and disabilities and health in the new Congressional session; this will be available shortly. Let’s all remember that in these difficult times, it is the constituencies served by NCBDDD who need us to be persistently bringing their issues to the table for discussion and action, and collectively our voice will be ever more powerful.

   

3. APHA Invites Nominations for 2009 Awards in Public Health

   Do you know an outstanding professional in the public health field? If so, the American Public Health Association (APHA) encourages you to submit a nomination for its 2009 awards program, which recognizes individuals for their achievements in, support for and contributions to public health. The awards will be presented at the APHA Annual Meeting and Expo in Philadelphia, November 7-11, 2009. Nominations are due by April 17. For more information, visit www.apha.org/about/awards.

   

4. NBDPN Marks National Birth Defects Prevention Month

   To mark January as Birth Defects Prevention Month, the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) has developed free materials available online, including prevention pamphlets and posters in both English and Spanish, fact sheets, proclamations and same press releases, links to resources on the Internet, and more. Each year NBDPN selects an area of focus, in an effort to increase awareness on a specific issue and to spark prevention activity across the country. This year’s focus is “Obesity Prevention and Weight Management – Before, During, and After Pregnancy.” NBDPN is sharing the message that obesity has been identified as a leading public health concern in the US and can be associated with birth defects such as heart, neural tube and limb defects, as well as an increased risk of pregnancy complications. For more information and to access the free tools from NBDPN, click here.

   

5. ’80s Heavy Metal Star Dee Snyder: Honorary Chairman of “Bikers for Babies” Campaign

   On December 22, March of Dimes President Dr. Jennifer Howse joined Dee Snider, Honorary Chairman of March of Dimes “Bikers for Babies” and front man for the 1980s heavy metal band Twisted Sister, to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to help raise awareness of the Bikers for Babies mission. For Snyder, the cause is personal. Two of his children were born prematurely. Now he’s using his celebrity to help babies be born healthy. For more about the Bikers for Babies campaign, go to www.bikersforbabies.org.

   

6. The Arc Issues Policy Recommendations for Incoming Obama Administration

   The Arc of the United States has issued a set of recommendations to President-Elect Obama’s transition team on policies affecting children and adults with intellectual disabilities and their families. Recommendations cover four main policy areas of concern, including Medicaid, family support, economic recovery, and key federal agency leadership. To view the complete recommendations released by The Arc, click here.

   

7. January 18: Disability Power & Pride Inaugural Ball in Washington, DC

   On January 18, United Cerebral Palsy and its partners will host the first ever Disability Power & Pride Inaugural Ball at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. With a theme of “Life Without Limits,” the disability community will welcome President-Elect Obama and Vice President-Elect Biden, celebrate past successes and look forward to future progress in policy and advocacy. The event will draw members of the incoming administration and members of Congress, in addition to hundreds of disability leaders, advocates and allies. RSVP by January 9. For more information, visit www.disabilitypowerandpride.org.

Subscribe today to the External Partners Group Newsletter. Why? Because their mission, as stated on their site is as follows:

The External Partners Group is a coalition of government and private sector participants who work together to enhance the mission and activities of the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) in promoting child development; preventing birth defects and developmental disorders/disabilities; and enhancing the quality of life and preventing secondary conditions among people who are living with mental or physical disabilities, or a combination thereof.

So if you are ready to subscribe and get their excellent publications click here.

Want to know what’s going on around the country involving Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)?  Sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, this website  is a comprehensive resource that provides a wide range of FASD information.  Topics include information about state based programs, surveillance data, research articles, guidelines for referral and diagnosis, interventions, curriculum, brochures and fact sheets.