A new study has found that exposure to nicotine during pregnancy may be linked with behavioural disorders in newborns.
Nicotine Exposure in Pregnancy:
The short- and long-term impacts of pre-natal smoking on new-born babies has long been the focus of scientific research, with studies investigating the link between nicotine exposure and the risk of various birth outcomes far reaching.
While research outcomes have linked smoking during pregnancy with neurodevelopmental disorders in new-borns, the data collection and results have often been labelled unsuccessful or inconsistent.
Now, a new AI-based learning framework led by scientists in Japan has obtained results deemed accurate and unbiased that suggest prenatal exposure to nicotine could increase the risk of autism-spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit disorder (ADHD) in new-borns.
The Research:
Data for the recent study was collected using a system that monitored behavioural changes in mice using an AI-led learning framework, rather than relying on biased human observations. In previous years, the use of human observers has been linked with contradictory and unsuccessful results.
Within the study, which was made up of several behaviour-led experiments, mice were exposed to nicotine (known as prenatal nicotine exposure mice, PNE mice hereon) and monitored by the AI system for significant behavioural changes.
One experiment saw mice faced with a ‘decision’ or obstacle. Within this, the AI-system observed several behavioural features within PNE mice– including altered working memory and impulsivity – that were consistent with behaviours found in humans with ADHD.
Within a separate experiment, where the mice were placed in large empty enclosures, the AI system observed that PNE mice exhibited increased anxiety and behavioural features consistent with humans on the autistic spectrum. These behaviours included displays of anxiety, following and grooming.
In doing so, the research suggests that smoking during pregnancy may not only increase the risk of ADHD, but also ASD.
Outcomes:
These results demonstrate that exposure to nicotine during pregnancy may increase the risk of both ASD and ADHD in new-born babies.
The outcome of this research has been deemed ‘highly reliable’, with the data collected by the AI-system validated by multiple human observers who were working alongside the AI-system to gather their own data.
Not only does this research work to validate existing evidence surrounding nicotine exposure during pregnancy and the risk of behavioural difficulties, but it also sheds light on the capabilities of AI-based research with regards to behavioural studies in general.
