Cigarettes during pregnancy cause behavioural problems in children
Scientists at Yale University have discovered nicotine affects genes in the womb
KIDS whose mums smoke during pregnancy have behavioural problems in later life because their brains are damaged by nicotine.
Scientists at Yale University, US, say it affects vital genes when babies are in the womb.
Their research helps to explain why children born to smoking mums are more likely to be hyperactive and have problems concentrating.
The damage may even be why so many suffer addiction problems as adults. The Yale team screened genes of mice exposed to nicotine and found those which create connections between brain cells were affected.
When nicotine was present, it flicked off a “master switch” which helps control these genes.
This reduced the rodents’ to concentrate on one thing at a time, ignoring distractions around them.
Scientists suggest the damage done early on in pregnancy could last a lifetime.
About one in eight women in England smokes while pregnant. But in some parts of the North, it is as high as one in four. Blackpool was top with almost 28 per cent in a 2014 poll.
Scientists have long known smoking in pregnancy can trigger mental and physical health problems in kids. But they did not understand how.
Researcher Dr Marina Picciotto said: “It’s exciting to find a signal that could explain the long-lasting effects of nicotine on brain cell structure and behaviour.”
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