In conclusion, recent advances in MRI have greatly contributed to our understanding of prenatal cocaine exposure effects on the developing human brain. Longitudinal studies with careful control of other factors (exposure to other drugs, maternal care, socio-economic status) need to be conducted on larger sample sizes. Correlations between clinical data and structural, metabolic, functional and diffusion MR images will provide further insights into the underlying pathophysiologic basis for prenatal cocaine effects on brain structure and function.
