Effect of in utero exposure to antiepileptic drugs on cortical networks and neurophysiological outcomes at 6 years

AED treatment of pregnant mothers is indicated for maternal health reasons; however, the long-term neurodevelopmental effects on the offspring are poorly understood. Our present study shows that in utero exposure to AEDs causes persisting changes in the cortical activity networks, which can be measured with electroencephalography at 6 years of age. Moreover, these network changes correlate to the child's neurocognitive performance at the same age. These findings together suggest a pathway for how fetal drug exposures may cause persisting and neurocognitively meaningful changes in cortical connectivity patterns.