The Promise of Discovery

Rates of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) have increased, and prenatal opioid exposure is thought to have profound effects on the developing nervous system and lead to long-term impairments in functioning, potentially including increased rates of educational and developmental disabilities. This research examines whether preschool-aged children with and without NOWS differ in neural and behavioral indicators of cognitive control and evaluates the extent to which associations between NOWS and cognitive control persist. 

VKC Researcher: Autumn Kujawa, Ph.D., assistant professor of Psychology and Human Development 

Interviewer: Courtney Taylor, M.Div., Director of Communications, Vanderbilt Kennedy Center