Scholar Profiles
Elisabeth Gentry
2003 - 2004 University Scholar
Mentor: Christiana Leonard
College of Medicine
"I applied to the USP to gain independent experience in a research setting and to experience the fulfillment of completing my own project. I hope to learn about my particular subject of interest in much more detail, as well as the responsibilities and procedures of psychological research."
Elisabeth graduated in December 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a business minor. She was a member of the Psi Chi psychology honors organization and a volunteer at the psychiatric unit of Shands Hospital at UF. She also served as a research assistant. She was named an Anderson Scholar and awarded the Target All-Around Scholarship.
Research Description:
The Effects of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure on Cerebellar Vermis Size and Symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
25 children with prenatal cocaine exposure and 25 children with
no prenatal drug exposure, matched for gender, socioeconomic status,
and existence of older siblings, were examined for symptoms of Attention-Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) at age 7. This data will be used in
conjunction with longitudinal behavioral data from ages 5 and/or 7.
Additionally, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the cerebellar
vermis volumes will be measured with particular interest placed on
the posterior inferior vermis, since this area has been previously
shown to be smaller in children diagnosed with ADHD.
The objective of this research project is to test two hypotheses:
is there a difference between cerebellar vermis volume in children
with prenatal cocaine exposure and children with no prenatal drug
exposure, and secondarily, does the cerebellar vermis size in conjunction
with maternal cocaine use affect the occurrence of symptoms of Attention-Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? This topic is of particular interest
since it is known that cocaine using mothers have a high rate of having
low birth weight children, and that low birth weight is associated
with ADHD. Hence, it may be postulated that children exposed to cocaine
prenatally will be at a high risk for developing symptoms of ADHD.
Additionally, posterior-inferior cerebellar vermis size has been shown
to be significantly smaller in children diagnosed with ADHD. By measuring
the volume of each child’s cerebellar vermis hopefully it can
be determined if prenatal cocaine exposure affects the size of the
vermis and in turn raises the risk for ADHD symptoms.
This study may reveal that maternal cocaine use leads to a smaller
vermis size in offspring. If so, the research may also indicate a
higher rate of symptoms of ADHD in the cocaine-exposed children. It
may also contribute to intervention programs and treatment of ADHD.
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