Prenatal alcohol exposure alters brain structure and neurocognitive outcomes for 6‐ to 7‐year‐old children in a South African birth cohort

This study suggests that there is persistent altered brain structural development in children with PAE, consistent with previous findings in this cohort at infancy and age 2-3 years. Cortical changes in regions known to play a role in numeracy and semantic memory mediated associations between PAE and neurocognitive deficits, highlighting clinical relevance. Efforts to prevent PAE and improve neurocognitive development in children with PAE should be implemented as early as possible after birth.