PSY BEH 101D Lecture Notes - Lecture 33: Congenital Disorder, Prenatal Development, Isotretinoin

• School: UC-Irvine
• Department: Psychology and Social Behavior
• Course: PSY BEH 101D
• Professor: Jodi Anne Quas

Document Summary

Teratogen: agent that can potentially cause a birth defect or negatively alter cognitive and behavioral outcomes. Includes drugs, incompatible blood types, environmental pollutants, infectious diseases, nutritional deficiencies, maternal stress, advanced maternal/paternal age, environmental pollutants. Teratology: field of study that investigates the causes of birth defects. Dose: the greater the dose of an agent, the greater the effect on the fetus. Genetic susceptibility: the type or severity of abnormalities caused by a teratogen is linked to the genotype of the pregnant woman & the genotype of the embryo. Ex: how a mother metabolizes a particular drug can influence the degree to which the drug effects are transmitted to the fetus. Time of exposure: teratogens do more damage at some points in development than at others. Embryonic period is more vulnerable than fetal period. Prescription drugs that can function as teratogens include antibiotics, some antidepressants, certain hormones, and accutane.