Elevated corticosterone levels to stress have been found in adult rats exposed prenatally to
alcohol, but little is known about the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the cortisol response
in humans. To date, one study has found that crack/cocaine was related to depressed newborn
cortisol levels following a heel prick. In the present study saliva samples were obtained before
and after a blood draw from 83 inner-city African American 13-month-old infants exposed
prenatally to alcohol, cocaine, and other illicit drugs. Post-blood draw cortisol levels did not
differ from basal levels in many of the infants, confirming recent studies indicating adaptation of
the adrenocortical response to this type of stress at this age. Maternal depression and emergence
of teeth were positively related to cortisol levels. Alcohol exposure was related to elevated basal
levels, cocaine to lower basal levels. As predicted from animal findings, heavy alcohol exposure
was related to elevated poststress cortisol levels.