Abstract
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome is a set of symptoms that result from prenatal exposure to addictive drugs. This syndrome is often attributed to opiate withdrawal; yet, there is a controversy within the literature as to whether cocaine, an addictive stimulant, leads to a variant, which I term “cocaine-based Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.” In this paper, I contrast the evidence that supports the presence of cocaine withdrawal in neonates with the opposing evidence that supports its absence. I offer an intermediary explanation through the “Adaptationist View,” which attributes the supposed symptoms of cocaine infant withdrawal to the neonate adapting to extreme changes in its environment. Moreover, I introduce the Addictiveness of Cocaine Conclusion to serve as a logical means to bridge the addiction cycle with the Adaptationist view.
Recommended Citation
Cadiente, Angelo
(2020)
"The Adaptationist View: Ambiguity in Infant Withdrawal after Prenatal Cocaine Exposure,"
Locus: The Seton Hall Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 3, Article 2.
Available at:
https://scholarship.shu.edu/locus/vol3/iss1/2