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Updated: Apr 27, 2026

The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
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The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Published on: August 5, 2017

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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and cognitive functions of young children

Ioannis Bakoyiannis, Eleana Gkioka, Vasileios Pergialiotis

    Reviews in the Neurosciences
    |July 1, 2014
    PubMed

    Insights

    Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a leading cause of mental retardation, affects nearly 1% of North American children due to prenatal ethanol exposure. This review summarizes FASD

    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience and Developmental Pediatrics
    • Public Health and Epidemiology

    Background:

    • Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a significant global cause of mental retardation, with North American prevalence around 1%.
    • Antenatal ethanol exposure leads to FASD, imposing a substantial and increasing economic burden, estimated at $4.0 billion annually in the US for patient care.
    • Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most recognized clinical presentation, but FASD encompasses a broad range of cognitive and developmental impairments.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To review the clinical manifestations of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in children and adolescents.
    • To summarize the potential pathophysiologic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying FASD.

    Main Methods:

    • Review of scientific literature focusing on pretranslational and posttranslational factors implicated in FASD.
    • Analysis of experimental animal models investigating the impact of antenatal ethanol exposure.
    • Synthesis of research on neurotransmitters, HPA axis, insulin resistance, glycosylation, oxidative stress, and epigenetics.

    Main Results:

    • Extensive research over two decades has identified numerous factors contributing to FASD-related cognitive disorders.
    • Key areas of investigation include neurotransmitter systems, hormonal regulation (HPA axis), metabolic pathways (insulin resistance), protein modification (glycosylation), and cellular stress (oxidative stress).
    • Epigenetic factors are increasingly recognized as crucial in the pathophysiology of FASD.

    Conclusions:

    • FASD presents diverse clinical symptoms, with cognitive deficits being a primary concern.
    • Multiple biological pathways, including neurobiological, metabolic, and epigenetic alterations, contribute to FASD.
    • Further research into these pathways is essential for understanding and potentially mitigating the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure.

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