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Lower resting state functional connectivity partially mediates adverse effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on
Jia Fan1,2, Keri J Woods1,2, Joseph L Jacobson3,4
1Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Insights
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) impairs number processing networks in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Reduced functional connectivity in fronto-parietal networks partially explains deficits in arithmetic performance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Radiology
Background:
- Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) encompass neurocognitive impairments from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE).
- Number processing is notably affected by PAE, impacting arithmetic skills.
- Understanding the neural basis of these deficits is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in number processing networks in children with FASD.
- To determine if functional connectivity changes mediate the impact of PAE on arithmetic abilities.
Main Methods:
- Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 57 children (38 with FASD, 19 controls).
- Performed whole-brain correlation analyses using seeds in number processing regions.
- Examined resting state functional connectivity (rsFC).
Main Results:
- Children with fetal alcohol syndrome/partial FAS (FAS/PFAS) exhibited dose-dependent reductions in rsFC.
- Significant connectivity decreases were observed between the right posterior superior parietal lobule and left inferior frontal gyrus.
- Reduced connectivity was also found between the right intraparietal sulcus and right precentral gyrus/left cerebellar lobule VI.
- Heavily exposed (HE) children showed similar, though less extensive, connectivity reductions.
- Impaired fronto-parietal connectivity partially mediated the negative effects of PAE on arithmetic performance.
Conclusions:
- PAE leads to functional connectivity impairments within number processing networks.
- Weakened connectivity between the right posterior superior parietal lobule and left inferior frontal gyrus may underlie deficits in verbal processing and visuospatial working memory.
- Reduced connectivity between the right intraparietal sulcus and right precentral gyrus suggests impaired finger-based numerical representation, impacting arithmetic skills.
Background:
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) include a range of neurocognitive and behavioral impairments resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Among the PAE-related cognitive deficits, number processing is particularly affected. This study examines alterations in number processing networks and whether changes in functional connectivity mediate the adverse effects of PAE on arithmetic performance.
Methods:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was acquired in 57 children (mean (SD) age = 11.3 (+0.9) yr), 38 with FASD (19 fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) or partial FAS (PFAS), 19 heavily exposed (HE)) and 19 controls. Whole-brain correlation analyses were performed from five seeds located in regions involved in number processing.
Results:
Children with FAS/PFAS showed dose-dependent reductions in resting state functional connectivity between the seed in the right (R) posterior superior parietal lobule and a cluster in the left (L) inferior frontal gyrus, and between a seed in the R horizontal intraparietal sulcus and clusters in the R precentral gyrus and L cerebellar lobule VI. HE children showed lower resting state functional connectivity in a subset of these regions. Lower functional connectivity in the two fronto-parietal connections partially mediated the adverse effects of PAE on arithmetic performance.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrates PAE-related functional connectivity impairments in functional networks involved in number processing. The weaker connectivity between the R posterior superior parietal lobule and the L inferior frontal gyrus suggests that impaired verbal processing and visuospatial working memory may play a role in number processing deficits, while weaker connectivity between the R intraparietal sulcus and the R precentral gyrus points to poorer finger-based numerical representation, which has been linked to arithmetic computational skills.
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