Structural brain network organization in children with prenatal alcohol exposure

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is linked to cognitive deficits in children.
• Brain network alterations may underlie these neurodevelopmental challenges.
• Limited research exists on PAE's impact on brain networks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare structural brain networks in children with no PAE, T1-only PAE, and T1-T3 PAE.
• To investigate the neurobiological effects of low-to-moderate PAE timing and duration on brain connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Diffusion MRI tractography was used to construct structural brain networks.
• Three groups of children (6-8 years) were analyzed: no PAE (n=24), T1-only PAE (n=30), and T1-T3 PAE (n=36).
• Network-based statistics and centrality measures were applied at whole-brain, modular, and regional levels.

Main Results:

• Widespread brain network alterations were found in the T1-T3 PAE group compared to controls.
• No significant network alterations were observed in the T1-only PAE group.
• The T1-T3 PAE group showed reduced eigenvector centrality in a module associated with the right cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical network.

Conclusions:

• Low-to-moderate PAE throughout pregnancy can alter brain structural connectivity.
• These connectivity changes may explain neurodevelopmental deficits associated with PAE.
• The timing and duration of alcohol exposure are critical factors in PAE's impact on brain development.