Acute ethanol administration during pregnancy: effects on central dopaminergic transmission in rat offspring

The present study investigated the effect of ethanol ingestion during pregnancy on central dopaminergic function in the nervous system of the offspring. Marked changes in striatum of both binding of 3H-spiperone and the concentrations of DOPAC were found in offspring particularly when an acute dose of ethanol was administered to pregnant dams on the fourth day of pregnancy, whereas changes in the binding of 3H-5HT in cortex were not seen. Interestingly, administration of ethanol from the fourth day to the end of gestation, or only on the 13th day, caused different effects or no effect, respectively. These data suggest that alterations of dopaminergic function may be markers of teratogenic effects of ethanol, and may be related to some of the clinical symptoms appearing in children affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.