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A decrease in the size of the basal ganglia following prenatal alcohol exposure: a preliminary report
S N Mattson1, E P Riley, T L Jernigan
1SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology 92120.
Insights
Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause central nervous system damage. This study found reduced brain volumes, including the cerebrum and cerebellum, in children and rats exposed to alcohol before birth.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Toxicology
Background:
- Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a leading cause of preventable birth defects.
- PAE can lead to a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders, including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
- The precise structural brain alterations in individuals with PAE who do not meet full FAS criteria require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare structural brain damage in children and rats following prenatal alcohol exposure.
- To elucidate specific brain regions affected by PAE, particularly in cases not meeting full FAS diagnostic criteria.
Main Methods:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was used to assess brain structure in two children with histories of maternal alcohol abuse.
- Comparative analysis of MRI findings with two cases of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
- Assessment of caudate-putamen and ventricular areas in rats following prenatal alcohol exposure.
Main Results:
- Children with PAE showed reduced cerebrum and cerebellum volumes.
- Proportional basal ganglia volume was reduced in children, while cortical and subcortical fluid, gray matter, and diencephalic structures remained unaffected.
- In rats, prenatal alcohol exposure led to reduced caudate-putamen area and enlarged ventricles, despite no overall reduction in brain section area.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal alcohol exposure causes significant structural brain damage, affecting specific regions like the cerebrum, cerebellum, and basal ganglia.
- These findings highlight neuroanatomical changes associated with PAE, even in the absence of a full FAS diagnosis.
- Animal models provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of alcohol-induced neurodevelopmental deficits.
Abstract:
Prenatal alcohol exposure is known to cause damage to the central nervous system. This study sought to further elucidate the structural brain damage that occurs following prenatal alcohol exposure in both children and rats. Two children with histories of maternal alcohol abuse but who did not qualify for a diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), based on established criteria, underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Reduced volumes were found for the cerebrum and cerebellum. In addition, the proportional volume of the basal ganglia was reduced, although the proportional volumes of cortical and subcortical fluid, cortical gray matter, limbic and nonlimbic cortex, and diencephalic structures were unaffected. These findings are compared with our recent MRI findings in two cases of FAS. In addition, the caudate-putamen and ventricular areas were assessed in rats exposed to alcohol prenatally. Whereas the overall brain section area was not reduced in size, the area of the caudate-putamen was reduced and that of the ventricles was enlarged.