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Candelaria-Cook FT, Schendel ME, Romero LL, Cerros C, Hill DE, Stephen JM. Sex-specific Differences in Resting Oscillatory Dynamics in Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Neuroscience 2024; 543:121-136. [PMID: 38387734 PMCID: PMC10954390 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
At rest children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) exhibit impaired static and dynamic functional connectivity, along with decreased alpha oscillations. Sex-specific information regarding the impact of PAE on whole-brain resting-state gamma spectral power remains unknown. Eyes-closed and eyes-open MEG resting-state data were examined in 83 children, ages 6-13 years of age. Using a matched design, the sample consisted of 42 typically developing children (TDC) (22 males/20 females) and 41 children with PAE and/or a fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) diagnosis (21 males/20 females). Whole-brain source resting-state spectral power was examined to determine group and sex specific relationships. Within gamma, we found sex and group specific changes such that female participants with PAE/FASD had increased gamma power when compared to female TDC and male participants with PAE/FASD. These differences were detected in most source regions analyzed during both resting-states, and were observed across the age spectrum examined. Within delta, we found sex and group specific changes such that female participants with PAE/FASD had decreased delta power when compared to female TDC and male participants with PAE/FASD. The reduced delta oscillations in female participants with PAE/FASD were detected in several source regions during eyes-closed rest and were evident at younger ages. These results indicate PAE alters neural oscillations during rest in a sex-specific manner, with females with PAE/FASD showing the largest perturbations. These results further demonstrate PAE has global effects on resting-state spectral power and connectivity, creating long-term consequences by potentially disrupting the excitation/inhibition balance in the brain, interrupting normative neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan E Schendel
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Lucinda L Romero
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Cassandra Cerros
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Dina E Hill
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Julia M Stephen
- The Mind Research Network and Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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2
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Rockhold MN, Holman PJ. Structural MRI and mental health associations in children with and without fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: Translational insights. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 48:241-245. [PMID: 38105111 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Parker J Holman
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Boschen KE, Dragicevich CJ, Fish EW, Hepperla AJ, Simon JM, Parnell SE. Gastrulation-stage alcohol exposure induces similar rates of craniofacial malformations in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Birth Defects Res 2024; 116:e2292. [PMID: 38116840 PMCID: PMC10872400 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.2292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure during gastrulation (embryonic day [E] 7 in mice, ~3rd week of human pregnancy) impairs eye, facial, and cortical development, recapitulating birth defects characteristic of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). However, it is not known whether the prevalence or severity of craniofacial features associated with FAS is affected by biological sex. METHODS The current study administered either alcohol (2.9 g/kg, two i.p. doses, 4 hr apart) or vehicle to pregnant C57BL/6J females on E7, prior to gonadal sex differentiation, and assessed fetal morphology at E17. RESULTS Whereas sex did not affect fetal size in controls, alcohol-exposed females were smaller than both control females and alcohol-treated males. Alcohol exposure increased the incidence of eye defects to a similar degree in males and females. Together, these data suggest that females might be more sensitive to the general developmental effects of alcohol, but not effects specific to the craniofacies. Whole transcriptomic analysis of untreated E7 embryos found 214 differentially expressed genes in females vs. males, including those in pathways related to cilia and mitochondria, histone demethylase activity, and pluripotency. CONCLUSION Gastrulation-stage alcohol induces craniofacial malformations in male and female mouse fetuses at similar rates and severity, though growth deficits are more prevalent females. These findings support the investigation of biological sex as a contributing factor in prenatal alcohol studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen E. Boschen
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Constance J. Dragicevich
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Eric W. Fish
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Austin J. Hepperla
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeremy M. Simon
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Scott E. Parnell
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Bake S, Rouzer SK, Mavuri S, Miranda RC, Mahnke AH. The interaction of genetic sex and prenatal alcohol exposure on health across the lifespan. Front Neuroendocrinol 2023; 71:101103. [PMID: 37802472 PMCID: PMC10922031 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can reprogram the development of cells and tissues, resulting in a spectrum of physical and neurobehavioral teratology. PAE immediately impacts fetal growth, but its effects carry forward post-parturition, into adolescence and adulthood, and can result in a cluster of disabilities, collectively termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Emerging preclinical and clinical research investigating neurological and behavioral outcomes in exposed offspring point to genetic sex as an important modifier of the effects of PAE. In this review, we discuss the literature on sex differences following PAE, with studies spanning the fetal period through adulthood, and highlight gaps in research where sex differences are likely, but currently under-investigated. Understanding how sex and PAE interact to affect offspring health outcomes across the lifespan is critical for identifying the full complement of PAE-associated secondary conditions, and for refining targeted interventions to improve the quality of life for individuals with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shameena Bake
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Siara K Rouzer
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Shruti Mavuri
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States
| | - Amanda H Mahnke
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University School of Medicine, Medical Research and Education Building I, 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX 77807-3620, United States.
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Rickman N, Mayer C, Vatolin S, Tokat C, Janampalli M, Bearer CF, MacFarlane P. Sexual dimorphic vulnerability of respiratory control in a neonatal rodent model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2023; 311:104040. [PMID: 36842727 PMCID: PMC10413443 DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2023.104040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) has been linked to numerous poor neurological outcomes as well as impairments in respiratory neural control. Females are known to metabolize ethanol (EtOH) differently than males suggesting a sexual dimorphic sensitivity to EtOH exposure. We used a rodent model of FASD to investigate whether EtOH disrupts respiratory neural control. Rat pups received a single intraperitoneal injection of 2 different doses (0.8 mg/g or 4.4 mg/g) of EtOH. Whole-body plethysmography was used ∼24 h later to assess ventilatory responses to acute hypoxia (HVR) and hypercapnia (HCVR). Females treated with 4.4 mg/g of EtOH exhibited an attenuated HVR and HCVR, but there was no effect on males, and no effect of 0.8 mg/g on either sex. There was unexpected mortality of unknown causes, especially in females, that occurred 2-3 days after EtOH administration. These data suggest that important ventilatory defense responses in females are impaired following developmental EtOH exposure, and this may be associated with increased risk of later death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Rickman
- Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Catherine Mayer
- Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Sergei Vatolin
- Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Cansu Tokat
- Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Mrinaj Janampalli
- Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Cynthia F Bearer
- Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Peter MacFarlane
- Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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Gimbel BA, Roediger DJ, Ernst AM, Anthony ME, de Water E, Rockhold MN, Mueller BA, Mattson SN, Jones KL, Riley EP, Lim KO, Wozniak JR. Atypical developmental trajectories of white matter microstructure in prenatal alcohol exposure: Preliminary evidence from neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1172010. [PMID: 37168930 PMCID: PMC10165006 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1172010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a life-long condition resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), is associated with structural brain anomalies and neurobehavioral differences. Evidence from longitudinal neuroimaging suggest trajectories of white matter microstructure maturation are atypical in PAE. We aimed to further characterize longitudinal trajectories of developmental white matter microstructure change in children and adolescents with PAE compared to typically-developing Controls using diffusion-weighted Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI). Materials and methods Participants: Youth with PAE (n = 34) and typically-developing Controls (n = 31) ages 8-17 years at enrollment. Participants underwent formal evaluation of growth and facial dysmorphology. Participants also completed two study visits (17 months apart on average), both of which involved cognitive testing and an MRI scan (data collected on a Siemens Prisma 3 T scanner). Age-related changes in the orientation dispersion index (ODI) and the neurite density index (NDI) were examined across five corpus callosum (CC) regions defined by tractography. Results While linear trajectories suggested similar overall microstructural integrity in PAE and Controls, analyses of symmetrized percent change (SPC) indicated group differences in the timing and magnitude of age-related increases in ODI (indexing the bending and fanning of axons) in the central region of the CC, with PAE participants demonstrating atypically steep increases in dispersion with age compared to Controls. Participants with PAE also demonstrated greater increases in ODI in the mid posterior CC (trend-level group difference). In addition, SPC in ODI and NDI was differentially correlated with executive function performance for PAE participants and Controls, suggesting an atypical relationship between white matter microstructure maturation and cognitive function in PAE. Discussion Preliminary findings suggest subtle atypicality in the timing and magnitude of age-related white matter microstructure maturation in PAE compared to typically-developing Controls. These findings add to the existing literature on neurodevelopmental trajectories in PAE and suggest that advanced biophysical diffusion modeling (NODDI) may be sensitive to biologically-meaningful microstructural changes in the CC that are disrupted by PAE. Findings of atypical brain maturation-behavior relationships in PAE highlight the need for further study. Further longitudinal research aimed at characterizing white matter neurodevelopmental trajectories in PAE will be important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake A. Gimbel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Donovan J. Roediger
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Abigail M. Ernst
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Mary E. Anthony
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Erik de Water
- Great Lakes Neurobehavioral Center, Edina, MN, United States
| | | | - Bryon A. Mueller
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Sarah N. Mattson
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Kenneth L. Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Edward P. Riley
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Kelvin O. Lim
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | | | - Jeffrey R. Wozniak
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, United States
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Oh SS, Kang B, Park J, Kim S, Park EC, Lee SH, Kawachi I. Racial/Ethnic Disparity in Association Between Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Alcohol Intake During Pregnancy: Multisite Retrospective Cohort Study. JMIR Public Health Surveill 2023; 9:e45358. [PMID: 37083819 PMCID: PMC10147559 DOI: 10.2196/45358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is associated with a range of adverse birth-related outcomes, including stillbirth, low birth weight, preterm birth, and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). With more than 10% of women consuming alcohol during pregnancy worldwide, it is increasingly important to understand how racial/ethnic variations affect FAS onset. However, whether race and ethnicity inform FAS risk assessment when daily ethanol intake is controlled for remains unknown. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess racial/ethnic disparities in FAS risk associated with alcohol consumption during pregnancy. METHODS We used data from a longitudinal cohort study (the Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) at 5 hospital sites around the United States of 595 women who consumed alcohol during pregnancy from 2007 to 2017. Questionnaires, in-person interviews, and reviews of medical, legal, and social service records were used to gather data on average alcoholic content (AAC) during pregnancy. Self-reports of maternal race (American Indian/Alaska Native [AI/AN], Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, Black or African American, White, more than one race, and other) and ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino or not Hispanic/Latino), as well as FAS diagnoses based on standardized dysmorphological criteria, were used for analysis. Log-binomial regression was used to examine the risk of FAS associated with each 1-gram increase in ethanol consumption during pregnancy, stratified by race/ethnicity. RESULTS A total of 3.4% (20/595) of women who reported consuming alcohol during pregnancy gave birth to a baby with FAS. Women who gave birth to a baby with FAS had a mean AAC of 32.06 (SD 9.09) grams, which was higher than that of women who did not give birth to a baby with FAS (mean 12.07, SD 15.87 grams). AI/AN mothers with FAS babies had the highest AAC (mean 42.62, SD 8.35 grams), followed by White (mean 30.13, SD 4.88 grams) and Black mothers (mean 27.05, SD 12.78 grams). White (prevalence ratio [PR] 1.10, 95% CI 1.03-1.19), Black (PR 1.13, 95% CI 1.04-1.23), and AI/AN (PR 1.10, 95% CI 1.00-1.21) mothers had 10% to 13% increased odds of giving birth to a baby with FAS given the same exposure to alcohol during pregnancy. Regardless of race, a 1-gram increase in AAC resulted in a 4% increase (PR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.07) in the chance of giving birth to a baby with ≥2 facial anomalies (ie, short palpebral fissures, thin vermilion border of the upper lip, and smooth philtrum) and a 4% increase (PR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07) in the chance of deficient brain growth. CONCLUSIONS The risk of delivering a baby with FAS was comparable among White, Black, and AI/AN women at similar levels of drinking during pregnancy. Regardless of race, a 1-gram increase in AAC resulted in increased odds of giving birth to a baby with facial anomalies or deficient brain growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Soyeon Oh
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bada Kang
- Mo-Im Kim Nursing Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Nursing, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jewel Park
- Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - SangMin Kim
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eun-Cheol Park
- Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hee Lee
- College of Nursing and Brain Korea 21 Four Project, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Ichiro Kawachi
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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Chung DD, Mahnke AH, Pinson MR, Salem NA, Lai MS, Collins NP, Hillhouse AE, Miranda RC. Sex differences in the transcriptome of extracellular vesicles secreted by fetal neural stem cells and effects of chronic alcohol exposure. Biol Sex Differ 2023; 14:19. [PMID: 37060018 PMCID: PMC10105449 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-023-00503-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol (ethanol) exposure (PAE) results in brain growth restriction, in part, by reprogramming self-renewal and maturation of fetal neural stem cells (NSCs) during neurogenesis. We recently showed that ethanol resulted in enrichment of both proteins and pro-maturation microRNAs in sub-200-nm-sized extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by fetal NSCs. Moreover, EVs secreted by ethanol-exposed NSCs exhibited diminished efficacy in controlling NSC metabolism and maturation. Here we tested the hypothesis that ethanol may also influence the packaging of RNAs into EVs from cell-of-origin NSCs. METHODS Sex-specified fetal murine iso-cortical neuroepithelia from three separate pregnancies were maintained ex vivo, as neurosphere cultures to model the early neurogenic niche. EVs were isolated by ultracentrifugation from NSCs exposed to a dose range of ethanol. RNA from paired EV and cell-of-origin NSC samples was processed for ribosomal RNA-depleted RNA sequencing. Differential expression analysis and exploratory weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified candidate genes and gene networks that were drivers of alterations to the transcriptome of EVs relative to cells. RESULTS The RNA content of EVs differed significantly from cell-of-origin NSCs. Biological sex contributed to unique transcriptome variance in EV samples, where > 75% of the most variant transcripts were also sex-variant in EVs but not in cell-of-origin NSCs. WGCNA analysis also identified sex-dependent enrichment of pathways, including dopamine receptor binding and ectoderm formation in female EVs and cell-substrate adhesion in male EVs, with the top significant DEGs from differential analysis of overall individual gene expressions, i.e., Arhgap15, enriched in female EVs, and Cenpa, enriched in male EVs, also serving as WCGNA hub genes of sex-biased EV WGCNA clusters. In addition to the baseline RNA content differences, ethanol exposure resulted in a significant dose-dependent change in transcript expression in both EVs and cell-of-origin NSCs that predominantly altered sex-invariant RNAs. Moreover, at the highest dose, ~ 73% of significantly altered RNAs were enriched in EVs, but depleted in NSCs. CONCLUSIONS The EV transcriptome is distinctly different from, and more sex-variant than, the transcriptome of cell-of-origin NSCs. Ethanol, a common teratogen, results in dose-dependent sorting of RNA transcripts from NSCs to EVs which may reprogram the EV-mediated endocrine environment during neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dae D Chung
- School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Research and Education, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Building 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807-3260, USA
| | - Amanda H Mahnke
- School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Research and Education, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Building 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807-3260, USA
- Women's Health in Neuroscience, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Marisa R Pinson
- School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Research and Education, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Building 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807-3260, USA
| | - Nihal A Salem
- School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Research and Education, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Building 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807-3260, USA
| | - Michael S Lai
- School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Research and Education, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Building 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807-3260, USA
| | - Natalie P Collins
- School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Research and Education, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Building 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807-3260, USA
| | - Andrew E Hillhouse
- Texas A&M Institute for Genome Sciences and Society, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Medical Research and Education, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Building 8447 Riverside Parkway, Bryan, TX, 77807-3260, USA.
- Women's Health in Neuroscience, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA.
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Basavarajappa BS, Subbanna S. Synaptic Plasticity Abnormalities in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Cells 2023; 12:442. [PMID: 36766783 PMCID: PMC9913617 DOI: 10.3390/cells12030442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain's ability to strengthen or weaken synaptic connections is often termed synaptic plasticity. It has been shown to function in brain remodeling following different types of brain damage (e.g., drugs of abuse, alcohol use disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammatory conditions). Although synaptic plasticity mechanisms have been extensively studied, how neural plasticity can influence neurobehavioral abnormalities in alcohol use disorders (AUDs) is far from being completely understood. Alcohol use during pregnancy and its harmful effects on the developing offspring are major public health, social, and economic challenges. The significant attribute of prenatal alcohol exposure on offspring is damage to the central nervous system (CNS), causing a range of synaptic structural, functional, and behavioral impairments, collectively called fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Although the synaptic mechanisms in FASD are limited, emerging evidence suggests that FASD pathogenesis involves altering a set of molecules involved in neurotransmission, myelination, and neuroinflammation. These studies identify several immediate and long-lasting changes using many molecular approaches that are essential for synaptic plasticity and cognitive function. Therefore, they can offer potential synaptic targets for the many neurobehavioral abnormalities observed in FASD. In this review, we discuss the substantial research progress in different aspects of synaptic and molecular changes that can shed light on the mechanism of synaptic dysfunction in FASD. Increasing our understanding of the synaptic changes in FASD will significantly advance our knowledge and could provide a basis for finding novel therapeutic targets and innovative treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balapal S. Basavarajappa
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
- Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology Area, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Shivakumar Subbanna
- Center for Dementia Research, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY 10962, USA
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Brosolo M, Lecointre M, Laquerrière A, Janin F, Genty D, Lebon A, Lesueur C, Vivien D, Marret S, Marguet F, Gonzalez BJ. In utero alcohol exposure impairs vessel-associated positioning and differentiation of oligodendrocytes in the developing neocortex. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 171:105791. [PMID: 35760273 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a major cause of nongenetic mental retardation and can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), the most severe manifestation of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASD infants present behavioral disabilities resulting from neurodevelopmental defects. Both grey and white matter lesions have been characterized and are associated with apoptotic death and/or ectopic migration profiles. In the last decade, it was shown that PAE impairs brain angiogenesis, and the radial organization of cortical microvessels is lost. Concurrently, several studies have reported that tangential migration of oligodendrocyte precursors (OPCs) originating from ganglionic eminences is vascular associated. Because numerous migrating oligodendrocytes enter the developing neocortex, the present study aimed to determine whether migrating OPCs interacted with radial cortical microvessels and whether alcohol-induced vascular impairments were associated with altered positioning and differentiation of cortical oligodendrocytes. Using a 3D morphometric analysis, the results revealed that in both human and mouse cortices, 15 to 40% of Olig2-positive cells were in close association with radial cortical microvessels, respectively. Despite perinatal vascular disorganization, PAE did not modify the vessel association of Olig2-positive cells but impaired their positioning between deep and superficial cortical layers. At the molecular level, PAE markedly but transiently reduced the expression of CNPase and MBP, two differentiation markers of immature and mature oligodendrocytes. In particular, PAE inverted their distribution profiles in cortical layers V and VI and reduced the thickness of the myelin sheath of efferent axons. These perinatal oligo-vascular defects were associated with motor disabilities that persisted in adults. Altogether, the present study provides the first evidence that Olig2-positive cells entering the neocortex are associated with radial microvessels. PAE disorganized the cortical microvasculature and delayed the positioning and differentiation of oligodendrocytes. Although most of these oligovascular defects occurred in perinatal life, the offspring developed long-term motor troubles. Altogether, these data suggest that alcohol-induced oligo-vascular impairments contribute to the neurodevelopmental issues described in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Brosolo
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, F 76000 Rouen, France
| | - M Lecointre
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, F 76000 Rouen, France
| | - A Laquerrière
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, F 76000 Rouen, France; Department of Pathology, Rouen University Hospital, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - F Janin
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, F 76000 Rouen, France
| | - D Genty
- Department of Pathology, Rouen University Hospital, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - A Lebon
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM US 51, CNRS UAR 2026, HeRacLeS-PRIMACEN, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - C Lesueur
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, F 76000 Rouen, France
| | - D Vivien
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, INSERM UMR-S U1237, Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders (PhIND), GIP Cyceron, Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie (BB@C), 14000 Caen, France; Department of Clinical Research, Caen-Normandie University Hospital, CHU, Avenue de la côte de Nacre, Caen, France
| | - S Marret
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, F 76000 Rouen, France; Department of Neonatal Pediatrics and Intensive Care, Rouen University Hospital, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - F Marguet
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, F 76000 Rouen, France; Department of Pathology, Rouen University Hospital, 76000 Rouen, France
| | - B J Gonzalez
- Normandie Univ, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, Normandy Centre for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, F 76000 Rouen, France.
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11
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Bedi YS, Wang H, Thomas KN, Basel A, Prunier J, Robert C, Golding MC. Alcohol induced increases in sperm Histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation correlate with increased placental CTCF occupancy and altered developmental programming. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8839. [PMID: 35614060 PMCID: PMC9130987 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12188-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a mouse model, studies by our group reveal that paternal preconception alcohol intake affects offspring fetal-placental growth, with long-lasting consequences on adult metabolism. Here, we tested the hypothesis that chronic preconception male alcohol exposure impacts histone enrichment in sperm and that these changes are associated with altered developmental programming in the placenta. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we find alcohol-induced increases in sperm histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) that map to promoters and presumptive enhancer regions enriched in genes driving neurogenesis and craniofacial development. Given the colocalization of H3K4me3 with the chromatin binding factor CTCF across both sperm and embryos, we next examined CTCF localization in the placenta. We find global changes in CTCF binding within placentae derived from the male offspring of alcohol-exposed sires. Furthermore, altered CTCF localization correlates with dysregulated gene expression across multiple gene clusters; however, these transcriptional changes only occur in male offspring. Finally, we identified a correlation between genomic regions exhibiting alcohol-induced increases in sperm H3K4me3 and increased CTCF binding in male placentae. Collectively, our analysis demonstrates that the chromatin landscape of sperm is sensitive to chronic alcohol exposure and that a subset of these affected regions exhibits increased placental CTCF enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudhishtar S Bedi
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Haiqing Wang
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Kara N Thomas
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Alison Basel
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Julien Prunier
- Genomics Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Québec-Université Laval Research Center, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Claude Robert
- Département des Sciences Animales, Faculté des Sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Michael C Golding
- Department of Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 4466 TAMU, College Station, TX, 77843, USA.
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12
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Kar P, Reynolds JE, Gibbard WB, McMorris C, Tortorelli C, Lebel C. Trajectories of brain white matter development in young children with prenatal alcohol exposure. Hum Brain Mapp 2022; 43:4145-4157. [PMID: 35596624 PMCID: PMC9374879 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with alterations to brain white matter microstructure. Previous studies of PAE have demonstrated different findings in young children compared to older children and adolescents, suggesting altered developmental trajectories and highlighting the need for longitudinal research. 122 datasets in 54 children with PAE (27 males) and 196 datasets in 89 children without PAE (45 males) were included in this analysis. Children underwent diffusion tensor imaging between 2 and 8 years of age, returning approximately every 6 months. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were obtained for 10 major brain white matter tracts and examined for age-related changes using linear mixed effects models with age, sex, group (PAE vs. control) and an age-by-group interaction. Children with PAE had slower decreases of MD over time in the genu of the corpus callosum, inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and uncinate fasciculus. No significant age-by-group interactions were noted for FA. These findings show slower white matter development in young children with PAE than in unexposed controls. This connects previous cross-sectional findings of lower MD in young children with PAE to findings of higher MD in older children and adolescents with PAE, and further helps to understand brain development in children with PAE. This deviation from typical development trajectories may reflect altered brain plasticity, which has implications for cognitive and behavioral learning in children with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Kar
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jess E Reynolds
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - William Ben Gibbard
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carly McMorris
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Catherine Lebel
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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13
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Michels L, Moisa M, Stämpfli P, Hirsiger S, Baumgartner MR, Surbeck W, Seifritz E, Quednow BB. The impact of levamisole and alcohol on white matter microstructure in adult chronic cocaine users. Addict Biol 2022; 27:e13149. [PMID: 35394690 PMCID: PMC9287079 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Previous brain imaging studies with chronic cocaine users (CU) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) mostly focused on fractional anisotropy to investigate white matter (WM) integrity. However, a quantitative interpretation of fractional anisotropy (FA) alterations is often impeded by the inherent limitations of the underlying tensor model. A more fine-grained measure of WM alterations could be achieved by measuring fibre density (FD). This study investigates this novel DTI metric comparing 23 chronic CU and 32 healthy subjects. Quantitative hair analysis was used to determine intensity of cocaine and levamisole exposure-a cocaine adulterant with putative WM neurotoxicity. We first assessed the impact of cocaine use, levamisole exposure and alcohol use on group differences in WM integrity. Compared with healthy controls, all models revealed cortical reductions of FA and FD in CU. At the within-patient group level, we found that alcohol use and levamisole exposure exhibited regionally different FA and FD alterations than cocaine use. We found mostly negative correlations of tract-based WM associated with levamisole and weekly alcohol use. Specifically, levamisole exposure was linked with stronger WM reductions in the corpus callosum than alcohol use. Cocaine use duration correlated negatively with FA and FD in some regions. Yet, most of these correlations did not survive a correction for multiple testing. Our results suggest that chronic cocaine use, levamisole exposure and alcohol use were all linked to significant WM impairments in CU. We conclude that FD could be a sensitive marker to detect the impact of the use of multiple substances on WM integrity in cocaine but also other substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Michels
- Department of NeuroradiologyUniversity Hospital ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Neuroscience Center ZurichUniversity of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Marius Moisa
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of NeuroeconomicsUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Philipp Stämpfli
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and PsychosomaticsPsychiatric Hospital of the University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Sarah Hirsiger
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and PsychosomaticsPsychiatric Hospital of the University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Markus R. Baumgartner
- Center of Forensic Hair Analytics, Institute of Forensic MedicineUniversity of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Werner Surbeck
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and PsychosomaticsPsychiatric Hospital of the University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Neuroscience Center ZurichUniversity of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and PsychosomaticsPsychiatric Hospital of the University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Boris B. Quednow
- Neuroscience Center ZurichUniversity of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and PsychosomaticsPsychiatric Hospital of the University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
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14
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Carugati M, Goodlett CR, Cudd TA, Washburn SE. The effects of gestational choline supplementation on cerebellar Purkinje cell number in the sheep model of binge alcohol exposure during the first trimester-equivalent. Alcohol 2022; 100:11-21. [PMID: 35114358 PMCID: PMC8983574 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) incur enduring brain damage and neurodevelopmental impairments from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Preclinical rodent models have demonstrated that choline supplementation during development can reduce the severity of adverse neurodevelopmental consequences of PAE. This study used the sheep model to evaluate dietary choline supplementation during pregnancy as a therapeutic intervention, testing the hypothesis that choline can ameliorate alcohol-induced cerebellar Purkinje cell loss. Pregnant ewes were randomly assigned either to a normal control [NC] group (n = 8), or to groups given intravenous infusions of alcohol (or saline) from gestational days 4-41 (the first trimester-equivalent). A weekly binge-drinking pattern was modeled, with three consecutive days of infusions of saline [SAL], 1.75 g/kg/day alcohol [1.75ALC], or 2.5 g/kg/day alcohol [2.5ALC] followed by four days off. Infused ewes were randomly assigned to receive dietary supplements throughout pregnancy of choline (10 mg/kg/day) or placebo (n = 8 per group). Mean blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) were significantly higher in the 2.5ALC groups (287 mg/dL) than the 1.75ALC groups (197 mg/dL). Lamb cerebella were harvested on postnatal day 180 and processed for stereological counts of Purkinje cells. Both alcohol doses caused significant reductions in Purkinje number relative to NC and SAL-Placebo groups, confirming previous findings. Effects of choline supplementation depended on infusion group: it significantly protected against Purkinje cell loss in the 2.5ALC group, had no effect in the 1.75ALC group, and significantly reduced numbers in the SAL-Choline group (though neither the SAL-Choline nor the SAL-Placebo group differed from the NC group). The protection by choline evident only in the 2.5ALC group suggests that multiple, BAC-dependent mechanisms of cerebellar damage may be activated with alcohol exposure in the first trimester, and that choline may protect against pathogenic mechanisms that emerge at higher BACs. These outcomes extend the evidence that early choline supplementation can mitigate some neurodevelopmental defects resulting from binge-like PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Carugati
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology and Michael E. DeBakey Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, United States
| | - Charles R Goodlett
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
| | - Timothy A Cudd
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology and Michael E. DeBakey Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, United States
| | - Shannon E Washburn
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology and Michael E. DeBakey Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, United States.
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15
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Moore EM, Xia Y. Neurodevelopmental Trajectories Following Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 15:695855. [PMID: 35058760 PMCID: PMC8763806 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.695855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) interferes with neurodevelopment. The brain is particularly susceptible to the adverse consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure, and numerous studies have documented changes to brain anatomy and function, as well as consequences for cognition, behavior, and mental health. Studies in typically developing individuals have shown that the brain undergoes dynamic developmental processes over an individual’s lifespan. Furthermore, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in other neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders have shown that their developmental trajectories differ from the typical pattern. Therefore, to understand long-term clinical outcomes of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), it is necessary to investigate changes in neurodevelopmental trajectories in this population. Here we review studies that have used MRI to evaluate changes in brain structure and function over time via cross-sectional or longitudinal methods in individuals with PAE. Research demonstrates that individuals with PAE have atypical cortical and white matter microstructural developmental trajectories through childhood and adolescence. More research is needed to understand how factors such as sex and postnatal experiences may further mediate these trajectories. Furthermore, nothing is known about the trajectories beyond young adulthood.
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16
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Lussier AA, Bodnar TS, Moksa M, Hirst M, Kobor MS, Weinberg J. Prenatal Adversity Alters the Epigenetic Profile of the Prefrontal Cortex: Sexually Dimorphic Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Food-Related Stress. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12111773. [PMID: 34828381 PMCID: PMC8622940 DOI: 10.3390/genes12111773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal adversity or stress can have long-term consequences on developmental trajectories and health outcomes. Although the biological mechanisms underlying these effects are poorly understood, epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, have the potential to link early-life environments to alterations in physiological systems, with long-term functional implications. We investigated the consequences of two prenatal insults, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and food-related stress, on DNA methylation profiles of the rat brain during early development. As these insults can have sex-specific effects on biological outcomes, we analyzed epigenome-wide DNA methylation patterns in prefrontal cortex, a key brain region involved in cognition, executive function, and behavior, of both males and females. We found sex-dependent and sex-concordant influences of these insults on epigenetic patterns. These alterations occurred in genes and pathways related to brain development and immune function, suggesting that PAE and food-related stress may reprogram neurobiological/physiological systems partly through central epigenetic changes, and may do so in a sex-dependent manner. Such epigenetic changes may reflect the sex-specific effects of prenatal insults on long-term functional and health outcomes and have important implications for understanding possible mechanisms underlying fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre A. Lussier
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Correspondence: (A.A.L.); (J.W.)
| | - Tamara S. Bodnar
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada;
| | - Michelle Moksa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; (M.M.); (M.H.)
| | - Martin Hirst
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; (M.M.); (M.H.)
- Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4S6, Canada
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada;
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
- Program in Child and Brain Development, CIFAR, MaRS Centre, West Tower, 661 University Ave., Suite 505, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada;
- Correspondence: (A.A.L.); (J.W.)
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17
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Kar P, Reynolds JE, Grohs MN, Gibbard WB, McMorris C, Tortorelli C, Lebel C. White matter alterations in young children with prenatal alcohol exposure. Dev Neurobiol 2021; 81:400-410. [PMID: 33829663 DOI: 10.1002/dneu.22821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can lead to cognitive, behavioural, and social-emotional challenges. Previous neuroimaging research has identified structural brain alterations in newborns, older children, adolescents, and adults with PAE; however, little is known about brain structure in young children. Extensive brain development occurs during early childhood; therefore, understanding the neurological profiles of young children with PAE is critical for early identification and effective intervention. We studied 54 children (5.21 ± 1.11 years; 27 males) with confirmed PAE (94% also had other prenatal exposures, 74% had adverse postnatal experiences) compared with 54 age- and sex-matched children without PAE. Children underwent diffusion tensor imaging between 2 and 7 years of age. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were obtained for 10 major white matter tracts. Univariate analyses of covariance were used to test group differences (PAE vs. control) controlling for age and sex. The PAE group had higher FA in the genu of the corpus callosum and lower MD in the bilateral uncinate fasciculus. The PAE group also had lower tract volume in the corpus callosum, the bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculi, and the right superior longitudinal fasciculus. Our findings align with studies of newborns with PAE reporting lower diffusivity, but contrast those in older populations with PAE, which consistently report lower FA and higher MD. Further research is needed to understand trajectories of white matter development and how our results of higher FA/lower MD in young children connect with lower FA/higher MD observed at older ages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Preeti Kar
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jess E Reynolds
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Melody N Grohs
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - W Ben Gibbard
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Carly McMorris
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | | | - Catherine Lebel
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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18
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Gustus K, Li L, Newville J, Cunningham LA. Functional and Structural Correlates of Impaired Enrichment-Mediated Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in a Mouse Model of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Brain Plast 2020; 6:67-82. [PMID: 33680847 PMCID: PMC7902980 DOI: 10.3233/bpl-200112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are associated with a wide range of cognitive deficiencies. Objective: We previously
found that gestational exposure to moderate levels of alcohol in mice throughout the 1st-2nd human trimester-equivalents
for brain development results in profound impairment of the hippocampal neurogenic response to enriched environment
(EE) in adulthood, without altering baseline neurogenesis rate under standard housing (SH). However, the functional and
structural consequences of impaired EE-mediated neurogenesis in the context of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have
not been determined. Results: Here, we demonstrate that PAE-EE mice display impaired performance on a neurogenesis-dependent
pattern discrimination task, broadened behavioral activation of the dentate gyrus, as assessed by expression of the immediate
early gene, c-Fos, and impaired dendritic branching of adult-generated dentate granule cells (aDGCs). Conclusions: These studies further underscore the impact of moderate gestational alcohol exposure on adult hippocampal plasticity and support adult hippocampal neurogenesis as a potential therapeutic target to remediate certain neurological outcomes in FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kymberly Gustus
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jessie Newville
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Lee Anna Cunningham
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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19
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Candelaria-Cook FT, Schendel ME, Flynn L, Hill DE, Stephen JM. Altered Resting-State Neural Oscillations and Spectral Power in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 45:117-130. [PMID: 33164218 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Consumption of alcohol during pregnancy impacts fetal development and may lead to a variety of physical, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities in childhood collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). The FASD spectrum includes children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), partial fetal alcohol syndrome (pFAS), and alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND). Children with a FASD or prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have impaired white matter, reduced structural volumes, impaired resting-state functional connectivity when measured with fMRI, and spectral hypersynchrony as infants. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) provides high temporal resolution and good spatial precision for examining spectral power and connectivity patterns unique from fMRI. The impact of PAE on MEG resting-state spectral power in children remains unknown. METHODS We collected 2 minutes of eyes-open and eyes-closed resting-state data in 51 children (8 to 12 years of age) with 3 subgroups included: 10 ARND/PAE, 15 FAS/pFAS, and 26 controls (TDC). MEG data were collected on the Elekta Neuromag system. The following spectral metrics were compared between subgroups: power, normalized power, half power, 95% power, and Shannon spectral entropy (SSE). MEG spectral data were correlated with behavioral measures. RESULTS Our results indicate children with FAS/pFAS had reduced spectral power and normalized power, particularly within the alpha frequency band in sensor parietal and source superior parietal and lateral occipital regions, along with elevated half power, 95% power, and SSE. We also found select hemisphere specific effects further indicating reduced corpus callosum connectivity in children with a FASD. Interestingly, while the ARND/PAE subgroup had significant differences from the FAS/pFAS subgroup, in many cases spectral data were not significantly different from TDC. CONCLUSIONS Our results were consistent with previous studies and provide new insight into resting-state oscillatory differences both between children with FAS and TDC, and within FASD subgroups. Further understanding of these resting-state variations and their impact on cognitive function may help provide early targets for intervention and enhance outcomes for individuals with a FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan E Schendel
- From the, The Mind Research Network, (FTC, MES, LF, JMS), Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Lucinda Flynn
- From the, The Mind Research Network, (FTC, MES, LF, JMS), Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Dina E Hill
- Psychiatry, (DH), University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Julia M Stephen
- From the, The Mind Research Network, (FTC, MES, LF, JMS), Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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20
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Roselli V, Guo C, Huang D, Wen D, Zona D, Liang T, Ma YY. Prenatal alcohol exposure reduces posterior dorsomedial striatum excitability and motivation in a sex- and age-dependent fashion. Neuropharmacology 2020; 180:108310. [PMID: 32950559 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE)-induced clinical symptoms have been widely reported but effective treatments are not yet available due to our limited knowledge of the neuronal mechanisms underlying behavioral outputs. Operant behaviors, including both goal-directed and habitual actions, are essential for everyday life. The dorsomedial striatum (DMS) and the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) have been identified as mediating each type of instrumental behavior, respectively. The current studies were designed to evaluate the effects of PAE (i.e., 3 g/kg, twice a day on gestational days 17-20) on goal-directed vs. habitual behaviors in both females and males during their adolescent and adult stages. We found that PAE-treated adult, but not adolescent, males display similar habitual oral sucrose self-administration but reduced goal-directed sucrose self-administration, compared to those treated by prenatal control (water) exposure (PCE). There were no differences in either habitual or goal-directed sucrose taking between PCE- vs. PAE-treated adolescent and adult females. These results indicate sex- and age-specific effects of PAE on operant behaviors. Further, whole-cell patch clamp recordings showed that the excitability of medium-sized spiny neurons (MSNs) in the posterior DMS (pDMS), but not the anterior DMS (aDMS), was significantly decreased in PAE-treated adult male rats. Notably, chemogenetic enhancement of MSN excitability in the pDMS by the DREADD agonist, compound 21, rescued the motivation of PAE-treated male adult rats. These data suggest that the pDMS may be a key neuronal substrate mediating the PAE-induced low motivation in male adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Roselli
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Changyong Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Donald Huang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Di Wen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Daniel Zona
- Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Tiebing Liang
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA
| | - Yao-Ying Ma
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA; Department of Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA; Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
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21
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An interaction between fetal sex and placental weight and efficiency predicts intrauterine growth in response to maternal protein insufficiency and gestational exposure window in a mouse model of FASD. Biol Sex Differ 2020; 11:40. [PMID: 32690098 PMCID: PMC7372829 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-020-00320-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individuals exposed to gestational stressors such as alcohol exhibit a spectrum of growth patterns, suggesting individualized responses to the stressors. We hypothesized that intrauterine growth responses to gestational alcohol are modified not only by the stressor's severity but by fetal sex and the placenta's adaptive capacity. METHODS Pregnant C57BL/6J mice were assigned to one of three groups. Group 1 consumed a normal protein diet (18% protein by weight) and received 4.5 g alcohol/kg body weight (NP-Alc-8) or isocaloric maltodextrin (NP-MD-8) daily from embryonic day (E) 8.5-E17.5. Group 2 consumed the same diet but received alcohol (NP-Alc-13) or maltodextrin (NP-MD-13) daily from E13.5-E17.5. Group 3 consumed the same diet but containing a lower protein content (12% protein by weight) from E0.5 and also received alcohol (LP-Alc-8) or maltodextrin (LP-MD-8) daily from E8.5-E17.5. Maternal, placental, and fetal outcomes were assessed on E17.5 using 2-way ANOVA or mixed linear model. RESULTS We found that intrauterine growth differed in the alcohol-exposed fetuses depending on sex and insult severity. Both NP-Alc-8 (vs. NP-MD-8) males and females had lower body weight and asymmetrical growth, but only NP-Alc-8 females had lower placental weight (P < 0.05). NP-Alc-13 (vs. NP-MD-13) females, but not their male littermates, had lower body weight (P = 0.019). Alcohol exposure beginning from E8.5 (vs. E13.5) decreased the ratio of fetal liver-to-body weight and increased the ratio of fetal brain-to-liver weight in both sexes (P < 0.05). LP-Alc-8 (vs. NP-MD-8) group had smaller litter size (P = 0.048), but the survivors had normal placental and body weight at E17.5. Nevertheless, LP-Alc-8 fetuses still showed asymmetrical growth. Correlation analyses reveal a relationship between litter size and placental outcomes, which were related to fetal outcomes in a sex-dependent manner, suggesting that the placenta may mediate the consequence of LP-Alc-altered litter size on fetal development. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that the placenta is strongly involved in the fetal stress response and adapts in a sex-dependent fashion to support fetal development under the alcohol stressor. These variables may further influence the spectrum of intrauterine growth outcomes observed in those diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
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Gano A, Prestia L, Middleton FA, Youngentob SL, Ignacio C, Deak T. Gene expression profiling reveals a lingering effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on inflammatory-related genes during adolescence and adulthood. Cytokine 2020; 133:155126. [PMID: 32505093 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2020.155126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) exerts devastating effects on the Central Nervous System (CNS), which vary as a function of both ethanol load and gestational age of exposure. A growing body of evidence suggests that alcohol exposure profoundly impacts a wide range of cytokines and other inflammation-related genes in the CNS. The olfactory system serves as a critical interface between infectious/inflammatory signals and other aspects of CNS function, and demonstrates long-lasting plasticity in response to alcohol exposure. We therefore utilized transcriptome profiling to identify gene expression patterns for immune-related gene families in the olfactory bulb of Long Evans rats. Pregnant dams received either an ad libitum liquid diet containing 35% daily calories from ethanol (ET), a pair-fed diet (PF) matched for caloric content, or free choice (FCL) access to the liquid diet and water from Gestational Day (GD) 11-20. Offspring were fostered to dams fed the FCL diet, weaned on P21, and then housed with same-sex littermates until mid-adolescence (P40) or young adulthood (P90). At the target ages of P40 or P90, offspring were euthanized via brief CO2 exposure and brains/blood were collected. Gene expression analysis was performed using a Rat Gene 1.0 ST Array (Affymetrix), and preliminary analyses focused on two moderately overlapping gene clusters, including all immune-related genes and those related to neuroinflammation. A total of 146 genes were significantly affected by prenatal Diet condition, whereas the factor of Age (P40 vs P90) revealed 998 genes significantly changed, and the interaction between Diet and Age yielded 162 significant genes. From this dataset, we applied a threshold of 1.3-fold change (30% increase or decrease in expression) for inclusion in later analyses. Findings indicated that in adolescents, few genes were altered by PAE, whereas adults displayed an increase of a wide range of gene upregulation as a result of PAE. Pathway analysis predicted an increase in Nf-κB activation in adolescence and a decrease in adulthood due to prenatal ethanol exposure, indicating age-specific and long-lasting alterations to immune signaling. These data may provide important insight into the relationship between immune-related signaling cascades and long-term changes in olfactory bulb function after PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anny Gano
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), USA; Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Laura Prestia
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), USA; SUNY-Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Frank A Middleton
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), USA; SUNY-Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Steven L Youngentob
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), USA; University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Cherry Ignacio
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), USA; Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA; SUNY-Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
| | - Terrence Deak
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center (DEARC), USA; Binghamton University-SUNY, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA.
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23
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Ho TC, Colich NL, Sisk LM, Oskirko K, Jo B, Gotlib IH. Sex differences in the effects of gonadal hormones on white matter microstructure development in adolescence. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 42:100773. [PMID: 32452463 PMCID: PMC7058897 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is characterized by rapid brain development in white matter (WM) that is attributed in part to surges in gonadal hormones. To date, however, there have been few longitudinal investigations relating changes in gonadal hormones and WM development in adolescents. We acquired diffusion-weighted MRI to estimate mean fractional anisotropy (FA) from 10 WM tracts and salivary testosterone from 51 females and 29 males (ages 9-14 years) who were matched on pubertal stage and followed, on average, for 2 years. We tested whether interactions between sex and changes in testosterone levels significantly explained changes in FA. We found positive associations between changes in testosterone and changes in FA within the corpus callosum, cingulum cingulate, and corticospinal tract in females (all ps<0.05, corrected) and non-significant associations in males. We also collected salivary estradiol from females and found that increases in estradiol were associated with increases in FA in the left uncinate fasciculus (p = 0.04, uncorrected); however, this effect was no longer significant after accounting for changes in testosterone. Our findings indicate there are sex differences in how changes in testosterone relate to changes in WM microstructure of tracts that support impulse control and emotion regulation across the pubertal transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany C Ho
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, CA, United States; Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, CA, United States; University of California, San Francisco, Department of Psychiatry & Weill Institute for Neurosciences, San Francisco, CA, United States.
| | - Natalie L Colich
- University of Washington, Department of Psychology, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Lucinda M Sisk
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, CA, United States; Yale University, Department of Psychology, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Kira Oskirko
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Booil Jo
- Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Ian H Gotlib
- Stanford University, Department of Psychology, Stanford, CA, United States
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24
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Gender differences in the addiction to social networks in the Southern Spanish university students. TELEMATICS AND INFORMATICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tele.2019.101304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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25
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Giatti S, Diviccaro S, Serafini MM, Caruso D, Garcia-Segura LM, Viviani B, Melcangi RC. Sex differences in steroid levels and steroidogenesis in the nervous system: Physiopathological role. Front Neuroendocrinol 2020; 56:100804. [PMID: 31689419 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The nervous system, in addition to be a target for steroid hormones, is the source of a variety of neuroactive steroids, which are synthesized and metabolized by neurons and glial cells. Recent evidence indicates that the expression of neurosteroidogenic proteins and enzymes and the levels of neuroactive steroids are different in the nervous system of males and females. We here summarized the state of the art of neuroactive steroids, particularly taking in consideration sex differences occurring in the synthesis and levels of these molecules. In addition, we discuss the consequences of sex differences in neurosteroidogenesis for the function of the nervous system under healthy and pathological conditions and the implications of neuroactive steroids and neurosteroidogenesis for the development of sex-specific therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Giatti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Diviccaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Melania Maria Serafini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Donatella Caruso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Luis Miguel Garcia-Segura
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Barbara Viviani
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Roberto C Melcangi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
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26
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Aparicio-Martinez P, Perea-Moreno AJ, Martinez-Jimenez MP, Redel-Macías MD, Pagliari C, Vaquero-Abellan M. Social Media, Thin-Ideal, Body Dissatisfaction and Disordered Eating Attitudes: An Exploratory Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:ijerph16214177. [PMID: 31671857 PMCID: PMC6861923 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Disordered eating attitudes are rapidly increasing, especially among young women in their twenties. These disordered behaviours result from the interaction of several factors, including beauty ideals. A significant factor is social media, by which the unrealistic beauty ideals are popularized and may lead to these behaviours. The objectives of this study were, first, to determine the relationship between disordered eating behaviours among female university students and sociocultural factors, such as the use of social network sites, beauty ideals, body satisfaction, body image and the body image desired to achieve and, second, to determine whether there is a sensitive relationship between disordered eating attitudes, addiction to social networks, and testosterone levels as a biological factor. The data (N = 168) was obtained using validated surveys (EAT-26, BSQ, CIPE-a, SNSA) and indirect measures of prenatal testosterone. The data was analysed using chi-square, Student’s t-test, correlation tests and logistic regression tests. The results showed that disordered eating attitudes were linked to self-esteem (p < 0.001), body image (p < 0.001), body desired to achieve (p < 0.001), the use of social media (p < 0.001) and prenatal testosterone (p < 0.01). The findings presented in this study suggest a relationship between body image, body concerns, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating attitudes among college women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Aparicio-Martinez
- Departamento de Enfermería, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Menéndez Pidal, 1470 Córdoba, Spain.
- Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK.
- Grupo Investigación epidemiológica en Atención primaria (GC-12) del Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno
- Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Córdoba, ceiA3, Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | | | - María Dolores Redel-Macías
- Departamento Ingeniería Rural, Ed Leonardo da Vinci, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario, ceiA3, 1470 Cordoba, Spain.
| | - Claudia Pagliari
- eHealth Research Group, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK.
| | - Manuel Vaquero-Abellan
- Grupo Investigación epidemiológica en Atención primaria (GC-12) del Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
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27
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Crenshaw BJ, Kumar S, Bell CR, Jones LB, Williams SD, Saldanha SN, Joshi S, Sahu R, Sims B, Matthews QL. Alcohol Modulates the Biogenesis and Composition of Microglia-Derived Exosomes. BIOLOGY 2019; 8:biology8020025. [PMID: 31035566 PMCID: PMC6627924 DOI: 10.3390/biology8020025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that have emerged as an important tool for intercellular communication. In the central nervous system, exosomes can mediate glia and neuronal communication. Once released from the donor cell, exosomes can act as discrete vesicles and travel to distant and proximal recipient cells to alter cellular function. Microglia cells secrete exosomes due to stress stimuli of alcohol abuse. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of alcohol exposure on the biogenesis and composition of exosomes derived from microglia cell line BV-2. The BV-2 cells were cultured in exosome-free media and were either mock treated (control) or treated with 50 mM or 100 mM of alcohol for 48 and 72 h. Our results demonstrated that alcohol significantly impacted BV-2 cell morphology, viability, and protein content. Most importantly, our studies revealed that exosome biogenesis and composition was affected by alcohol treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brennetta J Crenshaw
- Microbiology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA.
| | - Sanjay Kumar
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Division of Neonatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Courtnee' R Bell
- Microbiology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA.
| | - Leandra B Jones
- Microbiology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA.
| | - Sparkle D Williams
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Division of Neonatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Sabita N Saldanha
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA.
| | - Sameer Joshi
- Center for Nanobiotechnology Research (CNBR), Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA.
| | - Rajnish Sahu
- Center for Nanobiotechnology Research (CNBR), Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA.
| | - Brian Sims
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Division of Neonatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
| | - Qiana L Matthews
- Microbiology Program, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36104, USA.
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28
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Breit KR, Zamudio B, Thomas JD. The effects of alcohol and cannabinoid exposure during the brain growth spurt on behavioral development in rats. Birth Defects Res 2019; 111:760-774. [PMID: 30854806 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit drug among pregnant women. Moreover, over half of pregnant women who are consuming cannabis are also consuming alcohol; however, the consequences of combined prenatal alcohol and cannabis exposure on fetal development are not well understood. The current study examined behavioral development following exposure to ethanol (EtOH) and/or CP-55,940 (CP), a cannabinoid receptor agonist. From postnatal days (PD) 4-9, a period of brain development equivalent to the third trimester, Sprague-Dawley rats received EtOH (5.25 g/kg/day) or sham intubation, as well as CP (0.4 mg/kg/day) or vehicle. All subjects were tested on open field activity (PD 18-21), elevated plus maze (PD 25), and spatial learning (PD 40-46) tasks. Both EtOH and CP increased locomotor activity in the open field, and the combination produced more severe overactivity than either exposure alone. Similarly, increases in thigmotaxis in the Morris water maze were caused by either EtOH or CP alone, and were more severe with combined exposure, although only EtOH impaired spatial learning. Finally, developmental CP significantly increased time spent in the open arms on the elevated plus maze. Overall, these data indicate that EtOH and CP produce some independent effects on behavior, and that the combination produces more severe overactivity in the open field. Importantly, these data suggest that prenatal cannabis disrupts development and combined prenatal exposure to alcohol and cannabis may be particularly damaging to the developing fetus, which has implications for the lives of affected individuals and families and also for establishing public health policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen R Breit
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Brandonn Zamudio
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Jennifer D Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
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29
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Ghazi Sherbaf F, Aarabi MH, Hosein Yazdi M, Haghshomar M. White matter microstructure in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: A systematic review of diffusion tensor imaging studies. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 40:1017-1036. [PMID: 30289588 PMCID: PMC6865781 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Revised: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has revolutionized our understanding of the neural underpinnings of alcohol teratogenesis. This technique can detect alterations in white matter in neurodevelopmental disorders, such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Using Prisma guidelines, we identified 23 DTI studies conducted on individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). These studies confirm the widespread nature of brain damage in PAE by reporting diffusivity alterations in commissural, association, and projection fibers; and in relation to increasing cognitive impairment. Reduced integrity in terms of lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher mean diffusivity (MD) and radial diffusivity (RD) is reported more consistently in the corpus callosum, cerebellar peduncles, cingulum, and longitudinal fasciculi connecting frontal and temporoparietal regions. Although these interesting results provide insight into FASD neuropathology, it is important to investigate the clinical diversity of this disorder for better treatment options and prediction of progression. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of different patterns of neural structure between PAE and typically developed individuals. We further discuss the association of alterations in diffusivity with demographic features and symptomatology of PAE. With the accumulated knowledge of the neural correlates of FASD presenting symptoms, a comprehensive understanding of the heterogeneity in FASD will potentially improve the disease management and will highlight the diagnostic challenges and potential areas of future research avenues, where neural markers may be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Meisam Hosein Yazdi
- Namazee Hospital, Imaging Research Center, Department of RadiologyShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
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30
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Darling SJ, De Luca C, Anderson V, McCarthy M, Hearps S, Seal ML. White Matter Microstructure and Information Processing at the Completion of Chemotherapy-Only Treatment for Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Dev Neuropsychol 2018; 43:385-402. [DOI: 10.1080/87565641.2018.1473401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone J Darling
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Cinzia De Luca
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Children’s Cancer Centre, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Australia
| | - Vicki Anderson
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
- Psychology Department, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Australia
| | - Maria McCarthy
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Children’s Cancer Centre, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Australia
| | - Stephen Hearps
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
| | - Marc L Seal
- Clinical Sciences, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
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31
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Fish EW, Wieczorek LA, Rumple A, Suttie M, Moy SS, Hammond P, Parnell SE. The enduring impact of neurulation stage alcohol exposure: A combined behavioral and structural neuroimaging study in adult male and female C57BL/6J mice. Behav Brain Res 2017; 338:173-184. [PMID: 29107713 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.10.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Revised: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can cause behavioral and brain alterations over the lifespan. In animal models, these effects can occur following PAE confined to critical developmental periods, equivalent to the third and fourth weeks of human gestation, before pregnancy is usually recognized. The current study focuses on PAE during early neurulation and examines the behavioral and brain structural consequences that appear in adulthood. On gestational day 8 C57BL/6J dams received two alcohol (2.8g/kg, i.p), or vehicle, administrations, four hours apart. Male and female offspring were reared to adulthood and examined for performance on the elevated plus maze, rotarod, open field, Morris water maze, acoustic startle, social preference (i.e. three-chambered social approach test), and the hot plate. A subset of these mice was later evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging to detect changes in regional brain volumes and shapes. In males, PAE increased exploratory behaviors on the elevated plus maze and in the open field; these changes were associated with increased fractional anisotropy in the anterior commissure. In females, PAE reduced social preference and the startle response, and decreased cerebral cortex and brain stem volumes. Vehicle-treated females had larger pituitaries than did vehicle-treated males, but PAE attenuated this sex difference. In males, pituitary size correlated with open field activity, while in females, pituitary size correlated with social activity. These findings indicate that early neurulation PAE causes sex specific behavioral and brain changes in adulthood. Changes in the pituitary suggest that this structure is especially vulnerable to neurulation stage PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- E W Fish
- The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (EWF, LAW, SEP), Department of Cell Biology and Physiology (SEP), Department of Psychiatry (AR, SSM), and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (SSM, SEP), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
| | - L A Wieczorek
- The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (EWF, LAW, SEP), Department of Cell Biology and Physiology (SEP), Department of Psychiatry (AR, SSM), and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (SSM, SEP), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - A Rumple
- The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (EWF, LAW, SEP), Department of Cell Biology and Physiology (SEP), Department of Psychiatry (AR, SSM), and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (SSM, SEP), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - M Suttie
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - S S Moy
- The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (EWF, LAW, SEP), Department of Cell Biology and Physiology (SEP), Department of Psychiatry (AR, SSM), and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (SSM, SEP), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
| | - P Hammond
- Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - S E Parnell
- The Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies (EWF, LAW, SEP), Department of Cell Biology and Physiology (SEP), Department of Psychiatry (AR, SSM), and Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities (SSM, SEP), University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States
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