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Hashimoto JG, Margolies N, Zhang X, Karpf J, Song Y, Davis BA, Zhang F, Linhardt RJ, Carbone L, Guizzetti M. Astrocyte extracellular matrix modulates neuronal dendritic development. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.06.606424. [PMID: 39211148 PMCID: PMC11361265 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.06.606424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Major developmental events occurring in the hippocampus during the third trimester of human gestation and neonatally in altricial rodents include rapid and synchronized dendritic arborization and astrocyte proliferation and maturation. We tested the hypothesis that signals sent by developing astrocytes to developing neurons modulate dendritic development in vivo. We altered neuronal development by neonatal (third trimester-equivalent) ethanol exposure in mice; this treatment increased dendritic arborization in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. We next assessed concurrent changes in the mouse astrocyte translatome by translating ribosomal affinity purification (TRAP)-seq. We followed up on ethanol-inhibition of astrocyte Chpf2 and Chsy1 gene translation because these genes encode for biosynthetic enzymes of chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan (CS-GAG) chains (extracellular matrix components that inhibit neuronal development and plasticity) and have not been explored before for their roles in dendritic arborization. We report that Chpf2 and Chsy1 are enriched in astrocytes and their translation is inhibited by ethanol, which also reduces the levels of CS-GAGs measured by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry. Finally, astrocyte-conditioned medium derived from Chfp2-silenced astrocytes increased neurite branching of hippocampal neurons in vitro. These results demonstrate that CS-GAG biosynthetic enzymes in astrocytes regulates dendritic arborization in developing neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel G. Hashimoto
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR
| | - Nicholas Margolies
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR
| | - Xiaolu Zhang
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR
| | - Joshua Karpf
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Yuefan Song
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Biology; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
| | - Brett A. Davis
- Department of Medicine & Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Fuming Zhang
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Biology; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
| | - Robert J. Linhardt
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering, and Biology; Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
| | - Lucia Carbone
- Department of Medicine & Knight Cardiovascular Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- Department of Molecular and Genetics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- Division of Genetics, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR
| | - Marina Guizzetti
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
- VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, OR
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Long M, Kar P, Forkert ND, Landman BA, Gibbard WB, Tortorelli C, McMorris CA, Huo Y, Lebel CA. Sex and age effects on gray matter volume trajectories in young children with prenatal alcohol exposure. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1379959. [PMID: 38660010 PMCID: PMC11039858 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1379959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) occurs in ~11% of North American pregnancies and is the most common known cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities such as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD; ~2-5% prevalence). PAE has been consistently associated with smaller gray matter volumes in children, adolescents, and adults. A small number of longitudinal studies show altered gray matter development trajectories in late childhood/early adolescence, but patterns in early childhood and potential sex differences have not been characterized in young children. Using longitudinal T1-weighted MRI, the present study characterized gray matter volume development in young children with PAE (N = 42, 84 scans, ages 3-8 years) compared to unexposed children (N = 127, 450 scans, ages 2-8.5 years). Overall, we observed altered global and regional gray matter development trajectories in the PAE group, wherein they had attenuated age-related increases and more volume decreases relative to unexposed children. Moreover, we found more pronounced sex differences in children with PAE; females with PAE having the smallest gray matter volumes and the least age-related changes of all groups. This pattern of altered development may indicate reduced brain plasticity and/or accelerated maturation and may underlie the cognitive/behavioral difficulties often experienced by children with PAE. In conjunction with previous research on older children, adolescents, and adults with PAE, our results suggest that gray matter volume differences associated with PAE vary by age and may become more apparent in older children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison Long
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Preeti Kar
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Nils D. Forkert
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Bennett A. Landman
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - W. Ben Gibbard
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Christina Tortorelli
- Department of Child Studies and Social Work, Mount Royal University, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Carly A. McMorris
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Yuankai Huo
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
- Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Catherine A. Lebel
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
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3
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Wilson DA, Sullivan RM, Smiley JF, Saito M, Raineki C. Developmental alcohol exposure is exhausting: Sleep and the enduring consequences of alcohol exposure during development. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 158:105567. [PMID: 38309498 PMCID: PMC10923002 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105567] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is the leading nongenetic cause of human intellectual impairment. The long-term impacts of prenatal alcohol exposure on health and well-being are diverse, including neuropathology leading to behavioral, cognitive, and emotional impairments. Additionally negative effects also occur on the physiological level, such as the endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune systems. Among these diverse impacts is sleep disruption. In this review, we describe how prenatal alcohol exposure affects sleep, and potential mechanisms of those effects. Furthermore, we outline the evidence that sleep disruption across the lifespan may be a mediator of some cognitive and behavioral impacts of developmental alcohol exposure, and thus may represent a promising target for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald A Wilson
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Regina M Sullivan
- Emotional Brain Institute, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - John F Smiley
- Division of Neurochemistry, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mariko Saito
- Division of Neurochemistry, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charlis Raineki
- Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada; Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
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Lesinskienė S, Žilinskas E, Utkus A, Marčiukaitytė R, Vasiliauskaitė G, Stankevičiūtė R, Kinčinienė O. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Inadequacy of Care: Importance of Raising Awareness in Clinical Practice. CHILDREN (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 11:5. [PMID: 38275426 PMCID: PMC10814035 DOI: 10.3390/children11010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure is one of the major avoidable causes of developmental disruption and health abnormalities in children. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), a significant consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure, have gained more attention recently. This review aims to provide a narrative approach to the scientific literature on the history, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of FASDs. A literature search in PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar online databases was conducted. The dates of publications ranged from 2000 to 2023. FASD presentations tend to persist into adulthood, which, combined with environmental factors, potentially lead to secondary psychosocial problems and disabilities. This review covers different aspects of FASDs regarding the concept of the umbrella term and public health, somatic, and psychiatric perspectives. FASD management remains an obstacle to health professionals, and mental health problems are underestimated. Its management involves a multi-disciplinary team, which varies according to the patient's individual needs. FASD diagnosis and management have not been sufficiently established and tailored. Stigma, cultural contexts, knowledge gaps, and the heterogeneity of clinical manifestations are significant barriers to an accurate diagnostic process. Further development of early interventions and the elaboration of complex treatment approaches are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigita Lesinskienė
- Clinic of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Emilijus Žilinskas
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (E.Ž.); (R.M.); (G.V.); (R.S.)
| | - Algirdas Utkus
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania;
| | - Rūta Marčiukaitytė
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (E.Ž.); (R.M.); (G.V.); (R.S.)
| | - Gabrielė Vasiliauskaitė
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (E.Ž.); (R.M.); (G.V.); (R.S.)
| | - Rugilė Stankevičiūtė
- Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania; (E.Ž.); (R.M.); (G.V.); (R.S.)
| | - Odeta Kinčinienė
- Clinic of Children’s Diseases, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, 03101 Vilnius, Lithuania;
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Bird CW, Mayfield SS, Lopez KM, Dunn BR, Feng A, Roberts BT, Almeida RN, Chavez GJ, Valenzuela CF. Binge-like ethanol exposure during the brain growth spurt disrupts the function of retrosplenial cortex-projecting anterior thalamic neurons in adolescent mice. Neuropharmacology 2023; 241:109738. [PMID: 37778437 PMCID: PMC10842955 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109738] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol (EtOH) exposure during late pregnancy leads to enduring impairments in learning and memory that may stem from damage to components of the posterior limbic memory system, including the retrosplenial cortex (RSC) and anterior thalamic nuclei (ATN). In rodents, binge-like EtOH exposure during the first week of life (equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy) triggers apoptosis in these brain regions. We hypothesized that this effect induces long-lasting alterations in the function of RSC-projecting ATN neurons. To test this hypothesis, vesicular GABA transporter-Venus mice (expressing fluorescently tagged GABAergic interneurons) were subjected to binge-like EtOH vapor exposure on postnatal day (P) 7. This paradigm activated caspase 3 in the anterodorsal (AD), anteroventral (AV), and reticular thalamic nuclei at P7 but did not reduce neuronal density in these areas at P60-70. At P40-60, we injected red retrobeads into the RSC and performed patch-clamp slice electrophysiological recordings from retrogradely labeled neurons in the AD and AV nuclei 3-4 days later. We found significant effects of treatment on instantaneous action potential (AP) frequency and AP overshoot, as well as sex × treatment interactions for AP threshold and overshoot in AD neurons. A sex × treatment interaction was detected for AP number in AV neurons. EtOH exposure also reduced the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents and increased the charge transfer of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents. These results highlight a novel cellular mechanism that could contribute to the lasting learning and memory deficits associated with developmental EtOH exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clark W Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Stefanie S Mayfield
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Katalina M Lopez
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Brooke R Dunn
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Angela Feng
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Bryce T Roberts
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Roberto N Almeida
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Glenna J Chavez
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
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Pinner JFL, Collishaw W, Schendel ME, Flynn L, Candelaria‐Cook FT, Cerros CM, Williams M, Hill DE, Stephen JM. Examining the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on performance of the sustained attention to response task in children with an FASD. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:6120-6138. [PMID: 37792293 PMCID: PMC10619405 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), the leading known cause of childhood developmental disability, has long-lasting effects extending throughout the lifespan. It is well documented that children prenatally exposed to alcohol have difficulties inhibiting behavior and sustaining attention. Thus, the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART), a Go/No-go paradigm, is especially well suited to assess the behavioral and neural functioning characteristics of children with PAE. In this study, we utilized neuropsychological assessment, parent/guardian questionnaires, and magnetoencephalography during SART random and fixed orders to assess characteristics of children 8-12 years old prenatally exposed to alcohol compared to typically developing children. Compared to neurotypical control children, children with a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) diagnosis had significantly decreased performance on neuropsychological measures, had deficiencies in task-based performance, were rated as having increased Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) behaviors and as having lower cognitive functioning by their caretakers, and had decreased peak amplitudes in Broadmann's Area 44 (BA44) during SART. Further, MEG peak amplitude in BA44 was found to be significantly associated with neuropsychological test results, parent/guardian questionnaires, and task-based performance such that decreased amplitude was associated with poorer performance. In exploratory analyses, we also found significant correlations between total cortical volume and MEG peak amplitude indicating that the reduced amplitude is likely related in part to reduced overall brain volume often reported in children with PAE. These findings show that children 8-12 years old with an FASD diagnosis have decreased amplitudes in BA44 during SART random order, and that these deficits are associated with multiple behavioral measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. F. L. Pinner
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of New MexicoAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | - W. Collishaw
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | | | - L. Flynn
- The Mind Research NetworkAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | | | - C. M. Cerros
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences CenterAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | - M. Williams
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences CenterAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
| | - D. E. Hill
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences CenterAlbuquerqueNew MexicoUSA
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Pfefferbaum A, Sullivan EV, Pohl KM, Bischoff-Grethe A, Stoner SA, Moore EM, Riley EP. Brain Volume in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Over a 20-Year Span. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2343618. [PMID: 37976065 PMCID: PMC10656646 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.43618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Anomalous brain development and mental health problems are prevalent in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), but there is a paucity of longitudinal brain imaging research into adulthood. This study presents long-term follow-up of brain volumetrics in a cohort of participants with FASD. Objective To test whether brain tissue declines faster with aging in individuals with FASD compared with control participants. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data collected from individuals with FASD and control individuals (age 13-37 years at first magnetic resonance imaging [MRI1] acquired 1997-2000) compared with data collected 20 years later (MRI2; 2018-2021). Participants were recruited for MRI1 through the University of Washington Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Follow-Up Study. For MRI2, former participants were recruited by the University of Washington Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit. Data were analyzed from October 2022 to August 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures Intracranial volume (ICV) and regional cortical and cerebellar gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid volumes were quantified automatically and analyzed, with group and sex as between-participant factors and age as a within-participant variable. Results Of 174 individuals with MRI1 data, 48 refused participation, 36 were unavailable, and 24 could not be located. The remaining 66 individuals (37.9%) were rescanned for MRI2, including 26 controls, 18 individuals with nondysmorphic heavily exposed fetal alcohol effects (FAE; diagnosed prior to MRI1), and 22 individuals with FAS. Mean (SD) age was 22.9 (5.6) years at MRI1 and 44.7 (6.5) years at MRI2, and 35 participants (53%) were male. The FAE and FAS groups exhibited enduring stepped volume deficits at MRI1 and MRI2; volumes among control participants were greater than among participants with FAE, which were greater than volumes among participants with FAS (eg, mean [SD] ICV: control, 1462.3 [119.3] cc at MRI1 and 1465.4 [129.4] cc at MRI2; FAE, 1375.6 [134.1] cc at MRI1 and 1371.7 [120.3] cc at MRI2; FAS, 1297.3 [163.0] cc at MRI1 and 1292.7 [172.1] cc at MRI2), without diagnosis-by-age interactions. Despite these persistent volume deficits, the FAE participants and FAS participants showed patterns of neurodevelopment within reference ranges: increase in white matter and decrease in gray matter of the cortex and decrease in white matter and increase in gray matter of the cerebellum. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this cohort study support a nonaccelerating enduring, brain structural dysmorphic spectrum following prenatal alcohol exposure and a diagnostic distinction based on the degree of dysmorphia. FASD was not a progressive brain structural disorder by middle age, but whether accelerated decline occurs in later years remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, California
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Edith V. Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | - Kilian M. Pohl
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
| | | | - Susan A. Stoner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle
| | - Eileen M. Moore
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Edward P. Riley
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
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Nakhid D, Patel D, McMorris CA, Gibbard WB, Tortorelli C, Pei J, Lebel C. Limbic brain subregions associated with mental health symptoms in youth with and without prenatal alcohol exposure. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:2033-2044. [PMID: 38226747 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can result in reduced brain volume and an increased risk of mental health challenges. Limbic brain structures such as the hippocampus, thalamus, and amygdala often exhibit smaller volumes in youth with PAE, and similar volume reductions are observed in unexposed youth with symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia. However, the role of volume reductions in these brain regions in mental health challenges remains unclear for individuals with PAE. METHODS Thirty-four youth with PAE and 72 unexposed youth aged 7-16 years completed a T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scan. FreeSurfer was used to process and extract volumes for hippocampal subfields, thalamic subnuclei, and amygdalar subnuclei. Depression and anxiety symptoms were measured using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2/3-PRS), the Children's Depression Inventory, and the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children. We tested whether limbic subregion volumes differed between youth with and those without PAE and whether volumes were associated with depression and/or anxiety symptoms, controlling for age and gender. RESULTS Multiple hippocampal and thalamic subregions, but not amygdalar subnuclei, were smaller in individuals with PAE. Multiple group-brain interactions were observed for depression symptoms and subregion volumes. Negative associations between anxiety and limbic subregions were observed across groups. CONCLUSIONS These findings show extensive volume reductions in the hippocampus and thalamus in youth with PAE. PAE also appears to disrupt the association between depression symptoms and limbic subregions in youth, which may have implications for interventions in these individuals. Anxiety symptoms in youth with and without PAE are similarly associated with limbic volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne Nakhid
- Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Darpal Patel
- Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carly A McMorris
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Werklund School of Education, School and Applied Child Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - W Ben Gibbard
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Christina Tortorelli
- Department of Child Studies and Social Work, Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jacqueline Pei
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Catherine Lebel
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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9
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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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10
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Shapiro ZR, Kable JA, Grant TM, Stoner SA, Coles CD. Prenatal alcohol exposure and cognition at midlife: Evidence of fluid cognition deficits in two cohorts. ALCOHOL, CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 47:1978-1988. [PMID: 37864533 PMCID: PMC10605955 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) impacts cognition in childhood and early adulthood. Here we evaluate the cognitive abilities of middle-aged adults with and without a history of PAE. METHODS Participants (N = 200) were recruited from longitudinal cohorts in the Atlanta and Seattle metropolitan areas and completed measures comprising the National Institutes of Health Toolbox's Fluid Cognition Composite. RESULTS We found that individuals with PAE had lower Fluid Cognition Summary scores and lower Dimensional Change Card Sort and Flanker task subtest scores than non-PAE controls, after accounting for both potentially confounding demographic variables using propensity scores and the effects of study site. When we evaluated the effects of PAE with and without dysmorphic physical features, we found that middle-aged adults in both groups had lower fluid cognition scores than non-PAE controls. However, only the presence of PAE with dysmorphic features was associated with lower performance on the Dimensional Change Card Sort Test and Flanker tasks. CONCLUSION While all participants with PAE had lower fluid cognition, those with PAE and dysmorphic features also exhibited specific deficits in their performance on measures of inhibition, attention, and cognitive flexibility. Thus, PAE is associated with ongoing cognitive deficits in middle adulthood, which can be observed most clearly among individuals with dysmorphic features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z. R. Shapiro
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - J. A. Kable
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - T. M. Grant
- Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
| | - S. A. Stoner
- Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
| | - C. D. Coles
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - CIFASD
- Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
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11
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Baker JA, Mulligan MK, Hamre KM. Effects of genetics and sex on adolescent behaviors following neonatal ethanol exposure in BXD recombinant inbred strains. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1197292. [PMID: 37564365 PMCID: PMC10410115 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1197292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the leading preventable neurodevelopmental disorders and two hallmark symptoms of FASD are abnormal behavior, and cognitive and learning deficits. The severity of alcohol's teratogenic effects on the developing brain is influenced by genetics and sex. We previously identified recombinant inbred BXD mouse strains that show differential vulnerability to ethanol-induced cell death in the developing hippocampus, a brain region important in learning and memory. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that strains with increased vulnerability to ethanol-induced cell death in the hippocampus have concomitant deficits in multiple hippocampal-related behaviors during adolescence. Methods The current study evaluated the effects of developmental ethanol exposure on adolescent behavior in two BXD strains that show high cell death (BXD48a, BXD100), two that show low cell death (BXD60, BXD71), and the two parental strains (C57BL/6 J (B6), DBA/2 J (D2)). On postnatal day 7, male and female neonatal pups were treated with ethanol (5.0 g/kg) or saline given in two equal doses 2 h apart. Adolescent behavior was assessed across multiple behavioral paradigms including the elevated plus maze, open field, Y-maze, and T-maze. Results Our results demonstrate that the effects of developmental ethanol exposure on adolescent behavioral responses are highly dependent on strain. The low cell death strains, BXD60 and BXD71, showed minimal effect of ethanol exposure on all behavioral measures but did present sex differences. The parental -B6 and D2-strains and high cell death strains, BXD48a and BXD100, showed ethanol-induced effects on activity-related or anxiety-like behaviors. Interestingly, the high cell death strains were the only strains that showed a significant effect of postnatal ethanol exposure on hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and memory behaviors. Discussion Overall, we identified effects of ethanol exposure, strain, and/or sex on multiple behavioral measures. Interestingly, the strains that showed the most effects of postnatal ethanol exposure on adolescent behavior were the BXD strains that show high ethanol-induced cell death in the neonatal hippocampus, consistent with our hypothesis. Additionally, we found evidence for interactions among strain and sex, demonstrating that these factors have a complex effect on alcohol responses and that both are important considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Baker
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Megan K. Mulligan
- Department of Genetics, Genomics, and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Kristin M. Hamre
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
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12
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Boots A, Wiegersma AM, Vali Y, van den Hof M, Langendam MW, Limpens J, Backhouse EV, Shenkin SD, Wardlaw JM, Roseboom TJ, de Rooij SR. Shaping the risk for late-life neurodegenerative disease: A systematic review on prenatal risk factors for Alzheimer's disease-related volumetric brain biomarkers. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 146:105019. [PMID: 36608918 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposures including toxins and nutrition may hamper the developing brain in utero, limiting the brain's reserve capacity and increasing the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize all currently available evidence for the association between prenatal exposures and AD-related volumetric brain biomarkers. We systematically searched MEDLINE and Embase for studies in humans reporting on associations between prenatal exposure(s) and AD-related volumetric brain biomarkers, including whole brain volume (WBV), hippocampal volume (HV) and/or temporal lobe volume (TLV) measured with structural magnetic resonance imaging (PROSPERO; CRD42020169317). Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. We identified 79 eligible studies (search date: August 30th, 2020; Ntotal=24,784; median age 10.7 years) reporting on WBV (N = 38), HV (N = 63) and/or TLV (N = 5) in exposure categories alcohol (N = 30), smoking (N = 7), illicit drugs (N = 14), mental health problems (N = 7), diet (N = 8), disease, treatment and physiology (N = 10), infections (N = 6) and environmental exposures (N = 3). Overall risk of bias was low. Prenatal exposure to alcohol, opioids, cocaine, nutrient shortage, placental dysfunction and maternal anemia was associated with smaller brain volumes. We conclude that the prenatal environment is important in shaping the risk for late-life neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Boots
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - A M Wiegersma
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Y Vali
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Methodology, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M van den Hof
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - M W Langendam
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Methodology, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - J Limpens
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Medical Library, Meibergdreef 9, the Netherlands
| | - E V Backhouse
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - S D Shenkin
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Ageing and Health Research Group and Advanced Care Research Centre, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4UX, UK
| | - J M Wardlaw
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute Centre at the University of Edinburgh, UK
| | - T J Roseboom
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S R de Rooij
- Amsterdam UMC location University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Aging and later life, Amsterdam Public Health, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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13
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Alhowail A. Mechanisms Underlying Cognitive Impairment Induced by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12121667. [PMID: 36552126 PMCID: PMC9775935 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used illicit substances among pregnant women. Clinical and experimental studies have revealed that prenatal alcohol exposure affects fetal brain development and ultimately results in the persistent impairment of the offspring's cognitive functions. Despite this, the rate of alcohol use among pregnant women has been progressively increasing. Various aspects of human and animal behavior, including learning and memory, are dependent on complex interactions between multiple mechanisms, such as receptor function, mitochondrial function, and protein kinase activation, which are especially vulnerable to alterations during the developmental period. Thus, the exploration of the mechanisms that are altered in response to prenatal alcohol exposure is necessary to develop an understanding of how homeostatic imbalance and various long-term neurobehavioral impairments manifest following alcohol abuse during pregnancy. There is evidence that prenatal alcohol exposure results in vast alterations in mechanisms such as long-term potentiation, mitochondrial function, and protein kinase activation in the brain of offspring. However, to the best of our knowledge, there are very few recent reviews that focus on the cognitive effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and the associated mechanisms. Therefore, in this review, we aim to provide a comprehensive summary of the recently reported alterations to various mechanisms following alcohol exposure during pregnancy, and to draw potential associations with behavioral changes in affected offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Alhowail
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Qassim University, Al Qassim 51452, Saudi Arabia
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14
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Nakhid D, McMorris C, Sun H, Gibbard WB, Tortorelli C, Lebel C. Brain volume and magnetic susceptibility differences in children and adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1797-1807. [PMID: 36016464 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can negatively affect brain development thereby increasing the risk of cognitive deficits, behavioral challenges, and mental health problems. Brain iron is important for a number of physiological processes for healthy brain development. Animal studies show that PAE reduced brain iron; however, this has not been investigated in human children with PAE. METHODS We studied 20 children and adolescents with PAE and 44 unexposed children and adolescents aged 7.5 to 15 years. All children underwent quantitative susceptibility mapping and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans. Susceptibility and volume measurements of the caudate, putamen, pallidum, thalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens were extracted using FreeSurfer. ANCOVAs were used to compare volume and susceptibility between groups for each region of interest, controlling for age and gender. For structures where susceptibility differed by group, we also tested for an association between intelligence quotient (IQ) and susceptibility. RESULTS There were no significant group differences in susceptibility after multiple comparison correction, though the PAE group had higher susceptibility in the thalamus compared to unexposed participants before correction (p = 0.032, q = 0.230). There was no association between IQ and thalamus susceptibility. The PAE group had significantly lower volume in the bilateral caudate, bilateral pallidum, and left putamen. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest susceptibility may be altered in children and adolescents with PAE, though more research is needed. Volume reductions are consistent with previous literature and likely underlie cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne Nakhid
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carly McMorris
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,School and Applied Child Psychology, Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hongfu Sun
- School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - William Benton Gibbard
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Christina Tortorelli
- Department of Child Studies and Social Work, Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Catherine Lebel
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI), University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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15
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de Rooij SR. Are Brain and Cognitive Reserve Shaped by Early Life Circumstances? Front Neurosci 2022; 16:825811. [PMID: 35784851 PMCID: PMC9243389 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.825811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
When growing older, many people are faced with cognitive deterioration, which may even amount to a form of dementia at some point in time. Although neuropathological signs of dementia disorders can often be demonstrated in brains of patients, the degree to which clinical symptoms are present does mostly not accurately reflect the amount of neuropathology that is present. Sometimes existent pathology even goes without any obvious clinical presentation. An explanation for this phenomenon may be found in the concept of reserve capacity. Reserve capacity refers to the ability of the brain to effectively buffer changes that are associated with normal aging processes and to cope with pathological damage. A larger reserve capacity has been suggested to increase resilience against age-associated cognitive deterioration and dementia disorders. Traditionally, a division has been made between brain reserve, which is based on morphological characteristics of the brain, and cognitive reserve, which is based on functional characteristics of the brain. The present review discusses the premises that brain and cognitive reserve capacity are shaped by prenatal and early postnatal factors. Evidence is accumulating that circumstances during the first 1,000 days of life are of the utmost importance for the lifelong health of an individual. Cognitive deterioration and dementia disorders may also have their origin in early life and a potentially important pathway by which the early environment affects the risk for neurodegenerative diseases is by developmental programming of the reserve capacity of the brain. The basic idea behind developmental programming of brain and cognitive reserve is explained and an overview of studies that support this idea is presented. The review is concluded by a discussion of potential mechanisms, synthesis of the evidence and relevance and future directions in the field of developmental origins of reserve capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne R. de Rooij
- Epidemiology and Data Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Aging and Later Life, Health Behaviors and Chronic Diseases, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Reproduction and Development, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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16
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Solar KG, Treit S, Beaulieu C. High-resolution diffusion tensor imaging identifies hippocampal volume loss without diffusion changes in individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2022; 46:1204-1219. [PMID: 35567310 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14857] [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: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) commonly report reduced hippocampal volumes, which animal models suggest may result from microstructural changes that include cell loss and altered myelination. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is sensitive to microstructural changes but has not yet been used to study the hippocampus in PAE. METHODS Thirty-six healthy controls (19 females; 8 to 24 years) and 19 participants with PAE (8 females; 8 to 23 years) underwent high-resolution (1 mm isotropic) DTI, anatomical T1-weighted imaging, and cognitive testing. Whole-hippocampus, head, body, and tail subregions were manually segmented to yield DTI metrics (mean, axial, and radial diffusivities-MD, AD, and RD; fractional anisotropy-FA), volumes, and qualitative assessments of hippocampal morphology and digitations. Automated segmentation of T1-weighted images was used to corroborate manual whole-hippocampus volumes. RESULTS Gross morphology and digitation counts were similar in both groups. Whole-hippocampus volumes were 18% smaller in the PAE than the control group on manually traced diffusion images, but automated T1-weighted image segmentations were not significantly different. Subregion segmentation on DTI revealed reduced volumes of the body and tail, but not the head. There were no significant differences in diffusion metrics between groups for any hippocampal region. Correlations between age and volume were not significant in either group, whereas negative correlations between age and whole-hippocampus MD/AD/RD, and head/body (but not tail) MD/AD/RD were significant in both groups. There were no significant effects of sex, group by age, or group by sex for any hippocampal metric. In controls, seven positive linear correlations were found between hippocampal volume and cognition; five of these were left lateralized and included episodic and working memory, and two were right lateralized and included working memory and processing speed. In PAE, left tail MD positively correlated with executive functioning, and right head MD negatively correlated with episodic memory. CONCLUSIONS Reductions of hippocampal volumes and altered relationships with memory suggest disrupted hippocampal development in PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Grant Solar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sarah Treit
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Christian Beaulieu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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17
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Bagheri F, Goudarzi I, Lashkarbolouki T, Elahdadi Salmani M, Goudarzi A, Morley-Fletcher S. The Combined Effects of Perinatal Ethanol and Early-Life Stress on Cognition and Risk-Taking Behavior through Oxidative Stress in Rats. Neurotox Res 2022; 40:925-940. [PMID: 35507233 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-022-00506-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Both prenatal ethanol and early-life stress have been shown to induce reduced risk-taking and explorative behavior as well as cognitive dysfunction in the offspring. In this study, we examined the effect of combined exposure to ethanol and early stress on maternal care, exploratory behavior, memory performances, and oxidative stress in male offspring. Pregnant rats were exposed to ethanol (4 g/kg) from gestational day (GD) 6-to postnatal day (PND) 14 and limited nesting material (LNS) from PND0-PND14 individually or in combination. Maternal behavior was evaluated during diurnal cycle. The level of corticosterone hormone and markers of oxidative stress were evaluated in the pups. Risk-taking and explorative behavior were assessed with the elevated-plus maze (EPM) test and cognitive behavior with the Morris water maze (MWM), novel object recognition (NORT), and object location memory (OLM) tests. In the mothers, perinatal alcohol or LNS either alone or in combination decreased maternal behavior. In the offspring, the combination of the two factors significantly increased the pup's plasma corticosterone concentration in comparison with ethanol and LNS alone. Reduced risk-taking behavior was observed in the ethanol, LNS and ethanol + LNS groups compared with the control group, and this was amplified in the co-exposure of ethanol and LNS groups. The MWM, NORT, and OLM tests revealed spatial and recognition memory impairment in the ethanol and LNS groups. This impairment was more profound in the co-exposure of ethanol and LNS. Also, we observed a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the hippocampus of ethanol and LNS co-exposed animals as compared with individual exposure of ethanol and LNS. While each factor independently produced similar outcomes, the results indicate that the dual exposure paradigm could significantly strengthen the outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Iran Goudarzi
- School of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran.
| | | | | | - Afsaneh Goudarzi
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sara Morley-Fletcher
- UMR 8576, Univ. Lille, CNRS, UGSF - Unité de Glycobiologie Structurale Et Fonctionnelle, 59000, Lille, France
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18
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Botdorf M, Canada KL, Riggins T. A meta-analysis of the relation between hippocampal volume and memory ability in typically developing children and adolescents. Hippocampus 2022; 32:386-400. [PMID: 35301771 PMCID: PMC9313816 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Memory is supported by a network of brain regions, with the hippocampus serving a critical role in this cognitive process. Previous meta-analyses on the association between hippocampal structure and memory have largely focused on adults. Multiple studies have since suggested that hippocampal volume is related to memory performance in children and adolescents; however, the strength and direction of this relation varies across reports, and thus, remains unclear. To further understand this brain-behavior relation, we conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the association between hippocampal volume (assessed as total volume) and memory during typical development. Across 25 studies and 61 memory outcomes with 1357 participants, results showed a small, but significant, positive association between total hippocampal volume and memory performance. Estimates of the variability across studies in the relation between total volume and memory were not explained by differences in memory task type (delayed vs. immediate; relational vs. nonrelational), participant age range, or the method of normalization of hippocampal volumes. Overall, findings suggest that larger total hippocampal volume relates to better memory performance in children and adolescents and that this relation is similar across the memory types and age ranges assessed. To facilitate enhanced generalization across studies in the future, we discuss considerations for the field moving forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Botdorf
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMarylandUSA
- Present address:
Department of PsychologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Kelsey L. Canada
- Institute of GerontologyWayne State UniversityDetroitMichiganUSA
| | - Tracy Riggins
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MarylandCollege ParkMarylandUSA
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19
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Toward a Strengths-Based Cognitive Profile of Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Implications for Intervention. CURRENT DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS REPORTS 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40474-022-00245-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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20
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Macht VA, Vetreno RP, Crews FT. Cholinergic and Neuroimmune Signaling Interact to Impact Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Alcohol Pathology Across Development. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:849997. [PMID: 35308225 PMCID: PMC8926387 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.849997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Alcohol (ethanol) use and misuse is a costly societal issue that can affect an individual across the lifespan. Alcohol use and misuse typically initiates during adolescence and generally continues into adulthood. Not only is alcohol the most widely abused drug by adolescents, but it is also one of the most widely abused drugs in the world. In fact, high rates of maternal drinking make developmental ethanol exposure the most preventable cause of neurological deficits in the Western world. Preclinical studies have determined that one of the most consistent effects of ethanol is its disruption of hippocampal neurogenesis. However, the severity, persistence, and reversibility of ethanol’s effects on hippocampal neurogenesis are dependent on developmental stage of exposure and age at assessment. Complicating the neurodevelopmental effects of ethanol is the concurrent development and maturation of neuromodulatory systems which regulate neurogenesis, particularly the cholinergic system. Cholinergic signaling in the hippocampus directly regulates hippocampal neurogenesis through muscarinic and nicotinic receptor actions and indirectly regulates neurogenesis by providing anti-inflammatory regulatory control over the hippocampal environmental milieu. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate how shifting maturational patterns of the cholinergic system and its regulation of neuroimmune signaling impact ethanol’s effects on adult neurogenesis. For example, perinatal ethanol exposure decreases basal forebrain cholinergic neuron populations, resulting in long-term developmental disruptions to the hippocampus that persist into adulthood. Exaggerated neuroimmune responses and disruptions in adult hippocampal neurogenesis are evident after environmental, developmental, and pharmacological challenges, suggesting that perinatal ethanol exposure induces neurogenic deficits in adulthood that can be unmasked under conditions that strain neural and immune function. Similarly, adolescent ethanol exposure persistently decreases basal forebrain cholinergic neuron populations, increases hippocampal neuroimmune gene expression, and decreases hippocampal neurogenesis in adulthood. The effects of neither perinatal nor adolescent ethanol are mitigated by abstinence whereas adult ethanol exposure-induced reductions in hippocampal neurogenesis are restored following abstinence, suggesting that ethanol-induced alterations in neurogenesis and reversibility are dependent upon the developmental period. Thus, the focus of this review is an examination of how ethanol exposure across critical developmental periods disrupts maturation of cholinergic and neuroinflammatory systems to differentially affect hippocampal neurogenesis in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria A Macht
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Ryan P Vetreno
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Fulton T Crews
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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21
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Prenatal and Postnatal Choline Supplementation in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14030688. [PMID: 35277047 PMCID: PMC8837993 DOI: 10.3390/nu14030688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is common and represents a significant public health burden, yet very few interventions have been tested in FASD. Cognitive deficits are core features of FASD, ranging from broad intellectual impairment to selective problems in attention, executive functioning, memory, visual–perceptual/motor skills, social cognition, and academics. One potential intervention for the cognitive impairments associated with FASD is the essential nutrient choline, which is known to have numerous direct effects on brain and cognition in both typical and atypical development. We provide a summary of the literature supporting the use of choline as a neurodevelopmental intervention in those affected by prenatal alcohol. We first discuss how alcohol interferes with normal brain development. We then provide a comprehensive overview of the nutrient choline and discuss its role in typical brain development and its application in the optimization of brain development following early insult. Next, we review the preclinical literature that provides evidence of choline’s potential as an intervention following alcohol exposure. Then, we review a handful of existing human studies of choline supplementation in FASD. Lastly, we conclude with a review of practical considerations in choline supplementation, including dose, formulation, and feasibility in children.
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Gutherz OR, Deyssenroth M, Li Q, Hao K, Jacobson JL, Chen J, Jacobson SW, Carter RC. Potential roles of imprinted genes in the teratogenic effects of alcohol on the placenta, somatic growth, and the developing brain. Exp Neurol 2021; 347:113919. [PMID: 34752786 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Despite several decades of research and prevention efforts, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) remain the most common preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities worldwide. Animal and human studies have implicated fetal alcohol-induced alterations in epigenetic programming as a chief mechanism in FASD. Several studies have demonstrated fetal alcohol-related alterations in methylation and expression of imprinted genes in placental, brain, and embryonic tissue. Imprinted genes are epigenetically regulated in a parent-of-origin-specific manner, in which only the maternal or paternal allele is expressed, and the other allele is silenced. The chief functions of imprinted genes are in placental development, somatic growth, and neurobehavior-three domains characteristically affected in FASD. In this review, we summarize the growing body of literature characterizing prenatal alcohol-related alterations in imprinted gene methylation and/or expression and discuss potential mechanistic roles for these alterations in the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. Future research is needed to examine potential physiologic mechanisms by which alterations in imprinted genes disrupt development in FASD, which may, in turn, elucidate novel targets for intervention. Furthermore, mechanistic alterations in imprinted gene expression and/or methylation in FASD may inform screening assays that identify individuals with FASD neurobehavioral deficits who may benefit from early interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia R Gutherz
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America
| | - Maya Deyssenroth
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, United States of America
| | - Qian Li
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine & Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, United States of America
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, United States of America; Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
| | - R Colin Carter
- Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America; Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, Columbia University Medical Center, United States of America.
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Jacobson JL, Akkaya-Hocagil T, Ryan LM, Dodge NC, Richardson GA, Olson HC, Coles CD, Day NL, Cook RJ, Jacobson SW. Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on cognitive and behavioral development: Findings from a hierarchical meta-analysis of data from six prospective longitudinal U.S. cohorts. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:2040-2058. [PMID: 34342030 PMCID: PMC8602737 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive and behavioral sequelae of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) continue to be prevalent in the United States and worldwide. Because these sequelae are also common in other neurodevelopmental disorders, researchers have attempted to identify a distinct neurobehavioral profile to facilitate the differential diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). We used an innovative, individual participant meta-analytic technique to combine data from six large U.S. longitudinal cohorts to provide a more comprehensive and reliable characterization of the neurobehavioral deficits seen in FASD than can be obtained from smaller samples. METHODS Meta-analyses were performed on data from 2236 participants to examine effects of PAE (measured as oz absolute alcohol/day (AA/day)) on IQ, four domains of cognition function (learning and memory, executive function, reading achievement, and math achievement), sustained attention, and behavior problems, after adjusting for potential confounders using propensity scores. RESULTS The effect sizes for IQ and the four domains of cognitive function were strikingly similar to one another and did not differ at school age, adolescence, or young adulthood. Effect sizes were smaller in the more middle-class Seattle cohort and larger in the three cohorts that obtained more detailed and comprehensive assessments of AA/day. PAE effect sizes were somewhat weaker for parent- and teacher-reported behavior problems and not significant for sustained attention. In a meta-analysis of five aspects of executive function, the strongest effect was on set-shifting. CONCLUSIONS The similarity in the effect sizes for the four domains of cognitive function suggests that PAE affects an underlying component or components of cognition involving learning and memory and executive function that are reflected in IQ and academic achievement scores. The weaker effects in the more middle-class cohort may reflect a more cognitively stimulating environment, a different maternal drinking pattern (lower alcohol dose/occasion), and/or better maternal prenatal nutrition. These findings identify two domains of cognition-learning/memory and set-shifting-that are particularly affected by PAE, and one, sustained attention, which is apparently spared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine
| | | | - Louise M. Ryan
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Mathematical and Statistical Frontiers
| | - Neil C. Dodge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine
| | | | | | - Claire D. Coles
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine
| | - Nancy L. Day
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
| | - Richard J. Cook
- Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Waterloo
| | - Sandra W. Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine
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Niedzwiedz-Massey VM, Douglas JC, Rafferty T, Wight PA, Kane CJM, Drew PD. Ethanol modulation of hippocampal neuroinflammation, myelination, and neurodevelopment in a postnatal mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2021; 87:107015. [PMID: 34256161 PMCID: PMC8440486 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2021.107015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are alarmingly common and result in significant personal and societal loss. Neuropathology of the hippocampus is common in FASD leading to aberrant cognitive function. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of ethanol on the expression of a targeted set of molecules involved in neuroinflammation, myelination, neurotransmission, and neuron function in the developing hippocampus in a postnatal model of FASD. Mice were treated with ethanol from P4-P9, hippocampi were isolated 24 h after the final treatment at P10, and mRNA levels were quantitated by qRT-PCR. We evaluated the effects of ethanol on both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory molecules in the hippocampus and identified novel mechanisms by which ethanol induces neuroinflammation. We further demonstrated that ethanol decreased expression of molecules associated with mature oligodendrocytes and greatly diminished expression of a lacZ reporter driven by the first half of the myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) gene (PLP1). In addition, ethanol caused a decrease in genes expressed in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). Together, these studies suggest ethanol may modulate pathogenesis in the developing hippocampus through effects on cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage, resulting in altered oligodendrogenesis and myelination. We also observed differential expression of molecules important in synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and neurotransmission. Collectively, the molecules evaluated in these studies may play a role in ethanol-induced pathology in the developing hippocampus and contribute to cognitive impairment associated with FASD. A better understanding of these molecules and their effects on the developing hippocampus may lead to novel treatment strategies for FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M Niedzwiedz-Massey
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - James C Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Tonya Rafferty
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Patricia A Wight
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Cynthia J M Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Paul D Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
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Chung DD, Pinson MR, Bhenderu LS, Lai MS, Patel RA, Miranda RC. Toxic and Teratogenic Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Fetal Development, Adolescence, and Adulthood. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168785. [PMID: 34445488 PMCID: PMC8395909 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [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: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 08/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can have immediate and long-lasting toxic and teratogenic effects on an individual’s development and health. As a toxicant, alcohol can lead to a variety of physical and neurological anomalies in the fetus that can lead to behavioral and other impairments which may last a lifetime. Recent studies have focused on identifying mechanisms that mediate the immediate teratogenic effects of alcohol on fetal development and mechanisms that facilitate the persistent toxic effects of alcohol on health and predisposition to disease later in life. This review focuses on the contribution of epigenetic modifications and intercellular transporters like extracellular vesicles to the toxicity of PAE and to immediate and long-term consequences on an individual’s health and risk of disease.
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Law C, Juraskova I, Lah S. [Formula: see text]Systematic review of pediatric memory questionnaires. Child Neuropsychol 2021; 27:734-781. [PMID: 33632075 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2021.1888908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Memory disturbances are common in children with neurological and developmental conditions. One way to measure memory disturbances and their functional implications is via a memory questionnaire. Several pediatric memory questionnaires have been published but no systematic review has been conducted to establish their psychometric properties. This review evaluated currently available pediatric memory questionnaires using the Evidence-Based Assessment (EBA) criteria developed by the American Psychological Association Task force. A systematic search of CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline, and PsychINFO was completed on June 2019. The selection process was guided by pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, followed by full manuscript reviews, and hand-search of reference lists of relevant papers. Selected questionnaires were evaluated by two independent raters against the EBA criteria and classified into "well established", "approaching well-established", and "promising" categories. The electronic searches yielded 9888 articles, 24 of which met the inclusion criteria. Hand searches identified additional 21 studies. The 45 identified studies reported on 24 versions of 10 memory questionnaires assessed working memory, everyday memory, prospective and retrospective memory, and self-awareness of memory functions. Based on EBA criteria, only one memory questionnaire (The Working Memory Rating Scale - 20 item version) was classified as "well-established", 3 as "approaching well-established", and 20 as "promising". Most (n = 19) had good reliability but lacked concurrent validity; had low or no correlations with objective memory tests, and low predictive power. In conclusion, this review highlights an urgent need for the development and validation of pediatric memory questionnaires to increase the evidence base and improve questionnaires' clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Law
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ilona Juraskova
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Suncica Lah
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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27
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Kippin NR, Leitão S, Watkins R, Finlay‐Jones A. Oral and written communication skills of adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) compared with those with no/low PAE: A systematic review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2021; 56:694-718. [PMID: 34137136 PMCID: PMC9292204 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with growth deficits and neurodevelopmental impairment including foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Difficulties with oral and written communication skills are common among children with PAE; however, less is known about how communication skills of adolescents who have PAE compare with those who do not. Adolescence is a critical time for development, supporting the transition into adulthood, but it is considered a high-risk period for those with FASD. AIMS We conducted a systematic review to synthesize evidence regarding oral and written communication skills of adolescents with PAE or FASD and how they compare with those with no PAE. METHODS & PROCEDURES A comprehensive search strategy used seven databases: Cochrane Library, Cinahl, Embase, Medline, PsycInfo, Eric and Web of Science. Included studies reported on at least one outcome related to oral and written communication for a PAE (or FASD) group as well as a no/low PAE group, both with age ranges of 10-24 years. Quality assessment was undertaken. MAIN CONTRIBUTION Communication skills most often assessed in the seven studies included in this review were semantic knowledge, semantic processing, and verbal learning and memory. These communication skills, in addition to reading and spelling, were commonly weaker among adolescents with PAE compared with those with no/low PAE. However, the findings were inconsistent across studies, and studies differed in their methodologies. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS Our results emphasize that for adolescents with PAE, communication skills in both oral and written modalities should be comprehensively understood in assessment and when planning interventions. A key limitation of the existing literature is that comparison groups often include some participants with a low level of PAE, and that PAE definitions used to allocate participants to groups differ across studies. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject PAE and FASD are associated with deficits in oral and written communication skills. Studies to date have mostly focused on children with a FASD diagnosis as well as combined groups of children and adolescents with FASD or PAE. There is a gap in what is known about oral and written communication skills of adolescents, specifically, who have PAE or FASD. This has implications for the provision of assessment and supports during a period of increased social and academic demands. What this study adds to existing knowledge This review provides systematic identification, assessment and synthesis of the current literature related to oral and written communication skills of adolescents with PAE compared with those with no/low PAE. The review revealed a small knowledge base with inconsistent methodologies and findings across studies. However, the findings overall highlight that adolescents with PAE have weaker skills in oral and written language than those with no/low PAE. Results are discussed in relation to education, social and emotional well-being, and forensic contexts. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Findings emphasize that for adolescents with PAE, comprehensive assessment of both oral and written communication skills, through both standardized and functional tasks, should be undertaken. Speech-language pathologists have a key role in assessment with individuals who have PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie R. Kippin
- Telethon Kids InstitutePerth Children's HospitalPerthWAAustralia
- Curtin School of Allied HealthCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
| | - Suze Leitão
- Telethon Kids InstitutePerth Children's HospitalPerthWAAustralia
- Curtin School of Allied HealthCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
| | - Rochelle Watkins
- Telethon Kids InstitutePerth Children's HospitalPerthWAAustralia
| | - Amy Finlay‐Jones
- Telethon Kids InstitutePerth Children's HospitalPerthWAAustralia
- School of PsychologyCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
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28
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Pinson MR, Holloway KN, Douglas JC, Kane CJM, Miranda RC, Drew PD. Divergent and overlapping hippocampal and cerebellar transcriptome responses following developmental ethanol exposure during the secondary neurogenic period. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1408-1423. [PMID: 34060105 PMCID: PMC8312515 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background The developing hippocampus and cerebellum, unique among brain regions, exhibit a secondary surge in neurogenesis during the third trimester of pregnancy. Ethanol (EtOH) exposure during this period is results in a loss of tissue volume and associated neurobehavioral deficits. However, mechanisms that link EtOH exposure to teratology in these regions are not well understood. We therefore analyzed transcriptomic adaptations to EtOH exposure to identify mechanistic linkages. Methods Hippocampi and cerebella were microdissected at postnatal day (P)10, from control C57BL/6J mouse pups, and pups treated with 4 g/kg of EtOH from P4 to P9. RNA was isolated and RNA‐seq analysis was performed. We compared gene expression in EtOH‐ and vehicle‐treated control neonates and performed biological pathway‐overrepresentation analysis. Results While EtOH exposure resulted in the general induction of genes associated with the S‐phase of mitosis in both cerebellum and hippocampus, overall there was little overlap in differentially regulated genes and associated biological pathways between these regions. In cerebellum, EtOH additionally induced gene expression associated with the G2/M‐phases of the cell cycle and sonic hedgehog signaling, while in hippocampus, EtOH‐induced the pathways for ribosome biogenesis and protein translation. Moreover, EtOH inhibited the transcriptomic identities associated with inhibitory interneuron subpopulations in the hippocampus, while in the cerebellum there was a more pronounced inhibition of transcripts across multiple oligodendrocyte maturation stages. Conclusions These data indicate that during the delayed neurogenic period, EtOH may stimulate the cell cycle, but it otherwise results in widely divergent molecular effects in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Moreover, these data provide evidence for region‐ and cell‐type‐specific vulnerability, which may contribute to the pathogenic effects of developmental EtOH exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa R Pinson
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Kalee N Holloway
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - James C Douglas
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Cynthia J M Kane
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Rajesh C Miranda
- Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Bryan, TX, USA
| | - Paul D Drew
- Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
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Lopatynska-Mazurek M, Antolak A, Grochecki P, Gibula-Tarlowska E, Bodzon-Kulakowska A, Listos J, Kedzierska E, Suder P, Silberring J, Kotlinska JH. Rapamycin Improves Spatial Learning Deficits, Vulnerability to Alcohol Addiction and Altered Expression of the GluN2B Subunit of the NMDA Receptor in Adult Rats Exposed to Ethanol during the Neonatal Period. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050650. [PMID: 33924998 PMCID: PMC8147055 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethanol exposure during pregnancy alters the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in the fetal brain. Hence, in adult rats exposed to ethanol during the neonatal period, we investigated the influence of rapamycin, an mTOR Complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor, on deficits in spatial memory and reversal learning in the Barnes maze task, as well as the ethanol-induced rewarding effects (1.0 or 1.5 g/kg) using the conditioning place preference (CPP) paradigm. Rapamycin (3 and 10 mg/kg) was given before intragastric ethanol (5 g/kg/day) administration at postnatal day (PND)4–9 (an equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy). Spatial memory/reversal learning and rewarding ethanol effect were evaluated in adult (PND60–70) rats. Additionally, the impact of rapamycin pre-treatment on the expression of the GluN2B subunit of NMDA receptor in the brain was assessed in adult rats. Our results show that neonatal ethanol exposure induced deficits in spatial memory and reversal learning in adulthood, but the reversal learning outcome may have been due to spatial learning impairments rather than cognitive flexibility impairments. Furthermore, in adulthood the ethanol treated rats were also more sensitive to the rewarding effect of ethanol than the control group. Rapamycin prevented the neonatal effect of ethanol and normalized the GluN2B down-regulation in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, as well as normalized this subunit’s up-regulation in the striatum of adult rats. Our results suggest that rapamycin and related drugs may hold promise as a preventive therapy for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata Lopatynska-Mazurek
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Anna Antolak
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (A.A.); (A.B.-K.); (P.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Pawel Grochecki
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Ewa Gibula-Tarlowska
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Anna Bodzon-Kulakowska
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (A.A.); (A.B.-K.); (P.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Joanna Listos
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Ewa Kedzierska
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
| | - Piotr Suder
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (A.A.); (A.B.-K.); (P.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Jerzy Silberring
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Sciences and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30 Ave., 30-059 Krakow, Poland; (A.A.); (A.B.-K.); (P.S.); (J.S.)
| | - Jolanta H. Kotlinska
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University, Chodzki 4A, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (M.L.-M.); (P.G.); (E.G.-T.); (J.L.); (E.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-81-4487255
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Stanton ME, Murawski NJ, Jablonski SA, Robinson-Drummer PA, Heroux NA. Mechanisms of context conditioning in the developing rat. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 179:107388. [PMID: 33482320 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The article reviews our studies of contextual fear conditioning (CFC) in rats during a period of development---Postnatal Day (PND) 17-33---that represents the late-infant, juvenile, and early-adolescent stages. These studies seek to acquire 'systems level' knowledge of brain and memory development and apply it to a rodent model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This rodent model focuses on alcohol exposure from PND4-9, a period of brain development equivalent to the human third trimester, when neocortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum are especially vulnerable to adverse effects of alcohol. Our research emphasizes a variant of CFC, termed the Context Preexposure Facilitation Effect (CPFE, Fanselow, 1990), in which context representations incidentally learned on one occasion are retrieved and associated with immediate shock on a subsequent occasion. These representations can be encoded at the earliest developmental stage but seem not to be retained or retrieved until the juvenile period. This is associated with developmental differences in context-elicited expression, in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala, of immediate early genes (IEGs) that are implicated in long-term memory. Loss-of-function studies establish a functional role for these regions as soon as the CPFE emerges during ontogeny. In our rodent model of FASD, the CPFE is much more sensitive to alcohol dose than other commonly used cognitive tasks. This impairment can be reversed by acute administration during behavioral testing of drugs that enhance cholinergic function. This effect is associated with normalized IEG expression in prefrontal cortex during incidental context learning. In summary, our findings suggest that long-term memory of incidentally-learned context representations depends on prefrontal-hippocampal circuitry that is important both for the normative development of context conditioning and for its disruption by developmental alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark E Stanton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States.
| | - Nathen J Murawski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Sarah A Jablonski
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | | | - Nicholas A Heroux
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
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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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32
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Hippocampal subfield abnormalities and memory functioning in children with fetal alcohol Spectrum disorders. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2020; 83:106944. [PMID: 33232797 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2020.106944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects early brain development and has been associated with hippocampal damage. Animal models of PAE have suggested that some subfields of the hippocampus may be more susceptible to damage than others. Recent advances in structural MRI processing now allow us to examine the morphology of hippocampal subfields in humans with PAE. METHOD Structural MRI scans were collected from 40 children with PAE and 39 typically developing children (ages 8-16). The images were processed using the Human Connectome Project Minimal Preprocessing Pipeline (v4.0.1) and the Hippocampal Subfields package (v21) from FreeSurfer. Using a large dataset of typically developing children enrolled in the Human Connectome Project in Development (HCP-D) for normative standards, we computed age-specific volumetric z-scores for our two samples. Using these norm-adjusted hippocampal subfield volumes, comparisons were performed between children with PAE and typically developing children, controlling for total intracranial volume. Lastly, we investigated whether subfield volumes correlated with episodic memory (i.e., Picture Sequence Memory test of the NIH toolbox). RESULTS Five subfields had significantly smaller adjusted volumes in children with PAE than in typically developing controls: CA1, CA4, subiculum, presubiculum, and the hippocampal tail. Subfield volumes were not significantly correlated with episodic memory. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that several regions of the hippocampus may be particularly affected by PAE. The finding of smaller CA1 volumes parallels previous reports in rodent models. The novel findings of decreased volume in the subicular cortex, CA4 and the hippocampal tail suggest avenues for future research.
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Zhang Y, Zhu D, Zhang P, Li W, Qin W, Liu F, Xu J, Xu Q, Wang J, Ye Z, Yu C. Neural mechanisms of AVPR1A RS3-RS1 haplotypes that impact verbal learning and memory. Neuroimage 2020; 222:117283. [PMID: 32828928 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Converging evidence from both human and animal studies has highlighted the pervasive role of the neuropeptide arginine vasopressin (AVP), which is mediated by arginine vasopressin receptor 1A (AVPR1A), in both social and nonsocial learning and memory. However, the effect of genetic variants in AVPR1A on verbal learning and memory is unknown. The hippocampus is a heterogeneous structure that consists of several anatomically and functionally distinct subfields, and it is the principal target structure for the memory-enhancing effect of AVP. We tested the hypothesis that genetic variants in the RS3 and RS1 repeat polymorphisms may influence verbal learning and memory performance evaluated by the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II) by modulating the gray matter volume (GMV) and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) of whole hippocampus and its subfields in a large cohort of young healthy subjects (n = 1001). Using a short/long classification scheme for the repeat length of RS3 and RS1, we found that the individuals carrying more short alleles of RS3-RS1 haplotypes had poorer learning and memory performance compared to that of those carrying more long alleles. We also revealed that individuals carrying more short alleles exhibited a significantly smaller GMV in the left cornu ammonis (CA)2/3 and weaker rsFC of the left CA2/3-bilateral thalamic (primarily in medial prefrontal subfields) compared to those carrying more long alleles. Furthermore, multiple mediation analysis confirmed that these two hippocampal imaging measures jointly and fully mediated the relationship between the genetic variants in AVPR1A RS3-RS1 haplotypes and the individual differences in verbal learning and memory performance. Our results suggest that genetic variants in AVPR1A RS3-RS1 haplotypes may affect verbal learning and memory performance in part by modulating the left hippocampal CA2/3 structure and its rsFC with the thalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Dan Zhu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Huanhuxi Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Huanhuxi Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300060, China
| | - Wen Qin
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Jiayuan Xu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Junping Wang
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China.
| | - Zhaoxiang Ye
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Huanhuxi Road, Hexi District, Tianjin 300060, China.
| | - Chunshui Yu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, No. 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300052, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
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Krueger AM, Roediger DJ, Mueller BA, Boys CA, Hendrickson TJ, Schumacher MJ, Mattson SN, Jones KL, Riley EP, Lim KO, Wozniak JR. Para-limbic Structural Abnormalities Are Associated With Internalizing Symptoms in Children With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:1598-1608. [PMID: 32524616 PMCID: PMC7484415 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is associated with a variety of structural abnormalities in the brain, including several within the para-limbic system. Children with PAE have higher rates of internalizing disorders, including depression and anxiety, which may be related to underlying limbic system anomalies. METHODS Children aged 8 to 16 with PAE (n = 41) or without PAE (n = 36) underwent an magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and parents completed behavioral questionnaires about their children. Semi-automated procedures (FreeSurfer) were used to derive para-limbic volumes from T1-weighted anatomical images. RESULTS There were significant group differences (PAE vs. nonexposed controls) in the caudate, hippocampus, and the putamen; children with PAE had smaller volumes in these regions even after controlling for total intracranial volume. A trend-level association was seen between caudate volume and internalizing symptoms in children with PAE; smaller caudate volumes (presumably reflecting less optimal neurodevelopment) were associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms in these children. CONCLUSIONS Caudate structure may be disproportionately affected by PAE and may be associated with the later development of internalizing symptoms in those affected by PAE.
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Bird CW, Barber MJ, Martin J, Mayfield JJ, Valenzuela CF. The mouse-equivalent of the human BDNF VAL66MET polymorphism increases dorsal hippocampal volume and does not interact with developmental ethanol exposure. Alcohol 2020; 86:17-24. [PMID: 32224221 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
A relatively common polymorphism in the human brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene (Val66Met, which corresponds to Val68Met in mice) has been shown to modulate cognitive function and vulnerability to mental health disorders. This substitution impairs trafficking and activity-dependent release of BDNF. A number of studies with both humans and transgenic mice suggest that carriers of the Met allele have deficits in the structure and/or function of the hippocampal formation. Using a relatively new transgenic mouse model of this polymorphism, we recently demonstrated that it modulates the effects of developmental ethanol exposure in the hippocampus. Here, we further characterized the effect of this polymorphism on hippocampal morphology and its interaction with ethanol vapor exposure during the 2nd and 3rd trimester equivalents of human pregnancy. We found that BDNFmet/met mice have slightly larger hippocampal volumes than BDNFval/val mice. Ethanol vapor exposure during the 2nd and 3rd trimester equivalents of human pregnancy increased hippocampal volume in a single hippocampal subregion, the CA1 stratum radiatum. Ethanol exposure did not interact with BDNF genotype to affect volume in any hippocampal subregion. These results suggest that the Val66Met polymorphism does not reduce hippocampal size (i.e., it rather increases it slightly) or increase susceptibility to prenatal ethanol exposure-induced structural hippocampal damage during adulthood.
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Nucleus reuniens of the midline thalamus of a rat is specifically damaged after early postnatal alcohol exposure. Neuroreport 2020; 30:748-752. [PMID: 31095109 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Individuals diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders often show behavioral impairments in executive functioning. Mechanistic studies have implicated coordination between the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus (through thalamic nucleus reuniens) as essential for such executive functions. This study is the first to report the long-term neuroanatomical alterations to the ventral midline thalamus after alcohol exposure on postnatal days 4-9 (a rodent model of binge drinking during the third-trimester of human pregnancy). Alcohol added to a milk formula was administered to female Long-Evans rat pups on postnatal days 4-9 (5.25 g/kg/day of ethanol, intragastric intubation). Control animals were intubated without the administration of liquid. In adulthood, brains were immunohistochemically labeled for a neuronal marker (NeuN) conjugated with Cy3 fluorophore and stained with Hoechst33342 to visualize nuclei. Total non-neuronal cell number (NeuN/Hoechst) and neuron number (NeuN/Hoechst), and total volume were estimated using unbiased stereology in two neighboring midline thalamic nuclei: reuniens and rhomboid. Estimates were analyzed using linear mixed modeling to account for animal and litter as clustering variables. A 21% reduction in the total neuron number (resulting in altered neuron-to-non-neuron ratio) and an 18% reduction in total volume were found exclusively in thalamic nucleus reuniens in rats exposed to ethanol. Non-neuronal cell number was not changed in reuniens. No ethanol-induced changes on any measures were observed in rhomboid nucleus. These specific neuroanatomical alterations provide a necessary foundation for further examination of circuit-level alterations that occur in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
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Dodge NC, Thomas KGF, Meintjes EM, Molteno CD, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW. Reduced Hippocampal Volumes Partially Mediate Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Spatial Navigation on a Virtual Water Maze Task in Children. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:844-855. [PMID: 32196695 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to poorer performance on the Morris water maze (MWM), a test of spatial navigation in rodents that is dependent on hippocampal functioning. We recently confirmed these findings in children with PAE on a human analog of the MWM, the virtual water maze (VWM). Previous studies have shown that the hippocampus is particularly sensitive to PAE. Our aim was to determine whether hippocampal volume mediates the relation between PAE and virtual navigation. METHODS VWM and MRI hippocampal data were collected from 50 right-handed 10-year-old children in a heavily exposed Cape Town, South African sample. PAE data had been collected from their mothers during pregnancy, and the children were examined by expert fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) dysmorphologists. In the VWM, the participant attempts to learn the location of a hidden platform in a virtual pool of water across a series of learning trials using only distal room cues. Hippocampal volumes were derived using FreeSurfer from MRI scans administered within 1 week of completing the VWM task. RESULTS Both the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)/partial FAS and nonsyndromal heavy-exposed (HE) groups had smaller hippocampal volumes than controls. PAE was associated with reduced right hippocampal volumes even after control for total intracranial volume (ICV). Hippocampal volume was also positively associated with VWM performance. The relation between PAE and VWM performance was partially mediated by right hippocampal volume but not by total ICV. CONCLUSIONS These data confirm previous reports linking PAE to poorer spatial navigation on the VWM and are the first to provide direct evidence that volume reductions in this region partially mediate the relation of FASD diagnosis to place learning, suggesting that PAE specifically impairs the ability to encode the spatial information necessary for successful location of the hidden platform on a navigation task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil C Dodge
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States
| | - Kevin G F Thomas
- ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States.,Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- From the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, United States.,Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Ieraci A, Herrera DG. Early Postnatal Ethanol Exposure in Mice Induces Sex-Dependent Memory Impairment and Reduction of Hippocampal NMDA-R2B Expression in Adulthood. Neuroscience 2019; 427:105-115. [PMID: 31874240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.11.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is particularly detrimental for the developing brain and may cause a broad spectrum of cognitive and behavioral impairments, collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). While behavioral abnormalities and brain damage have been widely investigated in animal models of FASD, the sex differences in the vulnerability to perinatal ethanol exposure have received less consideration. Here we investigated the long-term behavioral and molecular effects of acute ethanol-binge like exposure during the early postnatal period (equivalent to the third trimester of human pregnancy) in adult male and female mice. CD1 mice received a single ethanol exposure on P7 and were analyzed starting from P60. We found that ethanol-exposed mice showed increased activity in the open field test and in the plus-maze test, regardless of the sex. Interestingly, only ethanol-exposed adult male mice exhibited memory impairment in the water maze and fear-conditioning tests. Remarkably, hippocampal levels of NMDA-R2B were reduced only in ethanol-exposed male, while total BDNF levels were increased in both male and female ethanol-exposed mice. Our data suggest a different susceptibility of early postnatal ethanol exposure in male and female CD1 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Ieraci
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Daniel G Herrera
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA
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Harvey RE, Berkowitz LE, Hamilton DA, Clark BJ. The effects of developmental alcohol exposure on the neurobiology of spatial processing. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 107:775-794. [PMID: 31526818 PMCID: PMC6876993 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The consumption of alcohol during gestation is detrimental to the developing central nervous system. One functional outcome of this exposure is impaired spatial processing, defined as sensing and integrating information pertaining to spatial navigation and spatial memory. The hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and anterior thalamus are brain regions implicated in spatial processing and are highly susceptible to the effects of developmental alcohol exposure. Some of the observed effects of alcohol on spatial processing may be attributed to changes at the synaptic to circuit level. In this review, we first describe the impact of developmental alcohol exposure on spatial behavior followed by a summary of the development of brain areas involved in spatial processing. We then provide an examination of the consequences of prenatal and early postnatal alcohol exposure in rodents on hippocampal, anterior thalamus, and entorhinal cortex-dependent spatial processing from the cellular to behavioral level. We conclude by highlighting several unanswered questions which may provide a framework for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan E Harvey
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Laura E Berkowitz
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Derek A Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Benjamin J Clark
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
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Dodge NC, Thomas KGF, Meintjes EM, Molteno CD, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW. Spatial Navigation in Children and Young Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:2536-2546. [PMID: 31593324 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rodent studies have consistently shown that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) impairs performance on the Morris water maze (MWM), a test of spatial navigation. A previous study comparing boys with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) to controls found poorer performance on the virtual water maze (VWM), a human analogue of the MWM. We examined PAE effects on virtual navigation in both sexes using the VWM in a moderately exposed Detroit cohort (N = 104; mean = 19.4 year) and a heavily exposed Cape Town, South African cohort (N = 62; mean = 10.4 year). METHODS The task requires the participant to learn the location of a hidden platform in a virtual pool of water. The set of acquisition trials requires the participant to learn the location of the hidden platform and to return to that location repeatedly. The single-probe trial requires the participant to return to that location without knowing that the platform has been removed. RESULTS No effects of FASD diagnostic group or PAE were detected on virtual navigation in the Detroit moderately exposed cohort. By contrast, in the more heavily exposed Cape Town cohort, the FAS/partial FAS (PFAS) group took longer to locate the hidden platform during acquisition than nonsyndromal heavily exposed (HE) and control groups, an effect that persisted even after controlling for IQ. Among boys, both the FAS/PFAS and HE groups performed more poorly than controls during acquisition, and both boys and girls born to women who binge drank performed more poorly than those born to abstainers/light drinkers. Both amount and frequency of PAE were related to poorer performance during the probe trial at 10 years of age. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate deficits in spatial navigation among heavily exposed syndromal boys and girls and in nonsyndromal exposed boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil C Dodge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Kevin G F Thomas
- ACSENT Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ernesta M Meintjes
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Christopher D Molteno
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.,Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan.,Division of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa.,Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, Cape Town, South Africa
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Gustus K, Lozano E, Newville J, Li L, Valenzuela CF, Cunningham LA. Resistance of Postnatal Hippocampal Neurogenesis to Alcohol Toxicity in a Third Trimester-Equivalent Mouse Model of Gestational Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:2504-2513. [PMID: 31573091 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The adult hippocampal dentate is comprised of both developmentally generated dentate granule cells (dDGCs) and adult-generated dentate granule cells (aDGCs), which play distinct roles in hippocampal information processing and network function. EtOH exposure throughout gestation in mouse impairs the neurogenic response to enriched environment (EE) in adulthood, although the basal rate of adult neurogenesis under standard housing (SH) is unaffected. Here, we tested whether the production and/or survival of either dDGCs or aDGCs are selectively impaired following exposure of mice to EtOH vapors during early postnatal development (human third trimester-equivalent), and whether this exposure paradigm leads to impairment of EE-mediated dentate neurogenesis in adulthood. METHODS All experiments were performed using NestinCreERT2 :tdTomato bitransgenic mice, which harbor a tamoxifen-inducible tdTomato (tdTom) reporter for indelible labeling of newborn hippocampal DGCs. We exposed all mice to EtOH vapor or room air (Control) for 4 h/d from postnatal day (PND) 3 through PND 15. This paradigm resulted in a mean daily postexposure blood EtOH concentration of ~160 mg/dl. One cohort of neonatal mice received a single injection of tamoxifen at PND 2 and was sacrificed at either PND 16 or PND 50 to assess the impact of EtOH exposure on the production and long-term survival of dDGCs born during the early postnatal period. A second cohort of mice received daily injections of tamoxifen at PND 35 to 39 to label aDGCs and was exposed to SH or EE for 6 weeks prior to sacrifice. RESULTS Early postnatal EtOH exposure had no statistically significant effect on the production or survival of tdTom+ dDGCs, as assessed at PND 16 or PND 50. Early postnatal EtOH exposure also had no effect on the number of tdTom+ aDGCs under SH conditions. Furthermore, early postnatal EtOH exposure had no significant impact on the adult neurogenic response to EE. CONCLUSIONS Both early postnatal dentate neurogenesis and adult dentate neurogenesis, as well as the adult neurogenic response to EE, are surprisingly resistant to early postnatal EtOH vapor exposure in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kymberly Gustus
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Evelyn Lozano
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Jessie Newville
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | | | - Lee Anna Cunningham
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Agnihotri S, Subramaniapillai S, Keightley M, Rasmussen C, Cameron D, Ryan J, Rovet J. Everyday memory difficulties in children and adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Dev Neurorehabil 2019; 22:462-469. [PMID: 30289318 DOI: 10.1080/17518423.2018.1519608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate whether significant differences exist in everyday memory between youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum (FASD) compared with a nonexposed (NE) control group, while controlling for socioeconomic status and other comorbidities. Methods: Caregiver ratings using the Everyday Memory Questionnaire were obtained for 105 youth (9-17 years of age). Scores were compared between youth with a FASD diagnosis (N = 41; 56% male) and the NE group (N = 64; 53% male) using multivariate analysis of variance. Results: Significantly poorer scores were found across all domains of everyday memory in youth with FASD (p<0.01 for all comparisons). Findings maintained significance after controlling for group differences in socioeconomic status, presence of learning, and attention disorders, as well as exposure to other teratogens. Conclusions: This study provides important insights regarding the memory issues that underlie daily functional challenges faced by youth with FASD and the need for future intervention research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Agnihotri
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.,Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | | | - Michelle Keightley
- Bloorview Research Institute, Holland-Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.,Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Carmen Rasmussen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta , Canada
| | - Debra Cameron
- Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada.,Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Jennifer Ryan
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Hospital , Toronto , Ontario , Canada
| | - Joanne Rovet
- The Hospital for Sick Children , Toronto , Ontario , Canada
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Heroux NA, Horgan CJ, Rosen JB, Stanton ME. Cholinergic rescue of neurocognitive insult following third-trimester equivalent alcohol exposure in rats. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2019; 163:107030. [PMID: 31185278 PMCID: PMC6689250 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2019.107030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Neonatal ethanol exposure during the third trimester equivalent of human pregnancy in the rat significantly impairs hippocampal and prefrontal neurobehavioral functioning. Postnatal day [PD] 4-9 ethanol exposure in rats disrupts long-term context memory formation, resulting in abolished post-shock and retention test freezing in a variant of contextual fear conditioning called the Context Preexposure Facilitation Effect (CPFE). This behavioral impairment is accompanied by disrupted medial prefrontal, but not dorsal hippocampal expression of the immediate early genes (IEGs) c-Fos, Arc, Egr-1, and Npas4 (Heroux, Robinson-Drummer, Kawan, Rosen, & Stanton, 2019). The current experiment examined if systemic administration of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine (PHY) prior to context learning would rescue prefrontal IEG expression and freezing in the CPFE. From PD4-9, Long-Evans rats received oral intubation of ethanol (EtOH; 5.25 g/kg/day) or sham-intubation (SI). Rats received a systemic injection of saline (SAL) or PHY (0.01 mg/kg) prior to all three phases (Experiment 1) or just context exposure (Experiment 2) in the CPFE from PD31-33. A subset of rats were sacrificed 30 min after context learning to assay changes in IEG expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), and ventral hippocampus (vHPC). Administration of PHY prior to all three phases or just context learning rescued both post-shock and retention test freezing in the CPFE in EtOH rats without altering performance in SI rats. EtOH-SAL rats had significantly reduced mPFC but not dHPC expression of c-Fos, Arc, Egr-1, and Npas4. EtOH-PHY treatment rescued mPFC expression of c-Fos in ethanol-exposed rats and increased Arc and Npas4 regardless of dosing condition. While there was no effect of PHY on dHPC or vHPC expression of Arc, Egr-1, or Npas4, this treatment significantly boosted hippocampal expression of c-Fos regardless of ethanol treatment. These findings implicate impaired cholinergic and prefrontal function in cognitive deficits arising from 3rd-trimester equivalent alcohol exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas A Heroux
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States.
| | - Colin J Horgan
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Jeffrey B Rosen
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
| | - Mark E Stanton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, United States
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Lunde‐Young R, Ramirez J, Naik V, Orzabal M, Lee J, Konganti K, Hillhouse A, Threadgill D, Ramadoss J. Hippocampal transcriptome reveals novel targets of FASD pathogenesis. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01334. [PMID: 31140755 PMCID: PMC6625466 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Prenatal alcohol exposure can contribute to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), characterized by a myriad of developmental impairments affecting behavior and cognition. Studies show that many of these functional impairments are associated with the hippocampus, a structure exhibiting exquisite vulnerability to developmental alcohol exposure and critically implicated in learning and memory; however, mechanisms underlying alcohol-induced hippocampal deficits remain poorly understood. By utilizing a high-throughput RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) approach to address the neurobiological and molecular basis of prenatal alcohol-induced hippocampal functional deficits, we hypothesized that chronic binge prenatal alcohol exposure alters gene expression and global molecular pathways in the fetal hippocampus. METHODS Timed-pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a pair-fed control (PF) or binge alcohol (ALC) treatment group on gestational day (GD) 4. ALC dams acclimatized from GDs 5-10 with a daily treatment of 4.5 g/kg alcohol and subsequently received 6 g/kg on GDs 11-20. PF dams received a once daily maltose dextrin gavage on GDs 5-20, isocalorically matching ALC counterparts. On GD 21, bilateral hippocampi were dissected, flash frozen, and stored at -80° C. Total RNA was then isolated from homogenized tissues. Samples were normalized to ~4nM and pooled equally. Sequencing was performed by Illumina NextSeq 500 on a 75 cycle, single-end sequencing run. RESULTS RNA-seq identified 13,388 genes, of these, 76 genes showed a significant difference (p < 0.05, log2 fold change ≥2) in expression between the PF and ALC groups. Forty-nine genes showed sex-dependent dysregulation; IPA analysis showed among female offspring, dysregulated pathways included proline and citrulline biosynthesis, whereas in males, xenobiotic metabolism signaling and alaninine biosynthesis etc. were altered. CONCLUSION We conclude that chronic binge alcohol exposure during pregnancy dysregulates fetal hippocampal gene expression in a sex-specific manner. Identification of subtle, transcriptome-level dysregulation in hippocampal molecular pathways offers potential mechanistic insights underlying FASD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raine Lunde‐Young
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Josue Ramirez
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Vishal Naik
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Marcus Orzabal
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Jehoon Lee
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Kranti Konganti
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Andrew Hillhouse
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - David Threadgill
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
| | - Jayanth Ramadoss
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical SciencesTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexas
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Mattson SN, Bernes GA, Doyle LR. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: A Review of the Neurobehavioral Deficits Associated With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1046-1062. [PMID: 30964197 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In utero alcohol exposure can disrupt the development of the fetal brain and result in a wide range of neurobehavioral outcomes collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). This paper provides a comprehensive review of the cognitive and behavioral outcomes of prenatal alcohol exposure, including domains of general intelligence, executive functioning, language development, learning and memory, adaptive functioning, academic performance, and concurrent psychopathology. In addition, the current status of the neurobehavioral profile of FASD and its potential as a diagnostic tool will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah N Mattson
- Center for Behavioral Teratology and Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Gemma A Bernes
- Center for Behavioral Teratology and Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Lauren R Doyle
- Center for Behavioral Teratology and Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
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Burgess DJ, Dorey ES, Gardebjer EM, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H, Moritz KM, Cuffe JSM. Periconceptional ethanol exposure alters the stress axis in adult female but not male rat offspring. Stress 2019; 22:347-357. [PMID: 30741061 DOI: 10.1080/10253890.2018.1563068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethanol consumption during pregnancy alters offspring hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation. However, little is known about the outcomes of alcohol consumption confined to the periconceptional period. This study investigated the effects of periconceptional ethanol (PC:EtOH) exposure on corticosterone concentrations, response to restraint stress and gene expression of adrenal, hypothalamic, and hippocampal glucocorticoid-related pathways in rat offspring. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with PC:EtOH (12.5% v/v EtOH liquid diet) or a control diet from four days before conception, until embryonic day 4. At 6 (adult) and 12-14 (aged) months of age, basal corticosterone concentrations were measured, while in a separate cohort of aged rats, blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma corticosterone concentrations were measured during a 30-minute restraint stress. Adrenal gland, hypothalamic and hippocampal tissue from aged rats were subjected to transcriptomic analysis. PC:EtOH exposure reduced basal plasma corticosterone concentrations in adult and aged female but not male offspring (p < .05). The corticosterone and pressor response were significantly reduced in aged PC:EtOH female offspring following restraint (p < .05). Expression of adrenal steroidogenesis genes (Mc2r, Cyp11a1, Cyp21a1, 11bhsd2, and Nr3c1) and hypothalamic genes (Crh, Crh-r1, Nr3c1, and Hsp90a1) was not affected by PC:EtOH. In aged female offspring exposed to PC:EtOH, adrenal mRNA expression of Hsp90a1 was significantly elevated, and within the hippocampus, mRNAs for glucocorticoid receptor (Nr3c1) and Hsp90a1 were increased (p < .05). This study supports the hypothesis that prenatal alcohol exposure programs sex-specific alterations in the HPA axis and provides the first evidence that the periconceptional period is a critical window for programing of this axis. Lay summary This study investigated the impact of alcohol consumption around the time of conception on offspring stress reactivity in a rat model. Offspring exposed to alcohol displayed altered cardiovascular responses to stress and had reduced circulating concentrations of the stress hormone corticosterone both under basal conditions and following a stressful challenge. This study also identified altered expression of key genes in an important part of the brain known to be involved in stress responsiveness; the hippocampus. If similar outcomes occur in humans, these results would suggest that alcohol consumption, even before a woman knows she is pregnant, may significantly impact stress-related outcomes in children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle J Burgess
- a School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Emily S Dorey
- a School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia
| | - Emelie M Gardebjer
- a School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia
| | | | - Karen M Moritz
- a School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia
- c The University of Queensland, Child Health Research Centre , Brisbane , Australia
| | - James S M Cuffe
- a School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine , The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia
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Lennon JC, Czochara B. Questioning Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: a Case Report of Multiple Etiological Factors. JOURNAL OF PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40817-019-00065-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Gross LA, Moore EM, Wozniak JR, Coles CD, Kable JA, Sowell ER, Jones KL, Riley EP, Mattson SN. Neural correlates of verbal memory in youth with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 12:806-822. [PMID: 28656347 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-017-9739-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure can impact both brain development and neurobehavioral function, including verbal learning and recall, although the relation between verbal recall and brain structure in this population has not been examined fully. We aimed to determine the structural neural correlates of verbal learning and recall in youth with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure using a region of interest (ROI) approach. As part of an ongoing multisite project, subjects (age 10-16 years) with prenatal alcohol exposure (AE, n = 81) and controls (CON, n = 81) were tested using the CVLT-C and measures of cortical volume, surface area, and thickness as well as hippocampal volume were derived from MRI. Group differences in brain and memory indices were tested with ANOVA. Multiple regression analyses tested whether brain ROIs significantly predicted memory performance. The AE group had lower scores than the CON group on all CVLT-C variables (ps ≤ .001) and volume and surface area (ps < .025), although results varied by ROI. No group differences in cortical thickness were found. The relations between cortical structure and memory performance differed between group among some ROIs, particularly those in the frontal cortex, generally with smaller surface area and/or thinner cortex predicting better performance in CON but worse performance in AE. Cortical surface area appears to be the most sensitive index to the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, while cortical thickness appears to be the least sensitive. These findings also indicate that the neural correlates of verbal memory are altered in youth with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure compared to controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Gross
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6330 Alvarado Court, Suite 100, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Eileen M Moore
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6330 Alvarado Court, Suite 100, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Jeffrey R Wozniak
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota, F282/2A West, 2450 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55454, USA
| | - Claire D Coles
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Julie A Kable
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 12 Executive Park Drive, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Elizabeth R Sowell
- Department of Pediatrics, Keck School of Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Blvd., Mailstop #130, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA
| | - Kenneth L Jones
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0828, USA
| | - Edward P Riley
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6330 Alvarado Court, Suite 100, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA
| | - Sarah N Mattson
- Center for Behavioral Teratology, Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 6330 Alvarado Court, Suite 100, San Diego, CA, 92120, USA.
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Zhang CR, Kurniawan ND, Yamada L, Fleming W, Kaminen-Ahola N, Ahola A, Galloway G, Chong S. Early gestational ethanol exposure in mice: Effects on brain structure, energy metabolism and adiposity in adult offspring. Alcohol 2019; 75:1-10. [PMID: 30316966 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2018.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
We examined whether an early-life event - ethanol exposure in the initial stages of pregnancy - affected offspring brain structure, energy metabolism, and body composition in later life. Consumption of 10% (v/v) ethanol by inbred C57BL/6J female mice from 0.5 to 8.5 days post coitum was used to model alcohol exposure during the first 3-4 weeks of gestation in humans, when pregnancy is not typically recognized. At adolescence (postnatal day [P] 28) and adulthood (P64), the brains of male offspring were scanned ex vivo using ultra-high field (16.4 T) magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging. Energy metabolism and body composition were measured in adulthood by indirect calorimetry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), respectively. Ethanol exposure had no substantial impact on white matter organization in the anterior commissure, corpus callosum, hippocampal commissure, internal capsule, optic tract, or thalamus. Whole brain volume and the volumes of the neocortex, cerebellum, and caudate putamen were also unaffected. Subtle, but non-significant, effects were observed on the hippocampus and the hypothalamus in adult ethanol-exposed male offspring. Ethanol exposure was additionally associated with a trend toward decreased oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, and reduced daily energy expenditure, as well as significantly increased adiposity, albeit with normal body weight and food intake, in adult male offspring. In summary, ethanol exposure restricted to early gestation had subtle long-term effects on the structure of specific brain regions in male offspring. The sensitivity of the hippocampus to ethanol-induced damage is reminiscent of that reported by other studies - despite differences in the level, timing, and duration of exposure - and likely contributes to the cognitive impairment that characteristically results from prenatal ethanol exposure. The hypothalamus plays an important role in regulating metabolism and energy homeostasis. Our finding of altered daily energy expenditure and adiposity in adult ethanol-exposed males is consistent with the idea that central nervous system abnormalities also underpin some of the metabolic phenotypes associated with ethanol exposure in pregnancy.
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Terband H, Spruit M, Maassen B. Speech Impairment in Boys With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2018; 27:1405-1425. [PMID: 30398563 DOI: 10.1044/2018_ajslp-17-0013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are a highly prevalent spectrum of patterns of congenital defects resulting from prenatal exposure to alcohol. Approximately 90% of the cases involve speech impairment. Yet, to date, no detailed symptom profiles nor dedicated treatment plans are available for this population. PURPOSE This study set out to chart the speech and speech motor characteristics in boys with FASD to profile the concomitant speech impairment and identify possible underlying mechanisms. METHOD Ten boys with FASD (4.5-10.3 years old) and 26 typically developing children (4.1-8.7 years old; 14 boys, 12 girls) participated in the study. Speech production and perception, and oral motor data were collected by standardized tests. RESULTS The boys with FASD showed reduced scores on all tasks as well as a deviant pattern of correlations between production and perception tasks and intelligibility compared with the typically developing children. Speech motor profiles showed specific problems with nonword repetition and tongue control. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate that the speech impairment in boys with FASD results from a combination of deficits in multiple subsystems and should be approached as a disorder rather than a developmental delay. The results suggest that reduced speech motor planning/programming, auditory discrimination, and oral motor abilities should be considered in long-term, individually tailored treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayo Terband
- Utrecht Institute of Linguistics - OTS, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Manon Spruit
- Utrecht Institute of Linguistics - OTS, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
- Logopedie & Stottertherapie, Lingen, Germany
| | - Ben Maassen
- Centre for Language and Cognition & University Medical Centre, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
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