scholarly journals Volume changes and brain-behavior relationships in white matter and subcortical gray matter in children with prenatal alcohol exposure

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 2318-2329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prapti Gautam ◽  
Catherine Lebel ◽  
Katherine L. Narr ◽  
Sarah N. Mattson ◽  
Philip A. May ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Volume Changes ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
Brain Behavior

scholarly journals White Matter Alterations in Young Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preeti Kar ◽  
Jess E. Reynolds ◽  
Melody N. Grohs ◽  
W. Ben Gibbard ◽  
Carly McMorris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Brain Structure ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
The Body ◽  
Analysis Of Covariance ◽  
Pyramidal Tracts ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can lead to cognitive, behavioural, and social-emotional challenges. Previous neuroimaging research has identified alterations to brain structure in newborns, older children, adolescents, and adults with PAE; however, little is known about brain structure in young children. Extensive brain development takes place during early childhood; therefore, understanding the neurological profiles of young children with PAE is critical for early identification and effective intervention. We studied 54 children (5.21 +/- 1.11 years; 27 males) with confirmed PAE compared to 54 age- and sex-matched children without PAE. Children underwent diffusion tensor imaging between 2 and 7 years of age. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were obtained for 10 major white matter tracts, along with tract volume, axial and radial diffusivity (AD, RD). A univariate analysis of covariance was conducted to test for group differences (PAE vs. control) controlling for age, sex and tract volume. Our results reveal white matter microstructural differences between young children with PAE and unexposed controls. The PAE group had higher FA and/or lower MD (as well as lower AD and RD) in the genu and the body of the corpus callosum, as well as the bilateral uncinate fasciculus and pyramidal tracts. Our findings align with studies of newborns with PAE finding lower AD, but contrast those in older populations with PAE, which consistently report lower FA and higher MD. These findings may reflect premature development of white matter that may then plateau too early, leading to the lower FA/higher MD observed at older ages.

scholarly journals White matter integrity of the cerebellar peduncles as a mediator of effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on eyeblink conditioning

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 2470-2482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Fan ◽  
Ernesta M. Meintjes ◽  
Christopher D. Molteno ◽  
Bruce S. Spottiswoode ◽  
Neil C. Dodge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Eyeblink Conditioning ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
White Matter Integrity ◽  
Cerebellar Peduncles ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol

White matter abnormalities in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders: Focus on axon growth and guidance

2021 ◽  
pp. 153537022098039
Author(s):  
Erin Mathews ◽  
Kevyn Dewees ◽  
Deborah Diaz ◽  
Carlita Favero
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Fetal Alcohol ◽  
White Matter Abnormalities ◽  
Guidance Cue ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
Spectrum Disorders ◽  
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) describe a range of deficits, affecting physical, mental, cognitive, and behavioral function, arising from prenatal alcohol exposure. FASD causes widespread white matter abnormalities, with significant alterations of tracts in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus. These brain regions present with white-matter volume reductions, particularly at the midline. Neural pathways herein are guided primarily by three guidance cue families: Semaphorin/Neuropilin, Netrin/DCC, and Slit/Robo. These guidance cue/receptor pairs attract and repulse axons and ensure that they reach the proper target to make functional connections. In several cases, these signals cooperate with each other and/or additional molecular partners. Effects of alcohol on guidance cue mechanisms and their associated effectors include inhibition of growth cone response to repellant cues as well as changes in gene expression. Relevant to the corpus callosum, specifically, developmental alcohol exposure alters GABAergic and glutamatergic cell populations and glial cells that serve as guidepost cells for callosal axons. In many cases, deficits seen in FASD mirror aberrancies in guidance cue/receptor signaling. We present evidence for the need for further study on how prenatal alcohol exposure affects the formation of neural connections which may underlie disrupted functional connectivity in FASD.

scholarly journals A study of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on white matter microstructural integrity at birth

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 197-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Ann Donald ◽  
Annerine Roos ◽  
Jean-Paul Fouche ◽  
Nastassja Koen ◽  
Fleur M. Howells ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
The Right ◽  
Microstructural Integrity

BackgroundNeuroimaging studies have indicated that prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with alterations in the structure of specific brain regions in children. However, the temporal and regional specificity of such changes and their behavioural consequences are less known. Here we explore the integrity of regional white matter microstructure in infants with in utero exposure to alcohol, shortly after birth.MethodsTwenty-eight alcohol-exposed and 28 healthy unexposed infants were imaged using diffusion tensor imaging sequences to evaluate white matter integrity using validated tract-based spatial statistics analysis methods. Second, diffusion values were extracted for group comparisons by regions of interest. Differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD) and radial diffusivity were compared between groups and associations with measures from the Dubowitz neonatal neurobehavioural assessment were examined.ResultsLower AD values (p<0.05) were observed in alcohol-exposed infants in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus compared with non-exposed infants. Altered FA and MD values in alcohol-exposed neonates in the right inferior cerebellar were associated with abnormal neonatal neurobehaviour.ConclusionThese exploratory data suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with reduced white matter microstructural integrity even early in the neonatal period. The association with clinical measures reinforces the likely clinical significance of this finding. The location of the findings is remarkably consistent with previously reported studies of white matter structural deficits in older children with a diagnosis of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

scholarly journals Prenatal alcohol exposure reduces magnetic susceptibility contrast and anisotropy in the white matter of mouse brains

NeuroImage ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 748-755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Cao ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Hui Han ◽  
Shonagh K. O'Leary-Moore ◽  
Kathleen K. Sulik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Susceptibility ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
Susceptibility Contrast

Social behaviors and gray matter volumes of brain areas supporting social cognition in children and adolescents with prenatal alcohol exposure

2021 ◽  
Vol 1761 ◽  
pp. 147388
Author(s):  
Erik de Water ◽  
Madeline N. Rockhold ◽  
Donovan J. Roediger ◽  
Alyssa M. Krueger ◽  
Bryon A. Mueller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Cognition ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Gray Matter ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Social Behaviors ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Brain Areas ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol ◽  
Gray Matter Volumes

scholarly journals White Matter Alterations in Young Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preeti Kar ◽  
Jess E. Reynolds ◽  
Melody N. Grohs ◽  
W. Ben Gibbard ◽  
Carly McMorris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Alcohol Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Alcohol
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