Review
Neurosciences
Eileen M. Moore, Yingjing Xia
Summary: Prenatal alcohol exposure can interfere with neurodevelopment and have detrimental effects on brain structure, function, cognition, behavior, and mental health. Studies have shown that individuals with PAE have atypical developmental trajectories in brain cortical and white matter microstructure during childhood and adolescence. More research is needed to investigate the role of factors such as sex and postnatal experiences, as well as the long-term developmental trajectories beyond young adulthood.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Eliza Honybun, Rebecca Thwaites, Charles B. Malpas, Genevieve Rayner, Alison Anderson, Janet Graham, Alison Hitchcock, Terence J. O'Brien, Frank J. E. Vajda, Piero Perucca
Summary: In this study, prenatal exposure to VPA was found to offset the usual male sex-related predominance in the incidence of ASD. Males exposed to other AEDs had higher ASD symptoms, while this typical sex dynamic was not evident in VPA-exposed children. No dose-response relationship was found between VPA exposure and ASD symptoms.
Review
Substance Abuse
Gretchen Bandoli, Shana Hayes, Erin Delker
Summary: Although abstinence is recommended in pregnancy, many pregnancies are exposed to alcohol. Observational studies of the effects of low to moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and neurodevelopmental outcomes have yielded inconsistent results. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize these inconsistencies and provide recommendations on how to advance future research in this area.
ALCOHOL RESEARCH-CURRENT REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Miyuki Doi, Noriyoshi Usui, Shoichi Shimada
Summary: The internal and external environment of the mother during fetal development affects the health of offspring. According to the DOHaD theory, environmental factors impact offspring and adult health. Recent studies have focused on the impact of prenatal environments on the onset mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind NDDs is important due to the lack of therapeutic drugs, and exploring the relationship between the DOHaD theory and NDDs contributes to the promotion of preventive medicine.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Jenny Szu, Alexandre Wojcinski, Peng Jiang, Santosh Kesari
Summary: The Olig genes encode a family of transcription factors that play crucial roles in regulating cellular specification and differentiation in the central nervous system. Studies have shown that Olig1 and Olig2 are important for directing the formation of neurons and glial cells at different stages of development. Recent research has linked Olig2 overexpression to neurodevelopmental disorders such as DS and ASD, but its effects on cognitive and intellectual defects are still unclear.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Marlene Stuempflen, Ernst Schwartz, Mariana C. Diogo, Sarah Glatter, Birgit Pfeiler, Patric Kienast, Athena Taymourtash, Victor U. Schmidbauer, Lisa Bartha-Doering, Elisabeth Krampl-Bettelheim, Rainer Seidl, Georg Langs, Daniela Prayer, Gregor Kasprian
Summary: Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can alter the normal trajectory of fetal brain development and result in lasting neurodevelopmental changes. This study used super-resolution fetal MRI to investigate the regional effects of PAE on human brain structure. The results showed that even minor PAE can significantly impact the neurodevelopmental trajectory.
Article
Family Studies
Katherine Flannigan, Aamena Kapasi, Jacqueline Pei, Isabel Murdoch, Gail Andrew, Carmen Rasmussen
Summary: Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) experience high levels of early adversity, including abandonment, caregiver disruption, and exposure to household substance use. Females have significantly higher rates of sexual abuse than males. Participants diagnosed with FASD are less likely to be raised by both biological parents or have been exposed to household mental health problems compared to those not diagnosed.
CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Abigail M. Ernst, Blake A. Gimbel, Erik de Water, Judith K. Eckerle, Joshua P. Radke, Michael K. Georgieff, Jeffrey R. Wozniak
Summary: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a common condition with cognitive deficits as core features, and choline supplementation shows potential as a neurodevelopmental intervention in those affected by prenatal alcohol. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the literature supporting the use of choline in optimizing brain development and reviews existing human studies on choline supplementation in FASD.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
George T. Chen, Daniel H. Geschwind
Summary: Neurodevelopmental Disorders (NDDs) encompass a wide range of disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), which are linked to brain developmental processes. The clinical treatment of these disorders has traditionally focused on symptom management due to the variability in developmental disruption and limited knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms. With the identification of several hundred genes associated with ASD and SCZ, there is potential for new therapeutic approaches and the opportunity for precision medicine. This review discusses the progress in research technologies that enhance our understanding of disease progression and highlights advances in targeted clinical treatment and ongoing preclinical efforts in NDD precision medicine.
ADVANCED DRUG DELIVERY REVIEWS
(2022)
Review
Psychiatry
Leila Glass, Eileen M. Moore, Sarah N. Mattson
Summary: This review summarizes recent findings on the prevalence, public health impact, clinical presentation, intervention access, and conceptualization of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Despite ongoing efforts in prevention and identification, the rates of drinking during pregnancy have increased, and there are significant gaps in diagnosis and intervention.
CURRENT OPINION IN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Nikhitha Sreenivas, Michael Maes, Hansashree Padmanabha, Apoorva Dharmendra, Priyanka Chakkera, Saptamita Paul Choudhury, Fazal Abdul, Thrinath Mullapudi, Vykuntaraju K. Gowda, Michael Berk, John Vijay Sagar Kommu, Monojit Debnath
Summary: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a spectrum of conditions with both common and differing characteristics in terms of phenome, symptomatome, neuropathology, risk factors and underlying mechanisms. This study investigates the possibility of a shared immune etiology among three early-onset NDDs, namely Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Intellectual Disability Disorder (IDD).
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2024)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Brooke G. McKenna, Yongchao Huang, Kevin Vervier, Dabney Hofammann, Mary Cafferata, Seima Al-Momani, Florencia Lowenthal, Angela Zhang, Jin-Young Koh, Savantha Thenuwara, Leo Brueggeman, Ethan Bahl, Tanner Koomar, Natalie Pottschmidt, Taylor Kalmus, Lucas Casten, Taylor R. Thomas, Jacob J. Michaelson
Summary: The study found that facial landmark masculinity (FLM) was significantly associated with neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis, while digit ratio masculinity (DRM) was not. Both FLM and DRM were positively associated with concerns about social behavior. Polygenic risk scores showed that DRM indexes masculinity through testosterone levels, while FLM indexes masculinity through a negative relationship with sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels. The replication study in the SPARK cohort supported the hypothesis that increasing net androgen exposure decreases social functioning capacity in both males and females.
Article
Anesthesiology
Jennifer J. Lee, Neeta Saraiya, Michael W. Kuzniewicz
Summary: The opioid epidemic in the United States has led to an increase in opioid use disorder among pregnant women and subsequently neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. The long-term effects of prenatal opioid exposure on neurodevelopmental outcomes are still not fully understood. Animal studies indicate negative impacts on neuronal development, while meta-analyses of human studies suggest cognitive and language deficits in exposed infants. However, current studies have limitations concerning sample sizes, comparison groups, and consideration of other risk factors and exposures. Future studies should aim to better understand the potential impact of these confounding factors.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGICAL ANESTHESIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Bonnie Alberry, Benjamin I. Laufer, Eric Chater-Diehl, Shiva M. Singh
Summary: Neurodevelopment in humans involves prenatal and postnatal stages, where the brain is sensitive to environmental inputs. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) result from prenatal alcohol exposure, potentially affecting gene regulation via epigenetic marks. Postnatal neurodevelopment is also sensitive to environmental conditions, with early life stress impacting behavioral outcomes. Studies have shown that prenatal alcohol exposure and maternal separation stress can lead to epigenomic and transcriptomic alterations, affecting specific gene sets and regulatory regions. Therapeutic interventions focusing on gene regulation and epigenetic management may improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with FASD.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Nannan Zhou, Shuang Liang, Xinying Yue, Wangyuan Zou
Summary: While pregnant women often receive anesthesia during surgery, the long-term effects of prenatal anesthesia exposure (PAE) on the offspring's neurodevelopment are still unclear. Animal studies have shown that in utero anesthetic exposure can cause neurotoxicity in newborns, leading to histomorphological changes and altered learning and memory abilities. Regional birth cohort studies based on databases are currently the most convenient and popular type of clinical research, using specialized questionnaires and scales to screen and diagnose neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. The time intervals between intrauterine exposure and the onset of developmental outcomes vary over several years and are influenced by numerous confounding factors.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2023)