Prenatal Alcohol's Long-Term Impact on Adult Behavior

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), characterized by symptoms of cognitive decline, such as worsened memory and impaired decision-making, are alarmingly prevalent globally. In a new study in JNeurosci led by Amy Griffin at the University of Delaware, researchers used rats to find brain circuits that may contribute to the cognitive issues that FASD patients experience, with the end goal of informing treatment strategies. Brain regions linked with working memory and decision-making were damaged in baby rats following exposure to alcohol during the age equivalent of the third trimester of pregnancy. After these rats aged into adulthood, Griffin and colleagues recorded from their brains while they performed tasks related to memory and decision-making. Rats showed impaired decision-making behaviors that were associated with disrupted communication between damaged brain regions. The researchers also developed a machine-learning algorithm that could accurately predict whether rats were exposed to alcohol or not based off their behavior alone. This study points to a brain circuit that is disrupted by third trimester alcohol exposure and contributes to FASD-like cognitive impairment in rats, which is informative for future research aiming to improve treatment strategies, according to the authors.