The most common environmental cause of intellectual disability is fetal alcohol exposure. Exposure to ethanol during fetal development causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a major public health problem with a high prevalence (~2-7%) and financial cost for society, with billions of dollars being spent annually on health care, lost productivity, and legal costs. FASD is associated with deficits in many organs and systems, including craniofacial and neuro-behavioral alterations. Currently, there are relatively few interventions available to treat individuals with FASD and these are only partially effective. This is a consequence of our limited understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of this disorder, which is an area of significant research interest.
The goal of this research topic is to integrate the latest original research, reviews, methods, and perspectives on basic, clinical, and translational research on FASD. The overall aim is to advance our understanding of:
1. Mechanisms of action of ethanol in the developing brain and other organs
2. Spectrum of the effects of fetal alcohol exposure on the developing brain and other organs
3. Effects of co-exposure of ethanol and other substances (e.g., nicotine, marijuana, and opioids), toxins, and environmental pollutants
4. Role of biomarkers in the diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders, and alcohol-related birth defects
5. Novel preventive and therapeutic interventions against FASD, including their translation to the clinic and community
6. Prevalence of FASD and related conditions across the lifespan
We welcome submission of Original Research, Reviews, Methods, and Perspective articles. Studies with both animal models and humans are welcomed. We are seeking articles in the following areas of FASD research (but other topics will be considered, including co-exposure to other agents):
• Sex-dependent effects
• Effects on brain structure, neurophysiology, and neurobehavior
• Neurotransmission
• Craniofacial effects
• Effects on the immune/neuroimmune systems
• Metabolic and vascular effects
• Effects on the placenta
• Effects on microbiome
• Function of glial cells
• Epigenetics
• Neurogenesis
• Gene-by-environment interactions
• Diagnostic tools
• Therapeutic interventions
• Prevalence of FASD and related conditions across the lifespan
• Effects on circadian rhythms
The most common environmental cause of intellectual disability is fetal alcohol exposure. Exposure to ethanol during fetal development causes fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a major public health problem with a high prevalence (~2-7%) and financial cost for society, with billions of dollars being spent annually on health care, lost productivity, and legal costs. FASD is associated with deficits in many organs and systems, including craniofacial and neuro-behavioral alterations. Currently, there are relatively few interventions available to treat individuals with FASD and these are only partially effective. This is a consequence of our limited understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of this disorder, which is an area of significant research interest.
The goal of this research topic is to integrate the latest original research, reviews, methods, and perspectives on basic, clinical, and translational research on FASD. The overall aim is to advance our understanding of:
1. Mechanisms of action of ethanol in the developing brain and other organs
2. Spectrum of the effects of fetal alcohol exposure on the developing brain and other organs
3. Effects of co-exposure of ethanol and other substances (e.g., nicotine, marijuana, and opioids), toxins, and environmental pollutants
4. Role of biomarkers in the diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorders, and alcohol-related birth defects
5. Novel preventive and therapeutic interventions against FASD, including their translation to the clinic and community
6. Prevalence of FASD and related conditions across the lifespan
We welcome submission of Original Research, Reviews, Methods, and Perspective articles. Studies with both animal models and humans are welcomed. We are seeking articles in the following areas of FASD research (but other topics will be considered, including co-exposure to other agents):
• Sex-dependent effects
• Effects on brain structure, neurophysiology, and neurobehavior
• Neurotransmission
• Craniofacial effects
• Effects on the immune/neuroimmune systems
• Metabolic and vascular effects
• Effects on the placenta
• Effects on microbiome
• Function of glial cells
• Epigenetics
• Neurogenesis
• Gene-by-environment interactions
• Diagnostic tools
• Therapeutic interventions
• Prevalence of FASD and related conditions across the lifespan
• Effects on circadian rhythms
