Document Detail


Magnetic resonance and spectroscopic imaging in prenatal alcohol-exposed children: preliminary findings in the caudate nucleus.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  16996247     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) offer unique, noninvasive methods of measuring, respectively, in vivo quantitative neuroanatomy and neurochemistry. The main purpose of the present study was to identify and compare the neuroanatomical and neurochemical abnormalities that are associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol in both fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)-diagnosed children and those diagnosed with fetal alcohol effects (FAE). MR data of three age-, gender- and race-balanced groups of children, FAS-diagnosed, FAE-diagnosed and non-exposed controls, were compared. Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure, regardless of diagnosis, were found in the caudate nucleus. Specifically, a significantly smaller caudate nucleus was found for the FAS and FAE participants compared to the controls. In addition, the metabolite ratio of N-acetyl-aspartate to creatine (NAA/Cr), an indicator of neuronal function, in left caudate nucleus of both the FAS and FAE participants was elevated compared to the control group. Analysis of absolute concentrations revealed that the increase in the ratio of NAA/Cr was due to an increase in NAA alone. Although its exact function in the CNS is unknown, NAA is believed to be a neuronal marker due to its exclusive localization to neurons. Some also speculate a role for NAA in myelination. Elevated NAA in the prenatal alcohol-exposed participants could indicate a lack of normal program cell death, dendritic pruning and/or myelination during development. The present study demonstrates that prenatal alcohol-exposed children, with or without facial dysmorphology, have abnormal brain anatomy and chemistry.
Authors:
Bernadette M Cortese; Gregory J Moore; Beth A Bailey; Sandra W Jacobson; Virginia Delaney-Black; John H Hannigan
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2006-08-15
Journal Detail:
Title:  Neurotoxicology and teratology     Volume:  28     ISSN:  0892-0362     ISO Abbreviation:  Neurotoxicol Teratol     Publication Date:    2006 Sep-Oct
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2006-11-13     Completed Date:  2007-01-23     Revised Date:  2009-10-26    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8709538     Medline TA:  Neurotoxicol Teratol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  597-606     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine Hershey, PA 17033, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Brain Mapping
Caudate Nucleus / pathology*
Child
Ethanol / pharmacology*
Female
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy*
Male
Pregnancy
Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / chemically induced,  pathology*
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
P50-AA07606/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS; R01-AA09524/AA/NIAAA NIH HHS; R01-DA016373/DA/NIDA NIH HHS; R01-DA08524/DA/NIDA NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
64-17-5/Ethanol

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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