[Fasd_canadian_link] Genetic and epigenetic insights into fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

[Elspeth Ross]

http://7thspace.com/headlines/342794/genetic_and_epigenetic_insights_into_fetal_alcohol_spectrum_disorders.html
7th Space Interactive

Genetic and epigenetic insights into fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

The magnitude of the detrimental effects following in utero alcohol 
exposure, including fetal alcohol syndrome and other fetal alcohol 
spectrum disorders (FASD), is globally underestimated. The effects 
include irreversible cognitive and behavioral disabilities as a 
result of abnormal brain development, pre- and postnatal growth 
retardation and facial dysmorphism.

Parental alcohol exposure and its effect on offspring has been 
recognized for centuries, but only recently have we begun to gain 
molecular insight into the mechanisms involved in alcohol 
teratogenesis. Genetic attributes (susceptibility and protective 
alleles) of the mother and the fetus contribute to the risk of 
developing FASD and specific additional environmental conditions, 
including malnutrition, have an important role.

The severity of FASD depends on the level of alcohol exposure, the 
developmental stage at which exposure occurs and the nature of the 
exposure (chronic or acute), and although the most vulnerable period 
is during the first trimester, damage can occur throughout gestation. 
Preconception alcohol exposure can also have a detrimental effect on 
the offspring.

Several developmental pathways are affected in FASD, including 
nervous system development, growth and remodeling of tissues, as well 
as metabolic pathways that regulate glucocorticoid signaling and 
balanced levels of retinol, insulin and nitric oxide. A body of 
knowledge has accumulated to support the role of environmentally 
induced epigenetic remodeling during gametogenesis and after 
conception as a key mechanism for the teratogenic effects of FASD 
that persist into adulthood.

Transgenerational effects are likely to contribute to the global 
burden of alcohol-related disease. FASD results in lifelong 
disability and preventative programs should include both maternal 
alcohol abstention and preconception alcohol avoidance.

Author: Michele Ramsay
Credits/Source: Genome Medicine 2010, 2:27

Published on: 2010-04-28

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