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The Effect of Alcohol Exposure in Utero on The Cerebral Circulation
Author(s) -
Cananzi Sergio,
Mayhan William
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.836.23
Subject(s) - in utero , medicine , oxidative stress , central nervous system , fetus , brain damage , fetal alcohol syndrome , alcohol , cerebral circulation , physiology , pregnancy , biology , biochemistry , genetics
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) comprises several syndromes and permanent birth defects caused by in utero exposure to alcohol. FASD is linked to growth deficiencies, craniofacial abnormalities, and central nervous system damage. Although there is some evidence that FASD might be linked to cerebral vascular dysfunction in the fetal stage of development and into adulthood, very few studies have examined this possibility. The overall goal of our studies is to examine the influence of in utero exposure to alcohol on the cerebral microcirculation. We speculated that in utero exposure to alcohol would have a negative influence on cerebral blood vessels and this might be linked to neurological deficits observed in adults that suffer from FASD. The mechanism by which in utero exposure to alcohol affects brain development is not clear, but it may be related to the effect of alcohol on oxidative stress. Thus, our central hypothesis is that in utero exposure to alcohol produces an increase in oxidative stress to impair reactivity of cerebral arterioles and increase brain damage following cerebral ischemia/reperfusion. We suggest our studies will help fill a void in our understanding of the influence of in utero exposure to alcohol on cerebral blood vessels and how these factors may influence the deficits observed in individuals affected by FASD. Support or Funding Information Malcolm Feist Cardiovascular Fellowship, LSUHSC Shreveport LA.