Grant: Operating Grant

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) result from the consumption of alcohol during pregnancy. This is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation in humans, but for a variety of reasons is not well understood. We do know that prenatal ethanol exposure (PNEE) kills some cells in the brain, and that this seems to lead to learning problems. Very little is known about how males and females are differentially affected by PNEE, though we do know that estrogen and testosterone differentially affect learning and memory processes. We will use the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory, as the main structure to study in this research. Using an animal model, we will determine how prenatal ethanol exposure alters hormonal control of the way neurons communicate in this structure. Our intent is to get to a stage where we can determine if hormone replacement therapy might be a suitable method for helping to ameliorate some of the cognitive deficits experienced by at least some of the individuals afflicted with FASD.