Brain Structure in Adults with FASD - L. Aguilar diversity supplement

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Project Summary Prenatal alcohol exposure can have devastating effects on the developing fetus, including growth deficits, cognitive and behavioral anomalies, alterations in brain, and distinct facial characteristics; collectively these are referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). While there has been much research examining the brain and behavior in children with FASD, very little data exists on adults. Many of the consequences of PAE are thought to be lifelong, yet data on individuals past young adulthood are rare. Previous large studies from Seattle, WA developed well-characterized research samples of individuals with a classification of having an FASD and age- and sex-matched controls. One-hundred-eighty of these subjects completed T1- weighted MRI scans approximately 20 years ago. Fifty of these previously scanned subjects have already been recruited to complete a follow-up T1-weighted MRI scan as part of the parent award. The aim of the parent award is to evaluate the protracted effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the brain, particularly within the frontal executive system from the aforementioned dataset. This project expands upon the parent grant by evaluating additional age-related changes in the brain within subcortical regions of interest (ROIs). This supplement will support the trainee, Lindsey Aguilar, as she acquires skills in human neuroimaging research and contributes to the goals of the parent award, “Brain maturation in adults with FASD.” More specifically, Ms. Aguilar will utilize available neuroimaging software programs to apply a Bayesian model of shape to subcortical ROIs for baseline and follow-up scan data. For Aim 1, she will process the baseline data with two different techniques for estimating probable shape (FSL/FIRST and FreeSurfer with Enigma pipeline) to determine which pipeline is most effective. After choosing the more appropriate pipeline, she will compare shape differences in adults with FASD as compared to matched controls using the follow-up data. As part of her training plan, she will complete tutorials and short courses offered by both FreeSurfer and FSL, attend and present her data at the Human Brain Mapping and Research Society on Alcoholism conferences. Additionally, she will be completing career development activities as she earns her master’s degree and pursues a research career studying the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on the brain.