Fetal ethanol-induced behavioral deficits: Mechanisms, diagnoses and intervention

描述（由申请人提供）：新墨西哥酒精研究中心（NMARC）是一个综合性的多学科项目，专注于胎儿酒精相关的行为缺陷。NMARC的主流理念是，为了实现更好地诊断和发明与胎儿酒精谱系障碍（FASD）相关的行为缺陷的双重目标，需要一个良好的协调努力，将阐明胎儿酒精暴露的机制后果的基础研究进展与FASD人类受试者的神经心理学和功能神经影像学研究相结合。一个最大限度地协调和沟通跨调查线的研究中心组织为克服诊断胎儿酒精诱发的行为缺陷和设计更有效的干预措施来改善这些缺陷的持续挑战提供了最好的长期前景。NMARC是由具有合作研究互动历史的成熟的胎儿酒精研究人员组成的，辅以来自其他领域的杰出研究人员，他们的专业知识和贡献可以协同中心的研究环境，并促进NMARC战略目标的实现。NMARC计划的战略目标是：1)促进我们对胎儿乙醇暴露对啮齿类动物和人类行为产生负面影响的神经生物学机制的致畸后果的理解；2)通过使用联合神经行为和功能神经影像学评估，以及通过开发能够在生命早期检测功能性脑损伤的更敏感、更可靠的生物标志物，开发更有效的方法来诊断FASD受试者。3)为胎儿酒精相关行为缺陷制定更有效的干预措施。更有效的干预可能需要神经行为、教育和药物治疗方法的结合，以改善这些缺陷对受影响的后代往往是微妙的，但长期的影响。该NMARC P20申请由七个部分组成，包括两个核心（行政和试点项目）和五个“r03级”发展研究部分。三个临床前研究组成部分中的每一个，两个临床项目和两个试点项目都代表了新的实验方法，将解决机制、诊断或干预三个战略目标中的至少一个。同样，试点项目核心中描述的未来试点项目理念的“管道”确保了NMARC在五年P20项目期间继续追求战略目标。对NMARC运作的监督将由行政核心和NMARC提供

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The New Mexico Alcohol Research Center (NMARC) is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary program focused on fetal alcohol-related behavioral deficits. NMARC's prevailing philosophy is that significant progress towards the dual goals of better diagnoses and inventions for the behavioral deficits associated with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) requires a well-coordinated effort integrating basic research advances that elucidate the mechanistic consequences of fetal ethanol exposure with combined neuropsychological and functional neuroimaging studies in human subjects with FASD. A research center organization that maximizes the coordination and communication across lines of investigation provides the best long-term prospect for overcoming the ongoing challenges of diagnosing fetal alcohol-induced behavioral deficits and devising more effective interventions to ameliorate these deficits. The NMARC is a composite of established fetal alcohol research investigators with a history of collaborative research interactions complemented by the addition of outstanding investigators from other fields whose expertise and contributions can synergize the center's research environment and facilitate progress towards achieving NMARC's strategic objectives. The strategic objectives of the NMARC program are to: 1) Advance our understanding of the teratogenic consequences of fetal ethanol exposure on the neurobiologic mechanisms that negatively impact behavior, both in rodents and humans, 2) develop more effective approaches for diagnosing subjects with FASD, through the use of combined neurobehavioral and functional neuroimaging assessments, as well as through the prospect of developing more sensitive and reliable biomarkers capable of detecting functional brain damage earlier in life, and 3) develop more effective interventions for fetal alcohol-related behavioral deficits. More efficacious interventions may require a combination of neurobehavioral, educational and pharmacotherapeutic approaches to ameliorate the often subtle, but long-lasting impact of these deficits on affected offspring. This NMARC P20 application consists of seven components including two cores (Administrative and Pilot Projects) and five "R03-level" Developmental Research components. Each of the three preclinical research components, the two clinical projects and the two pilot projects represent novel experimental approaches that will address at least one of the three strategic objectives of mechanisms, diagnoses or interventions. Likewise, a "pipeline" of future pilot project ideas described in the Pilot Project Core ensures continued pursuit of the NMARC's strategic objectives over the five year P20 project period. Oversight of the NMARC operation will be provided by the Administrative Core and the NMARC Executive Committee. Assessment of and advocacy for the NMARC's achievements along with guidance in operational matters will be provided by an Internal Advisory Committee consisting of five senior administrators in the UNM's Health Science Center, Main Campus and The MIND Institute. An External Advisory Committee of three internationally renowned fetal alcohol researchers will advise the NMARC Executive Committee and component investigators and monitor NMARC's progress towards the achievement of its specific aims and strategic objectives.