ALCOHOL INDUCED BEHAVIORAL TERATOGENSIS

各种形态和行为异常可导致 产前接触酒精 注意到的影响之间的相似性 与动物模型相比， 为进行这些动物研究的有用性提供支持。 的 所使用的模型涉及摄入液体饮食， 不同数量的乙醇衍生的热量（35%和0%），由孕妇 大鼠 这些母亲的后代将在一些 行为模式 具体来说，我们的首要目标是调查 产前酒精对行为的影响 可以减轻暴露。 特别是，最近的数据显示， 增加乙酰胆碱水平的影响将使用各种 行为任务。 我们的下一个目标是研究 这些后代使用了一种相对较新的模式， 时间 因为产前接触酒精的孩子 注意力缺陷这些研究可能具有重要意义。 第三，我们将调查产前酒精暴露 可能会改变性二态行为，已知受 围产期激素水平的改变。 酒精会发挥其 通过影响胎儿发育的激素环境而产生的影响 将被追捕。 最后，我们将继续调查 产前酒精暴露对断奶前大鼠学习能力的影响 开始一项关于酒精对记忆力影响的新研究。 尽管海马体与脑梗死的发病机制有关， 产前酒精暴露和海马体的行为影响， 已知在记忆中起作用，但很少有研究涉及这个问题。 在 总之，我们的研究应该提供一个更好的了解类型的 产前酒精暴露后的异常，并可能导致改善 治疗这些功能障碍的方法。 根据以往的研究， 这些研究结果应该可以推广到人类。

A variety of morphological and behavioral abnormalities can result from prenatal exposure to alcohol. The similarities between the effects noted in humans compared to those reported with animal models are striking, and provide support for the usefulness of pursuing these animal studies. The model to be used involves the ingestion of liquid diets containing different amounts of ethanol derived calories (35% and 0%) by pregnant rats. The offspring of these mothers will be tested in a number of behavioral paradigms. Specifically, our first aim is to investigate pharmacological means by which the behavioral effects of prenatal alcohol exposure can be mitigated. In particular, recent data showing a beneficial effect of increasing acetylcholine levels will be addressed using a variety of behavioral tasks. Our next aim is to study attentional deficits in these offspring using a relatively new paradigm that models human reaction time. Since children exposed to alcohol prenatally may evidence attentional deficits these studies could have important implications. Thirdly, we will investigate the possibility that prenatal alcohol exposure may alter sexually dimorphic behaviors, known to be influenced by alteration in perinatal hormone levels. The notion that alcohol exerts its effects by influencing the hormonal milieu in which the fetus is developing will be pursued. Finally, we will continue our investigations into the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on learning in preweanling rats and begin a new line of investigation into the effects of alcohol on memory. Although the hippocampus has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the behavioral effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and the hippocampus is known to play a role in memory, few studies have addressed this issue. In summary, our studies should provide a better understanding of the types of abnormalities following prenatal alcohol exposure and may lead to improved methods of treating these dysfunctions. As indicated by past research, these findings should be generalizable to the human population.