The article I researched is "Structural and Functional Brain Abnormalities in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders." I decided to research this topic because I am interested in what alcohol does to the brain of a growing fetus. Fetuses exposed to alcohol while in the womb will most likely experience considerable deficits in cognitive and psychosocial functioning as well as alterations of brain structures. This has been shown in children with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Deficits in most cognitive functions including working memory, organization and planning, speed of processing, and academic skills in adolescents with FAS have been shown in neuropsychological and behavioral studies.
One of the most frequently used techniques to study brain function in humans is the functional MRI (fMRI). Brain imaging studies have discovered differences in the brain structure of those with fetal alcohol syndrome and those without. Brain images have also detected abnormalities in the white matter of the brain. Concentrations of neurotransmitter metabolites within the brain of prenatally exposed children also appear to be altered, fMRI studies have shown. Neuropsychological studies have shown that practically every cognitive domain and every structure in the brain is affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol in some way or another. A recent study indicated that 11.2 % of pregnant women in the U.S. admitted to alcohol use in the previous month and 1.8 % of these women reported that they participated in binge drinking also. Realize that these numbers are self reported, and there are reasons to believe that these numbers should be higher. This is a shocking statistic that should alarm everyone reading this. There are mothers out there who are destroying their child’s chance at a normal life. Not all is understood about FAS, it is important to continue using our knowledge of neuropsychology and the structures of the brain to discover more about fetal alcohol syndrome, along with other disorders.
Source: http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh341/121-131.htm
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