Parental binge alcohol abuse alters F1 generation hypothalamic gene expression in the absence of direct fetal alcohol exposure.

ABSTRACT: Adolescent binge alcohol exposure has long-lasting effects on the expression of hypothalamic genes that regulate the stress response, even in the absence of subsequent adult alcohol exposure. This suggests that alcohol can induce permanent gene expression changes, potentially through epigenetic modifications to specific genes. Epigenetic modifications can be transmitted to future generations therefore, and in these studies we investigated the effects of adolescent binge alcohol exposure on hypothalamic gene expression patterns in the F1 generation offspring. It has been well documented that maternal alcohol exposure during fetal development can have devastating neurological consequences. However, less is known about the consequences of maternal and/or paternal alcohol exposure outside of t

SUBMITTER: Przybycien-Szymanska MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3930730 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature