Human Brain Abnormalities Associated With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

ABSTRACT: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a common neurodevelopmental problem, but neuropathologic descriptions are rare and focused on the extreme abnormalities. We conducted a retrospective survey (1980-2016) of autopsies on 174 individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure or an FASD diagnosis. Epidemiologic details and neuropathologic findings were categorized into 5 age groups. Alcohol exposure was difficult to quantify. When documented, almost all mothers smoked tobacco, many abused other substances, and prenatal care was poor or nonexistent. Placental abnormalities were common (68%) in fetal cases. We identified micrencephaly (brain weight <5th percentile) in 31, neural tube defects in 5, isolated hydrocephalus in 6, corpus callosum defects in 6 (including some with complex anomalies),

SUBMITTER: Jarmasz JS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5901082 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature