Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome?

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) refers to a set of physical and mental defects that are caused by a mother consuming alcohol during pregnancy. The severity of FAS symptoms varies from child to child, but all defects that do occur are irreversible.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders FASD Treatments

Study highlights impact of prenatal exposure to alcohol and informs prevention efforts

Drinking in pregnancy can harm a developing baby. The term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) describes the range of effects that can be caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol.

5 Nov 2019

One-time exposure to cannabinoids during early pregnancy can impair fetal development

A new study published in Scientific Reports, a Nature Research journal, shows how a one-time exposure during early pregnancy to cannabinoids (CBs) – both synthetic and natural – can cause growth issues in a developing embryo.

5 Nov 2019

Acetate derived from alcohol metabolism directly influences epigenetic regulation in the brain

Triggers in everyday life such as running into a former drinking buddy, walking by a once-familiar bar, and attending social gatherings can all cause recovering alcoholics to "fall off the wagon."

24 Oct 2019

Ophthalmologists honored at AAO 2019 for exceptional service in medical and surgical eye care

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is honoring ophthalmologists who have improved eye care for millions worldwide through their commitment to their patients and their profession. The honorees will be recognized during AAO 2019, the 123rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

15 Oct 2019

Alcohol exposure during pregnancy linked with dose-dependent increase in miscarriage risk

Women who consume alcohol during pregnancy -; even in small amounts -; have a 19% greater risk of miscarriage than women who don't use alcohol, according to a new study by Vanderbilt researchers.

9 Aug 2019

Essential nutrient may hold promise in the war against Alzheimer's disease

In a new study, researchers at the Biodesign Institute explore a safe and simple treatment for one of the most devastating and perplexing afflictions: Alzheimer's disease.

8 Jan 2019

High-risk drinking is common in South Africa, study finds

Adults in South Africa consume more alcohol than adults in most other countries; previous research has shown this comes with high rates of fetal alcohol syndrome and is a driver of the country's leading causes of death: sexually transmitted infections and interpersonal violence.

8 Jan 2019

Targeting specific signaling pathway could provide new avenue for treating fetal alcohol syndrome

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are an array of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother consumed alcohol during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome, the most severe of these conditions, often results in physical abnormalities, behavioral development issues and intellectual disabilities.

24 Oct 2018

Study finds increased rate of repeat pregnancies in women with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Women with intellectual and developmental disabilities have nearly double the rate of having another baby within a year of delivering compared to women without such disabilities, according to a new study published in CMAJ.

13 Aug 2018

Lithium chloride prevents neurological damage tied to fetal alcohol syndrome, mice study shows

A single dose of lithium chloride, a drug used to treat bipolar disease and aggression, blocks the sleep disturbances, memory loss, and learning problems tied to fetal alcohol syndrome, new experiments in mice show.

5 Dec 2017

Wayne State receives $2 million NIH grant for new study on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, which result from maternal alcohol use during pregnancy, is the most common preventable cause of neurodevelopmental disabilities and affects an estimated 2 percent to 5 percent of school-aged children in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

5 Oct 2017

Evidence for possible impacts of light alcohol consumption during pregnancy is “surprisingly limited,” study reveals

A recent analysis, based on the data published in the online journal BMJ Open, conducted by a group of researchers shows that the indication for the possible harmful effects of light or occasional alcohol consumption during pregnancy is “surprisingly limited.”

12 Sep 2017

Antipsychotics commonly prescribed to adults with IDD, study finds

Antipsychotic medication is frequently being prescribed to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), often without a psychiatric diagnosis, a new study conducted by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences has found.

23 Aug 2017

Study identifies potential treatment for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Two commonly used drugs erased the learning and memory deficits caused by fetal alcohol exposure when the drugs were given after birth, thus potentially identifying a treatment for the disorder, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study.

18 Jul 2017

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy may cause subtle facial changes in babies says new study

According to a newly published study, consuming moderate amounts of alcohol during pregnancy may cause some distinct facial changes in babies. These subtle changes in the facial features of the babies are non-detectable with the naked eye said researchers. They can be detected using a 3D analysis they said. The changes in the facial features of the babies included those to the nose, lips and eyes that were picked up by the computer. These changes could be seen in babies whose mothers took any amount of alcohol during pregnancy.

7 Jun 2017

Repeated binge drinking during adolescence can affect brain functions of future offspring

Repeated binge drinking during adolescence can affect brain functions in future generations, potentially putting offspring at risk for such conditions as depression, anxiety, and metabolic disorders, a Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine study has found.

15 Nov 2016

Researchers identify blood test that may help predict FASD during pregnancy

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, Texas A&M College of Medicine and the Omni-Net Birth Defects Prevention Program in Ukraine have identified a blood test that may help predict how severely a baby will be affected by alcohol exposure during pregnancy, according to a study published November 9 in the journal PLOS ONE.

9 Nov 2016

Experts propose new clinical guidelines for diagnosing FASD

A group of experts on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, organized by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, has produced proposed clinical guidelines for diagnosing FASD, which can result when a mother drinks during pregnancy.

11 Aug 2016

Testing for maternal alcohol biomarkers in blood may help identify pregnancies at high FAS risk

It is well known that drinking during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the offspring. Unfortunately, not all pregnant women are truthful about their levels of drinking.

2 Jun 2016

Recent research gives more insight into genetics of FASD

In 1973, a group of birth defects associated with prenatal ethanol exposure was clinically recognized as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Since then, scientists have come to realize that alcohol can cause a wide range of birth defects; these are collectively referred to as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

1 Jun 2016