Rescue of ethanol-induced FASD-like phenotypes via prenatal co-administration of choline.

Rescue of ethanol-induced FASD-like phenotypes via prenatal co-administration of choline. Neuropharmacology. 2020 Feb 07;:107990 Authors: Bottom RT, Abbott CW, Huffman KJ Abstract Maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can generate a multitude of deficits in the offspring. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, or FASD, describe a palette of potentially life-long phenotypes that result from exposure to ethanol during human gestation. There is no cure for FASD and cognitive-behavioral therapies typically have low success rates, especially in severe cases. The neocortex, responsible for complex cognitive and behavioral function, is altered by prenatal ethanol exposure (PrEE). Supplementation with choline, an essential nutrient, during the prenatal ethanol insult has been associated with a reduction of negative outcomes associated with PrEE. However, choline's ability to prevent deficits within the developing neocortex, as well as the underlying mechanisms, remain unclear. Here, we exposed pregnant mice to 25% ethanol in addition to a 642 mg/L choline chloride supplement throughout gestation to determine the impact of choline supplementation on neocortical and behavioral development in ethanol-exposed offspring. We found that concurrent choline supplementation prevented gross developmental abnormalities associated with PrEE including reduced body weight, brain weight, and cortical length as well as partially ameliorated PrEE-indu...
Source: Neuropharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Neuropharmacology Source Type: research