Effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome on Neuropsychological Function

Alcohol Exposure and Cognitive Development: An Example of Why We Need a Contextualized, Dynamic Life Course Approach to Cognitive Ageing – A Mini-Review

“…FAS also affects normal central nervous system development with reductions in brain volume or subvolumes and changes to nerve cells and synapses [19] . Cognitive deficits associated with FAS include impairment in overall intellectual functioning, motor skills and learning [20] . Although FAS results from high levels of alcohol exposure, lower levels of exposure have also been associated with deficits in fetal development that do not reach diagnostic criteria for FAS.…”

Prenatal alcohol exposure and cortisol activity in 19-month-old toddlers: an investigation of the moderating effects of sex and testosterone

“…Since the initial description of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in the early 1970s (Jones and Smith 1973), robust evidence from preclinical animal models and human studies supports a teratogenic effect of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on fetal development (Riley and McGee 2005;Wacha and Obrzut 2007). FAS is characterized by a unique pattern of facial anomalies, growth retardation, and neurodevelopmental deficits of the central nervous system in the context of documented PAE (Warren and Foudin 2001).…”

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“…13,15,16,20,[25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34]45 This fi nding was consistent with the revisions included in this study. 11,12,22,32,38,39 Curiously, while compiling the studies data, we found that the intellectual performance injury occurs diff erently depending on the individual diagnosis. This injury appears to come together with the continuum of FASD, FAS being the most adverse diagnosis and with major intellectual impairment, ARND, the least adverse and with better performance and pFAS, the intermediate diagnosis, comprehending a wider spectrum (Figure 2).…”

“…This information is consistent with the fi ndings of Coriale et al 3 Impairments of verbal and non-verbal intelligence in the exposed samples were presented in several studies. 13,20,25,37,41,42 The verbal and non-verbal IQ were equally impaired 38,39 and with an undefi ned consistent pattern. 36 A study by Nash et al 32 also highlighted this diffi culty in both areas and the same study also emphasized that impairment in the verbal domain becomes increasingly pronounced with advancing age.…”