title: Screening, diagnosing and prevention of fetal alcohol syndrome: is this syndrome treatable?
abstract: Prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to a wide range of adverse effects on a developing fetus. As a whole, these teratogenic outcomes are generally known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, the most severe of which is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Clinically, children diagnosed with FAS vary greatly in their presentation of symptoms, likely due to the amount of alcohol and timing of exposure, as well as maternal and genetic influences. All these factors play a role in determining the mechanisms through which alcohol damages a developing brain, the details of which are still largely unknown. However, continuing research and recent developments have provided promising results that may lead to screening mechanisms and treatment therapies for children with FAS. Here we review the teratogenic effects of alcohol, strategies for detecting maternal alcohol consumption, identification of fetal biological markers, and prevention methods for FAS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C. 20057, USA.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buckley
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Budacki
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jabbar
authors.forename: G Ian
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Gallicano
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D013723:Teratogens
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013723:Teratogens; D000431:Ethanol