title: Effects of pre-natal alcohol exposure on hippocampal synaptic plasticity: Sex, age and methodological considerations.
abstract: The consumption of alcohol during gestation is detrimental to the developing central nervous system (CNS). The severity of structural and functional brain alterations associated with alcohol intake depends on many factors including the timing and duration of alcohol consumption. The hippocampal formation, a brain region implicated in learning and memory, is highly susceptible to the effects of developmental alcohol exposure. Some of the observed effects of alcohol on learning and memory may be due to changes at the synaptic level, as this teratogen has been repeatedly shown to interfere with hippocampal synaptic plasticity. At the molecular level alcohol interferes with receptor proteins and can disrupt hormones that are important for neuronal signaling and synaptic plasticity. In this review we examine the consequences of prenatal and early postnatal alcohol exposure on hippocampal synaptic plasticity and highlight the numerous factors that can modulate the effects of alcohol. We also discuss some potential mechanisms responsible for these changes as well as emerging therapeutic avenues that are beginning to be explored.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Christine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: Anna R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Patten
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; H. Lundbeck, Clinical Pharmacology, Valby, Denmark.
authors.forename: Helle M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Sickmann
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; National Brain Tumor Society, Newton, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Helfer
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Electronic address: brain64@uvic.ca.
authors.forename: Brian R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Christie
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Electrophysiology; Ethanol; Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; Fetal alcohol syndrome; Long-term depression; Long-term potentiation