title: Animal Models for Medication Development and Application to Treat Fetal Alcohol Effects.
abstract: Ethanol consumption during pregnancy can have lifelong consequences for the offspring, their family and society. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) include a range of physical and behavioral effects with the most significant impact occurring as a result of the effects of ethanol on the developing central nervous system (CNS). To date, there are no FDA approved drugs that have been tested that prevent/reduce or specifically treat the symptoms of FASD. There are several promising lines of research from rodent models aimed at reducing the neurotoxic effects of ethanol on the developing CNS or in treating the resulting behavioral impairments but these have not yet moved to clinical testing. The current review discusses some of the most promising targets for intervention and provides a review of the past and ongoing efforts to develop and screen pharmacological treatments for reducing the effects of prenatal ethanol exposure.
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States. Electronic address: sbarron@uky.edu.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barron
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hawkey
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States; Naprogenix, Inc., Lexington, KY, United States.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Littleton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004341:Drug Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D063647:Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders; Novel flavonoids; Polyamine modulators; Rodent models; α7 Agonists