Impact of ethanol on the developing GABAergic system

Anat Rec (Hoboken). 2009 Dec;292(12):1922-39. doi: 10.1002/ar.20966.

Abstract

Alcohol intake during pregnancy has a tremendous impact on the developing brain. Embryonic and early postnatal alcohol exposures have been investigated experimentally to elucidate the fetal alcohol spectrum disorders' (FASD) milieu, and new data have emerged to support a devastating effect on the GABAergic system in the adult and developing nervous system. GABA is a predominantly inhibitory neurotransmitter that during development excites neurons and orchestrates several developmental processes such as proliferation, migration, differentiation, and synaptogenesis. This review summarizes and brings new data on neurodevelopmental aspects of the GABAergic system with FASD in experimental telencephalic models.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / metabolism
  • Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / pathology
  • Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / physiopathology*
  • Animals
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Central Nervous System Depressants / toxicity
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Ethanol / toxicity*
  • Female
  • Mice
  • Neural Inhibition / drug effects
  • Neural Inhibition / physiology
  • Neural Pathways / drug effects
  • Neural Pathways / embryology
  • Neural Pathways / growth & development
  • Neurogenesis / drug effects
  • Neurogenesis / physiology
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Pregnancy
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / metabolism
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / pathology
  • Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / physiopathology*
  • Telencephalon / drug effects*
  • Telencephalon / embryology*
  • Telencephalon / growth & development
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / drug effects*
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / metabolism

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Depressants
  • Ethanol
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid