Rffada

Rffada acknowledges and thanks the work of EUFASD in sourcing and compiling international research.

Research 25 May 2025

Healthy Population Journal – Transforming FASD Diagnosis in Newfoundland and Labrador: A Community Collaborative Approach for Capacity Building and Network Development
This commentary delves into fasdNL’s innovative work in establishing a comprehensive diagnostic network for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Although unparalleled in its complexity, FASD remains a persistently underdiagnosed and under-resourced lifelong condition.
https://ojs.library.dal.ca/hpj/article/view/12341
Neuroscience – Differences in neurophysiological resting-state alpha spectral events in 4–12-year-old children with prenatal exposure to alcohol relative to typically developing controls
The differences found in alpha events with age and PAE may provide valuable insights into the physiological correlates of attention and highlight the potential of alpha oscillations as biomarkers for understanding attention-related deficits in children with prenatal alcohol exposure.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306452225003902
Human Brain Mapping – Pattern of Deep Grey Matter Undersizing Boosts MRI-Based Diagnostic Classifiers in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Although previous studies have suggested that the deep grey matter is heterogeneously affected at the group level, it has not yet been established within proper scaling modeling, nor has it been given a place in the FASD diagnostic criteria where neuroanatomical features still contribute almost nothing to diagnostic specificity.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hbm.70233
Psychiatry, Psychology and Law – Evaluating the role of strengths and protective factors for youth with FASD and criminal legal system involvement: a scoping review
Youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are overrepresented in the criminal legal system (CLS). There is greater recognition among scholars, policymakers, and professionals of the importance of strengths-based approaches for this population.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13218719.2025.2470621
MALTRATTAMENTO E ABUSO ALL’INFANZIA – Adoptive families faced with fetal alcohol syndrome: A needs analysis
This study was born out from the collaboration between the University Center for Family Studies and Research and the Italian Association of Fetal Exposure Disorders to Alcohol and/or Drugs (AIDEFAD).
https://www.francoangeli.it/riviste/articolo/77501
Quality in Sport – The Complexity of Sleep Disorders in Children with FASD
The clinical manifestations of FASD are highly complex and affect all organ systems. Poor sleep hygiene in children with FASD has a significant impact on multiple areas of life, often leading to additional dysfunctions.
https://apcz.umk.pl/QS/article/view/60042
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy – Effects of maternal drinking patterns and epigallocatechin-3-gallate treatment on behavioural and molecular outcomes in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
These findings highlight the impact of PAE on cognition and behaviour and how EGCG may counteract its effects by reducing oxidative stress and enhancing brain plasticity.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332225003324
Behavioural Brain Research – Impaired cognitive function and altered dendritic morphology of hippocampal neurons in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
This study explores how developmental alcohol exposure affects the dendritic morphology of hippocampal pyramidal neurons, focusing on the actin cytoskeleton’s dynamics essential for neuronal structure and synaptic function.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166432825002190
University of South Florida – PRENATAL ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: MATERNAL ALCOHOL INTAKE, CIRCADIAN RHYTHM DISRUPTIONS, AND THE ASIAN GLOW EFFECT
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), often undiagnosed, increase the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and disrupted maternal circadian rhythms (CDs) may synergistically worsen neurodevelopmental impairments.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/ivrs/2025/presentations/20/
Drug and alcohol review – Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: The Caring and Financial Burden to Caregivers—A Scoping Review
Personal costs ranged between USD$198.13-CAD$6215,27 per person per year. These articles identified that parents incurred costs related to medical care, education, social services, productivity losses, externalising behaviours, other direct costs to the family, and psychosocial impacts on families.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dar.14071
American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – Executive and Social Functioning in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Comparison to Autism
Executive function is an area of challenge for both children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parent ratings of everyday executive function relate to a range of outcomes, including social functioning in ASD.
https://meridian.allenpress.com/ajidd/article-abstract/130/3/209/506621/Executive-and-Social-Functioning-in-Fetal-Alcohol
Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental research – Altered activity within the social behavior neural network in adolescent rats following prenatal alcohol exposure and/or early-life adversity
Our findings indicate that both PAE and ELA are associated with altered neural activity in regions supporting social recognition memory, notably the OB, PCX, mPFC, amygdala, and PVN.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acer.70082
medRxiv – The impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on sleep outcomes in 10,336 young adolescents: An Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study
These findings contribute to the growing evidence that there are no safe levels of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, as even low to moderate PAE negatively impacts adolescent sleep.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.14.25327575v1
Obstetrics & Gynecology – How Effective Are Obstetric Providers at Counseling About Alcohol, Tobacco, and Marijuana Use During Pregnancy?
Although almost all obstetric providers report counseling about avoidance of and risks to their fetuses from alcohol, smoking, and marijuana usage in pregnancy, only approximately half of patients recall that they received any such counseling.
https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/abstract/2025/06001/how_effective_are_obstetric_providers_at.256.aspx
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry – Trends in Healthcare for Drug or Alcohol Use Among Pregnant Women with Disabilities in Ontario Canada
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/07067437251339794
South African Journal of Psychiatry – Substance and alcohol use in pregnant women attending antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa
The increased risk of contracting HIV and having babies with low birth weights when substances are used in pregnancy highlights the need for appropriate behaviour modification for these women during antenatal care and this is in line with the health belief model.
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2444
PsyArXiv Preprints – Under What Circumstances Do Pregnant Women Use Cannabis and Alcohol? The Contributions of Risk Perception, Mental Health, and Individual Context
When taken together, results indicate that prenatal and perinatal healthcare providers may need to screen for mental health struggles and certain individual contexts and personalize care to increase risk perception of substance use while pregnant.
https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/mh85j_v1

Research 5 May 2025

medRxiv – Efficacy of Short vs. Long Dog-Assisted Therapy Programs in Children and Adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial
The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of a shorter (8 sessions) and longer (16 sessions) Dog-Assisted Therapy (DAT) program for children and adolescents with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.26.25326504v1
Child Protection and Practice – Transition from care experiences of youth aged 13 to 23 living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Canada: A scoping review
While this subpopulation must leave care by early adulthood, their experience is missing from the literature. We recommend investing in foundational research on pathways of exiting care, updating policy and practice to ensure youth voices are integrated, and optimizing, standardizing, and tracking protective factors throughout child welfare engagement.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950193825000798
American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities – Executive and Social Functioning in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Comparison to Autism
Executive function is an area of challenge for both children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Parent ratings of everyday executive function relate to a range of outcomes, including social functioning in ASD.
https://meridian.allenpress.com/ajidd/article-abstract/130/3/209/506621/Executive-and-Social-Functioning-in-Fetal-Alcohol?redirectedFrom=fulltext
Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research – Psychosocial, neurocognitive, and physical development in Eastern European adopted adolescents with and without fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Adopted adolescents with FASD showed a complex profile of deficits in social communication, certain neurocognitive areas (particularly in working memory and language), and self-regulation.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40288910/
bioRxiv – Interactions between the Bone Morphogenetic Protein and the Planar Cell Polarity Pathways lead to distinctive ethanol-induced facial defects
Ultimately, our work builds on a mechanistic paradigm of ethanol-induced birth defects we have been developing, connecting conceptual framework with concrete cellular events that could be ethanol-sensitive beyond facial development.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.04.23.650288v1.abstract
scientific reports – Chemogenetic inhibition of prefrontal cortex inputs to dorsal raphe reduces anxiety behaviors in male rat model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) causes Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and emotional deficits, including anxiety and depression.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-99181-8
Advances in Neurodevelopmental Disorders – Emotion Awareness and Perceptions of Parental Response to Emotion in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Development and Preliminary Testing of the Qualitative Emotion Interview
The QEI is a promising method of understanding the emotional experiences of young children with FASD, and may be useful for other populations.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41252-025-00443-3
University of Calgary – Effects of sex and prenatal alcohol exposure on early childhood gray matter volume and executive function
Brain development is a dynamic process, characterized by both progressive and regressive changes in brain structure. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can have profound, deleterious effects on brain structural development and is associated with behavioural impairments such as difficulties with executive function.
https://ucalgary.scholaris.ca/items/521b2bfe-06c0-4c81-b6a3-e6f1c4143006
Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging – Thalamic Nuclear Volumes in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: from Adolescence to Middle-Age 20 Years Later
These novel data revealed stable deficits in thalamic nuclei of the groups with heavy fetal alcohol exposure. After 20 years, the deficits endured but without accelerated age-related decline and following the same aging pattern as controls.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2451902225001302
Research in Developmental Disabilities – Emotion socialization practices in non-biological parents of children with FASD
Emotion coaching was associated was positively associated with emotion dismissing, suggesting caregivers use a combination of both.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891422225000952
The University of Western Ontario – Sex-Specific Effects of Early Acute Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Mild Juvenile Stress on the Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Liver Abnormalities in Mice
This study employs a mouse model to evaluate the individual and combined effects of early acute PAE and mild juvenile stress on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk and liver health.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/10745/
Healthcare – Effectiveness of Web-Based Interventions on Clinical Outcomes and Lifestyle Modifications in Women Planning to Conceive: A Systematic Review
Web-based interventions show potential in improving certain health behaviors among preconception women. Further high-quality studies are needed to assess their effectiveness on a broader range of outcomes, including dietary habits, physical activity, and substance use, and to inform their integration into preconception care strategies.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/13/9/1037
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition – Choline enhances elicited imitation memory performance in preschool children with prenatal alcohol exposure: a cumulative report of 3 randomized controlled trials
The results support choline as a neurodevelopmental intervention for improvement of memory in young children exposed to alcohol prenatally.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916525000772

Research 13 Apr 2025

East Tennessee State University – Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Implications and Interventions
This study examines socioeconomic and healthcare barriers contributing to underdiagnosis and limited educational interventions in this region (Department of Education, 2021).
https://dc.etsu.edu/boland-research-day/2025/presentations/241/
 
European Journal of Paediatric Neurology – Transcranial magnetic stimulation in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A randomised, crossover pilot-trial
In this crossover study, we evaluated the feasibility and effects of high-frequency 10Hz-rTMS and iTBS over the left and right DLPFC, respectively, in children with FASD. Real low-frequency 1Hz-rTMS – expected to have no effect on FASD-symptoms – was used as control.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090379825000479
 
Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research – Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder identification in Australia: A qualitative analysis of perspectives from psychologists and individuals with lived and living experience
Recognition of the impact of PAE is growing in Australia; however, there is a need to embed this topic within university training for psychologists.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acer.70040
 
Eastern Ukrainian Medical Journal – EFFECTS OF PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE ON CHILD HEALTH
Clinical observation of a child with FAS in the neonatal period correlates with data from the literature on the impact of high doses of alcohol on fetal development, which leads to the formation of congenital malformations, mainly in the central nervous system and complicates the course of postnatal adaptation due to severe neurological disorders.
https://eumj.med.sumdu.edu.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/781
 
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health – Suboptimal industry adherence to the design specifications of the mandatory pregnancy warning label
The findings indicate that the application of the mandatory pregnancy warning label may be suboptimal in the Australian alcohol market. The lower adherence among spirits and wine products is concerning given their higher alcohol content.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1326020025000172
 
Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research – Prenatal alcohol exposure alters brain structure and neurocognitive outcomes for 6- to 7-year-old children in a South African birth cohort
This study suggests that there is persistent altered brain structural development in children with PAE, consistent with previous findings in this cohort at infancy and age 2–3 years.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acer.70048
 
Pediatrics & Neonatology – Does Supplementation of Choline During or After Pregnancies Exposed to Alcohol Improve Neurocognitive Development of Children? A Meta-Analysis
Supplementation of choline in either period could benefit neurocognitive development in children of heavy-drinking mothers.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875957225000580
 
Autism Research – Prenatal Maternal Alcohol Exposure During the First Trimester of Pregnancy in Relation to Early Learning Ability, Behavioral Problems, and Autistic Traits in Preschool Children With or Without Autism Spectrum Disorder
As expected, our findings suggest that PAE-FT is associated with adverse behavioral development of children regardless of ASD status. However, PAE-FT may exacerbate autism-specific developmental problems and learning difficulties in children with ASD.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/aur.70025
 
NeoReviews – Plans of Safe Care in Substance-Exposed Infants: Components, Complexities, and Collaboration
Plans of Safe Care, first mentioned in US federal legislation in 2003, are intended to address the health and safety of infants and families impacted by prenatal substance exposure.
https://publications.aap.org/neoreviews/article-abstract/26/4/e264/201401/Plans-of-Safe-Care-in-Substance-Exposed-Infants?redirectedFrom=fulltext
 
Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research – Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy andchild development: Role of ADH1B and ALDH2 genepolymorphisms—The Yamanashi Adjunct Study of the JapanEnvironment and Children’s Study
The role of polymorphisms in genes regulating alcohol metabolism, particularly those modulating the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on the neurodevelopment of offspring, remains inconclusive.
https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1050022145090773376
J Midwifery Womens Health – Perinatal Substance Use Disorder Educational Content in US Midwifery Training Programs: A Survey
Program directors identified several barriers to enhanced PSUD education and clinical experience for their students, including lack of dedicated perinatal addiction clinicians, lack of faculty expertise, lack of time in the curriculum, and lack of time by faculty, among others.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40191996/
Midwifery – Pregnancy, risk behaviors and adverse reproductive outcomes: Is preconception care working in Italy?
Our survey showed a limited use of the preconception visit among Italian women. It may represent a valid resource to improve the folic acid supplementation and immunization before pregnancy.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0266613825001226
 
Acta Pediatrica – Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: A Pilot Study in Western Sweden
The lowest prevalence estimate of FASD in Sweden is similar to that found in other European countries, and four orders of magnitude more common than the prevalence of the diagnosis in official hospital records.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apa.70059
 
Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability – Healthcare utilisation and characteristics of adults with fetal alcohol syndrome: a descriptive population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada
Adults with FAS require accessible and extensive healthcare services to address their complex needs and improve long-term outcomes.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13668250.2025.2449677
 
Journal of Education, Health and Sport – The Influence of FASD on Psychiatric Disorders
A Literature Review on the Mechanisms Relating Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders to Mental Health Conditions in Adulthood.
https://apcz.umk.pl/JEHS/article/view/57862
 
Neuropediatrics – First evidence-based guideline for interventions in FASD
The German guideline is the first internationally to provide evidence-based recommendations for interventions in children and adolescents with FASD.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40015329/
 
SciELO Brazil – Alcohol consumption among pregnant women in Brazilian capitals: How many, where, and who are they?
These findings emphasize the need for focused preventive strategies targeting the most vulnerable groups to mitigate alcohol consumption and its associated risks during pregnancy.
https://www.scielo.br/j/eins/a/cBkC77cLMWnLMw47Qyy4XHJ/
Neurotoxicology and Teratology – Substance use and mental health symptoms in adults with prenatal alcohol exposure
This is one of the only studies to examine rates of alcohol and other substance use among adults in mid-life with PAE. Results suggest that relationships between PAE, substance use, and mental health symptoms are complex, and it will be important for future studies to examine factors associated with high-risk substance use among this vulnerable population.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0892036225000133
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health – Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancy Risk, Mental Health, Self-Understanding, and Relational Connections Among Urban Native American Young Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic had a disproportionate impact on American Indian and Alaska Native (“Native”) communities, including factors impacting alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP) risk.
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/22/3/358
 
Journal of advanced nursing – Examining Alcohol Screening Rates During Pregnancy and Documentation of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in a Public Health District in Australia
Almost all pregnancies were screened at the antenatal care booking; however, the number of alcohol-exposed pregnancies might be underestimated due to current alcohol use being screened.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40062470/
 
Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience – Hyperactivity in male and female mice manifests differently following early, acute prenatal alcohol exposure and mild juvenile stress
Chronic prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and severe juvenile stress independently contribute to hyperactive and depressive behavioral phenotypes, with their combination exacerbating these effects.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/behavioral-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2025.1501937/abstract

Research March 2025

Alcohol – Single essential oils and their binary mixtures protect against ethanol-induced defects in a zebrafish fetal alcohol spectrum disorder model at the same level as folic acid
This study evaluated protective effects of clove (SEO), thyme white (TEO), oregano (OEO), and caraway (CEO) essential oils (EOs), and their binary mixtures, in a zebrafish fetal alcohol spectrum disorder model.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0741832924001757

Pedagogy in Health Promotion – Delivering Education Through a Podcast to Change Provider Practice: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Podcast. Education delivered through podcasts can be effective in improving provider knowledge and self-efficacy and in promoting practice change. Podcasts offer broad reach and accessibility providing an opportunity to educate on topics including FASD.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/23733799241298257

helda.helsinki.fi – Early environmental effects on the placental epigenome and gene expression, and newborns’ phenotype : Focusing on prenatal alcohol exposure and Assisted Reproductive Technology
To clarify the etiology of adverse health outcomes mediated by the prenatal environment, this thesis focused on two prevalent and socially significant, but rather distinct environmental factors, prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and assisted reproductive technology (ART).
https://helda.helsinki.fi/items/2e8ced58-aa0d-433f-b14f-01b0d4ed9c6d

Bratislavske lekarske listy – Risk factors for self-reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy
In accordance with certain European data, the best means of protection against alcohol consumption during pregnancy include complete abstinence prior to conception, pregnancy planning, and high-quality education regarding the negative effects of alcohol during pregnancy (Tab. 4, Ref. 19).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39487834/

Rivista do psichiatria – Italian Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: structural abnormalities
Timely diagnosis and intervention are crucial as they can significantly enhance outcomes through appropriate support and management strategies. Increasing awareness among citizens about the detrimental effects of alcohol use disorders on newborn health is of utmost importance.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39470674/

Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research – Prenatal alcohol exposure and health at midlife: Self-reported health outcomes in two cohorts
Patients affected by alcohol may report greater frequency and range of health adversity. That PAE was only uniquely associated with a limited set of problems suggests that many health outcomes in midlife result from an initial vulnerability potentiated by postnatal stress resulting from other associated factors.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/acer.15441

IBRO Neuroscience Reports – Transgenerational of Oxidative Damage Induced by Prenatal Ethanol Exposure on Spatial Learning/Memory and BDNF in the of Male Rats
The findings underscore the role of OS in developmental and behavioral issues in FASD rat models and suggest that lasting transgenerational effects in the second generation may stem from alcohol-induced changes.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667242124000800

PrePrints – What Do We Know About Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Nigeria?
Despite limited empirical evidence, anecdotal reports suggest that alcohol consumption during pregnancy is not uncommon in Nigeria, driven by factors such as social norms, lack of awareness, and limited access to prenatal care and education.
https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202410.1957

Alcohol, clinical & Experimental Research – Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and child development: Role of ADH1B and ALDH2 gene polymorphisms-The Yamanashi Adjunct Study of the Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Our results suggest that alcohol consumption by pregnant females carrying the deficient variant ALDH2*2 genotype may increase the risk of developmental delay in their offspring.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39537314/

Archives of Women’s Mental Health – Severe alcohol withdrawal during pregnancy or early postpartum: maternal and fetal outcomes
The findings highlight the severe implications of AWS during pregnancy, impacting both maternal and fetal health. The severity of AWS requires attentive clinical management and preventative interventions.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00737-024-01531-4

International Journal of Molecular Sciences – Prenatal Opioid and Alcohol Exposures: Association with Altered Placental Serotonin Transporter Structure and/or Expression
Fetal exposures to many drugs of abuse, e.g., opioids and alcohol (EtOH), are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental problems in early childhood, including abnormalities in activity of the serotonin (5HT) transporter (SERT), which transports 5HT across the placenta.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/21/11570

Authorea – Prenatal alcohol use or smoking and their effect on fetal growth, stratified by dose, timing and single or dual use: a prospective cohort study.
Dual exposure to smoking and drinking (even low) reduces fetal growth.
https://www.authorea.com/doi/full/10.22541/au.172983252.20277202

AIDS – Substance use during pregnancy and postpartum among individuals with perinatally-acquired HIV in the United States
Use of cannabis and alcohol were common during pregnancy and the first year postpartum among people with HIV in the United States (2007–2019), but there were no major differences in substance use during pregnancy based on mode of HIV acquisition.
https://journals.lww.com/aidsonline/abstract/2024/12010/substance_use_during_pregnancy_and_postpartum.17.aspx?context=latestarticles

International Journal of Law and Psychiatry – Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and the criminal justice system: A guide for legal professionals
This article is intended to provide valuable information and best practices for professionals in the legal system, particularly judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, social workers/mitigation specialists, and psychologists, who are likely to encounter individuals living with FASD or suspected FASD early in the judicial process.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0160252724000785

BMC Medicine – Prenatal alcohol exposure and associations with physical size, dysmorphology and neurodevelopment: a systematic review and meta-analysis
This comprehensive review provides guidance on which components are most useful to consider in the diagnostic criteria for FASD.
https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-024-03656-w

International Social Work – Using living experience and practitioner research to create unique programmes providing help for caregivers, professionals and students to increase support for children living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
In this article, I draw on my intersectional identities as a caregiver of a child with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, as a registered social worker with extensive experience in the justice sector, and as an employed educator and researcher at a tertiary institute, to explore how I have used these multiple identities to create new initiatives that support families where Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is an issue, and introduce critical disability training for professionals working in the field.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00208728241288018

Nutrients – Exploring Nutritional Status and Metabolic Imbalances in Children with FASD: A Cross-Sectional Study
These findings suggest that the principal issue among patients with FASD is an altered metabolism rather than nutritional deficiencies. Potential causes of these abnormalities could include oxidative stress and changes in body composition.
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/19/3401

Military Medicine – Mapping the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Continuum of Care Across the Military Health System
Findings suggest opportunities to raise awareness, educate providers, and improve guidelines, policies, and practices in the MHS.
https://academic.oup.com/milmed/advance-article/doi/10.1093/milmed/usae456/7811871

Journal of Public Child Welfare – Foster parents’ need for greater information sharing when caring for children with prenatal substance exposure within child welfare
This article presents information on how the child welfare (CW) system informs caregivers about prenatal substance exposure (PSE) and related concerns, and how those caregivers communicate back to CW about PSE issues.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15548732.2024.2412672

CNS drugs – The Safety of Alcohol Pharmacotherapies in Pregnancy: A Scoping Review of Human and Animal Research
There is insufficient research on the safety of alcohol pharmacotherapies in pregnancy. Despite this, given alcohol’s teratogenic effects, naltrexone could be considered to help maintain abstinence in pregnant individuals with AUD, particularly when psychosocial treatments have failed.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40263-024-01126-8

IJPDS – Identifying substance misuse related foetal anomaly cases in routinely collected data
A novel method to identify SM-related foetal anomaly cases using routinely collected data in Wales is provided. The published code to identify mothers and children exposed to SM-related events can also be reused in future projects.
https://ijpds.org/article/view/2789

Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology – Drinking even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy could alter fetal brain structure
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can affect fetal brain development, as seen in temporal brain asymmetry detected by fetal MRI.
https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/uog.27788

Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities – Integrated service delivery for individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
This study may help to inform a roadmap for enhancing FASD service delivery and guiding FASD research and policy in Canada and beyond.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jar.13277

Multidisciplinary Reviews – A lifespan perspective on fetal alcohol syndrome: Developmental challenges and outcomes
This disorder represents the intersection of complicated societal, community, family, and biological circumstances that increase the risk for intergenerational suffering, health disparity, and social injustice.
https://malque.pub/ojs/index.php/mr/article/view/5512

Brain Communications – Subcortical volume in middle-aged adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Studies of youth and young adults with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) have most consistently reported reduced volumes of the corpus callosum, cerebellum and subcortical structures.
https://academic.oup.com/braincomms/article/6/5/fcae273/7748169

University of Guelph – Guilty Pleas in Youth and Young Adults with and without Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Overall, findings highlight the importance of developmentally-informed plea practices for youth, and suggest young adults may require more support throughout this process than previously thought.
https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/items/3517fe89-b2ce-4f50-85e2-26ec35117a68

Disabilities and Autism: Ethics and Practice – Ethical Considerations Arising in the Assessment, Treatment, and Support of Individuals and Families Living with FASD
This chapter discusses the ethical challenges associated with crafting effective and non-stigmatizing public health messaging about FASD, issues of mother-blame and the villainizing of women who consume alcohol in pregnancy, and an overview of some of the ethical considerations in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and support of individuals and families living with FASD.
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-61565-8_30

Laurier – Exploring the Transition from Childhood to Adulthood for Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Previous research has demonstrated that adults with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) often lack support after reaching 18 years old because they are no longer eligible for the support they receive as children.
https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/2692/

Western University – Improving the Educational Experience of Students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is recognized as one of the leading causes of developmental disability in the Western world (Flannigan et al., 2018). Its prevalence is estimated at 4% of the population.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/oip/404/

Drug and Alcohol Dependence – Administratively reported fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in commercially- and Medicaid-insured samples of children in the United States, 2015 – 2021
Although an underestimate of the true population of children with FASDs, patterns in administratively reported FASDs by demographics were consistent with previous studies.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871624013450

Substance Use & Addiction Journal – Answering a Call to Action: Reducing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Using a Healthcare Champion Model
Through the advocacy, education, and mission of these 6 health sectors in collaboration with national organizations and educational institutions, the evidence-based approach of alcohol SBI is being disseminated throughout the United States to reduce the harmful effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/29767342241271361

Paediatrics and Child Health – Drugs and alcohol in pregnancy: what a paediatrician needs to know, how to ask and why it matters
This article will explore the immediate and long-term impact of exposure to these substances in pregnancy and consider how to obtain an accurate history of exposure to drugs and alcohol in pregnancy as part of standard paediatric history taking.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1751722224001392

bioRxiv – Longitudinal mapping of cortical change during early adolescence associated with prenatal tobacco and/or alcohol exposure in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study
Cortical thickness (mm) and cortical surface area (mm2) measured approximately 2 years apart in early adolescence, across 68 bilateral cortical regions.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.610335v1.abstract

Research – EUFASD 18 Aug 2024

Disability and Health Journal – Fetal alcohol syndrome and population level health care usage in British Columbia, Canada
These findings indicate that youth with FAS require urgent attention for each of the medically-related variables included in this study. The need for attention to their health care needs may increase as these youth transition from pediatric to adult health care services.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1936657424001237
Drug and Alcohol Review – Identifying and responding to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in child and family health: Lessons from an exploratory mixed methods study
Health workers in this study requested high-quality training and the development of FASD practice guidelines to improve role clarity and clinical impact when working with FASD populations.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dar.13917
Gene – Genetic admixture predictors of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in a South African population
Our findings indicate that the SACC population may be a valuable asset to identify novel disease-associated genetic loci for FASD and other diseases.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378111924007352
bioRxiv – Ethanol exposure model in zebrafish causes phenotypic, behavioral and gene expression changes that mimic Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in human birth cohorts
We conclude that the zebrafish model effectively mimics several FASD phenotypes observed in humans, confirming gene expression changes we have previously documented in a human observational study and providing a valuable platform for exploring the underlying mechanisms of alcohol-induced embryonic alterations and for developing diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for early intervention.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.05.606708v1.abstract
Children – First Description of a Large Clinical Series of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Children and Adolescents in Reunion Island, France
Children with FASDs combine significant vulnerabilities, associating exposure to alcohol during the preconception and/or the prenatal period, prematurity, complex familial and sociocultural living conditions, and a genetic anomaly in almost a quarter of cases.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/8/955
OSF – FASD: Where we have come from, trends, and future directions
People with FASD have many strengths, which are often overlooked in research. They have been described as skilled musicians, artists and sportspeople with wide vocabularies who are resilient, compassionate, hardworking, and kind. Increasing attention is being paid to FASD but this is not enough.
https://osf.io/preprints/osf/qxuh3
The American Journal of Occupational Therapy – Knowledge of Occupational Therapists in Child Development Units: Implications for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis and Treatment
This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of Occupational Therapists (OTs) in child development units about dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the characteristics of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
https://research.aota.org/ajot/article/78/Supplement_2/7811500198p1/25452
bioRxiv – Deliberative Behaviors and Prefrontal-Hippocampal Coupling are Disrupted in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Together, these findings indicate that third trimester AE disrupts mPFC-HPC oscillatory interactions and choice behaviors.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.07.28.605480v1.abstract
BMJ Journals – Initial health assessments of children looked after: health needs snapshot with emphasis on risk of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders
The survey provided a valuable snapshot of the local CLA population which will support the commissioning of services. It highlighted the need for ongoing data capture of health issues. A particular spotlight was thrown on the lack of easily available information on PAE and a consistent diagnostic and management pathway for FASD.
https://adc.bmj.com/content/109/Suppl_1/A54.abstract
Adler University – The Prevalence and Association of Biopsychosocial Factors With Maternal Alcohol Use During Pregnancy in Canada: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis
Research on FASD prevalence varies widely between countries, highlighting the need for country-specific data to inform effective alcohol legislation. In Canada, prevalence estimates are outdated, necessitating an update.
https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng/services/services-libraries/theses/Pages/item.aspx?idNumber=1449998459
Children – A Population-Based Study on Women Who Used Alcohol during Pregnancy and Their Neonates in Ontario, Canada
It is crucial to routinely screen childbearing-age and pregnant women for alcohol and other substance use as well as mental health problems in order to prevent adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/11/8/993
Substance Use & Addiction Journal – Cross-Site Evaluation of Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention Implementation Programs in Healthcare Systems Serving Individuals of Reproductive Age
Maximizing the use of technology, employing flexibility in program delivery, and institutionalizing processes and protocols improved workflow, efficiency, and program reach.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/29767342241267074
Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience – Prenatal Tobacco and Alcohol Exposure, White Matter Microstructure, and Early Language Skills in Toddlers from a South African Birth Cohort
Tobacco and alcohol are the two most common substances used during pregnancy, and both can disrupt neurodevelopment, resulting in cognitive and behavioural deficits including language difficulties. Previous studies show that children with prenatal substance exposure exhibit microstructural alterations in major white matter pathways, though few studies have investigated the impact of prenatal substance exposure on white matter microstructure and language skills during the toddler years.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/integrative-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnint.2024.1438888/abstract
Alcohol – The Effects of Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Performance in Hippocampal-Sensitive Spatial Memory and Anxiety Tasks by Adult Male and Female Rat Offspring
The results suggest that moderate prenatal alcohol exposure does not have a considerable effect on retention of spatial information, but produces a general reduction in anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus-maze.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0741832924001137
Frontiers in Computational Neuroscience – Deep Learning for Detecting Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in Pediatric Brain MRI: A Transfer Learning Approach with Explainability Insights
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) refers to the exposure of the developing fetus due to alcohol consumption during pregnancy and can have life-long consequences for learning, behavior, and health.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/computational-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fncom.2024.1434421/abstract
Drug and Alcohol Review – Screening and early intervention for substance use during pregnancy: A retrospective case note review of antenatal care records
Despite longstanding recommendations, screening and intervention practices for substance use appear inconsistent. With the recent emergence of vaping, no evidence of updated approaches to identifying e-cigarette consumption in pregnant women was found.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dar.13927
OSF – Contextualized Effects of Maternal Cannabis During Pregnancy on Childhood Alcohol Sipping in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Project
PCE effects on adolescent alcohol sipping are indirect and are confounded with maternal behaviors before and during pregnancy.
https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/qb5zv
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs – The relationship between alcohol availability and drink-driving policies and admissions to substance use disorder treatment during pregnancy
Restrictions on grocery store spirits sales and BAC laws were associated with lower and higher alcohol treatment admission rates among pregnant people, respectively, suggesting general population alcohol policies are relevant for pregnant people’s treatment utilization.
https://www.jsad.com/doi/abs/10.15288/jsad.23-00414
Substance Use & Addiction Journal – Identifying Patients at Risk for Alcohol-Exposed Pregnancies: The Importance of Addressing Multiple Risk Factors
There is a need for system modifications to assess multiple behaviors simultaneously and alert providers when a combination of behaviors increases a specific health risk, such as an AEP.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/29767342241267086
Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research – The international prevalence of prenatal alcohol use obtained via meconium biomarkers: A systematic literature review
This review assesses both the international prevalence of PAU obtained using meconium biomarkers in general maternity populations and, when feasible, the level of agreement between meconium biomarkers and self-reported PAU.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/acer.15410
Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research – Trends in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder research: A bibliometric review of original articles published between 2000 and 2023
FASD remains considerably under-researched. While there has been an increase in the number of original FASD research articles published annually over time, this is much lower than expected compared to publication trends for other neurodevelopmental conditions, and the wider scientific literature.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39118285/
Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research – Assessing and supporting children and young people with probable or diagnosed fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: The experience of clinicians working within child and adolescent mental health services
This model provides new insights into the barriers and facilitators CAMHS clinicians experience when assessing and supporting CYP with probable or diagnosed FASD, highlighting key clinical implications.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39138612/


Research – EUFASD News 11 Feb 2024

Advances in Pediatric Research – Washington and Alaska Statewide Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Diagnostic Clinical Networks: Comparison of Three Decades of 4-Digit Code

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26 Nov 2023

Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice – Bound by Blame: Sentencing, Colonialism, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum DisorderGladue and Ipeelee send important messages to

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12 Nov 2023

Gladue and Ipeelee send important messages to judges, but messages that have tensions within them that reflect the broader tensions of using

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23 Oct 2023

Journal of Language and Communication Disorders – Comparing narrative storytelling ability in individuals with autism and fetal alcohol spectrum disordersWhile many aspects of

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8 Nov 2023

Human brain mapping – Examining the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on performance of the sustained attention to response task in children with

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14 August 2023

Europe PMC – Protecting the future child: Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, easy rescue and the regulation of maternal behaviourThis paper argues that social

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