Relevance: There is increasing evidence showing that both cognitive and behavioral deficits can occur in children whose mothers consumed even moderate amounts of alcohol during pregnancy (Streissguth et al. 1990, Streissguth et al. 1994, Willford et al. 2004). Our mouse model of prenatal alcohol exposure provides a way to study cognitive deficits in mammalian offspring exposed to moderate amounts of alcohol in utero. Because activation of the mitogen activated protein kinase/extracellular signal regulated kinase ERK1/2 following traditional learning paradigms is known to be essential to the learning process (Atkins et al. 1998, Blum et al. 1999, Selcher et al. 1999, Shalin et al. 2004) deficits in the activation of this signaling pathway due to moderate prenatal alcohol exposure could possibly be one underlying reason for the cognitive deficits associated with moderate ethanol exposure in utero. Understanding the mechanisms underlying prenatal induced cognitive deficits could help to overcome this issue.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31AA017001-02
Application #
7596236
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-DIG-H (29))
Program Officer
Noronha, Antonio
Project Start
2007-12-01
Project End
2009-05-31
Budget Start
2008-12-01
Budget End
2009-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$14,229
Indirect Cost
Name
University of New Mexico
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
868853094
City
Albuquerque
State
NM
Country
United States
Zip Code
87131
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