Prenatal alcohol exposure is among the leading known causes of mental retardation and other neurobehavioral disorders--the most severe and least amenable to treatment of alcohol related birth defects (ARBD). Though much remains unknown despite extensive research over the past 14 years, the stage has been set for attaining a considerable increment in knowledge. To take advantage of this opportunity, prenatal alcohol exposure and neurobehavioral deficit will be the theme of this proposed Alcohol Research Center. This ARC, involving investigators at Wayne State and several other universities will provide an optimal environment for an integrated, broad based, multidisciplinary, multifaceted and focussed attack on this problem. Four sets of shared resources (Clinical Research, Animal Research, Data Management and Statistics, and Education and Training Core Components) will make this ARC highly cost-effective. The breadth and focus of this ARC are reflected in 11 initial Research Components. These have been divided into 3 major categories: I. PRENATAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE AND ABNORMAL NEUROBEHAVIOR: DEFINING THE CLINICAL PROBLEM. Projects evaluate neurobehavioral changes in children prenatally exposed to alcohol, including assessment by newly developed techniques for very early identification of cognitive impairment. II. MECHANISMS OF ALCOHOL-RELATED PERINATAL DAMAGE: LABORATORY ASSESSMENT. This category is divided into: A) UNDERSTANDING THE RISK AND B) ASSESSING THE NEUROBEHAVIORAL CONSEQUENCES. The first category is aimed at identifying specific mechanisms that may contribute to alcohol's neurobehavioral teratogenicity, e.g., fetal hypoxia, alcohol's interaction with other compounds, paternal factors; the second evaluates specific behavioral and neurologic changes associated with prenatal alcohol exposure, with particular focus on auditory damage. III. CLINICAL RECOGNITION AND SECONDARY PREVENTION. Projects in this category include prospective randomized clinical trials to evaluate a) self-report and biochemical screening procedures for early identification leading to development of the FAST (Fetal Alcohol Screening Test) and b) secondary prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure, via improving physician recognition and behavioral response to this problem. The cadre of scientists participating in this ARC includes many experienced in alcohol research and several newly attracted to the field. There are clear plans for commitment to extensive education and training activities, including sponsorship of annual research conferences. Finally, long term commitment to this research area is demonstrated by plans for studies following up on findings from those initially proposed, as well as entirely new investigations.
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