The NOFAS Weekly Roundup features news articles, research, event
announcements, new materials and other highlights from around the world
of FASD. The Roundup also includes the latest news from NOFAS and a link
to the Calendar of Events page on the NOFAS website.

FEATURES

Portage Friendship Centre looks to create awareness with FASD conference

The Portage Friendship Centre of Canada will host the “Tradition and
Western World Views on FASD and Strategies Conference” in November to
encourage FASD prevention and a better understanding of the disorder.

Article, The Daily Graphic, October 8, 2011

Addicted babies need task force

Florida Attorney General, Pam Bondi, recently called for a task force to
be formed to address the increasing number of cases of Fetal Alcohol
Syndrome and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in the state.

Article, News-Press.com, October 6, 2011

Angels in Adoption award goes to Newell family

South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson recently awarded Nora and Randy Boesem
of Newell, South Dakota with the Angels in Adoption award.  The Boesem’s
have nine adopted children, all who have FASD.

Article, NewellCommunity.com, October 5, 2011

University of the Fraser Valley professor to speak on new approaches to
helping children with FASD

University of the Fraser Valley kinesiologist, Dr. Chris Bertram focuses
on the strengths of FASD children to improve their motor skills.

Article, Chilliwack Times, October 3, 2011

Available for Public Comment: Maternity Care Measure Set

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement of The American Congress of
Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is looking for public comment on
the Maternity Care measure set. The comment period is open until 5:00
p.m. CDT on Saturday, October 29, 2011.

Public Comment, ACOG, October 2011

Self-reported Alcohol and Drug Use in Pregnant Young Women: A Pilot
Study of Associated Factors and Identification

Recent NOFAS FASD Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Grace Chang reveals study
results from self-reported substance use in pregnant young women.

Study, Journal of Addiction Medicine, September 2011

NOFAS

NOFAS Vice President and International Spokesperson, Kathy Mitchell
responds to popular NBC show, Parenthood.  Last week’s episode featured
a scene in which a pregnant woman drinks champagne at her baby shower.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The ARC of New Jersey has published the August/September issue of Prevention Counts.

In this issue, you will find:

* International FAS Day is September 9 (09/09) for 9 months alcohol free. If you see our ads in your local papers let us know.
* Upcoming Research on FASD
* August is Immunization Awareness Month: Are You Up-to-Date?
* US Department of Agriculture has launched a newly revised campaign for better nutrition.
* Lastly, but really important, you will have an opportunity to update your information in our records.

By all means, pass this newsletter as a resource to your clients, coworkers, family members, and friends.  We want to continue the STRONG statewide effort of prevention in New Jersey and your participation is vital!

Read this exciting Prevention Counts issue NOW.

Two universities have teamed to conduct fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) research. Read more about this exciting collaboration that can contribute to the prevention of FASD.

NOFAS Weekly Roundup – Volume 2, Issue 31

The NOFAS Weekly Roundup features news articles, research, event
announcements, new materials and other highlights from around the world
of FASD. The Roundup also includes the latest news from NOFAS and a link
to the Calendar of Events page on the NOFAS website.

FEATURES

NOFAS Hosts Luncheon with Senator Jack Reed

U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) joined NOFAS recently to discuss FASD
legislation and other congressional activities.

Rusty Walking Eagle Receives the Dr. Erin Frey Advocacy Award

Rusty Walking Eagle, a substance abuse counselor from Virginia, gives an
emotional speech after being presented with the first Dr. Erin Frey
Advocacy Award at the 2011 NOFAS Leadership Awards Benefit. The award is
given in memory of former NOFAS Program Director, Dr. Erin Frey.  Kathy
Mitchell presents the award, along with members of the award selection
committee.

Complete a Survey of NOFAS/CDC Materials and Win a $50 Target Gift Card!

If you have received NOFAS or CDC FASD materials, please complete the
survey above and let us know how you put them in to practice.

Join the Friends of NOFAS Network!

The Friends of NOFAS is a network of individuals who support our mission
to prevent alcohol-related birth defects and support children and adults
living with FASD. As a member, you will receive discounts on NOFAS
materials and events and a special gift just for signing up!  Join today
for a tax-deductible donation of only $25.00!

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

NOFAS Profile: Paul Joles of Orchids FASD Services Wisconsin
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSPft98La94&feature=youtu.be&hd=1>

Paul Joles, Director of new NOFAS Affiliate, Orchids FASD Services,
Inc., discusses his inspiration for starting the organization with other
parents of children with FASD.  He also discusses his creative
fundraising techniques, including holding a square dance and raising
money through gumball machine sales.

NOFAS Profile: Judy Struck of NOFAS South Dakota
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi3sMN23HDo&feature=youtu.be&hd=1>

Judy Struck of NOFAS South Dakota discusses how she first got involved
in the FASD field and talks about her organization’s support of a
diagnostic clinic and parent education class.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

NOFAS Weekly Roundup – Volume 2, Issue 23

The NOFAS Weekly Roundup features news articles, research, event
announcements, new materials and other highlights from around the world
of FASD. The Roundup also includes the latest news from NOFAS and a link
to the Calendar of Events page on the NOFAS website.

FEATURES

New Funding Opportunity From CDC

CDC has announced a funding opportunity for colleges and universities to
become FASD Regional Training Centers. To learn more please visit the
link above and select ‘Apply for Grants’; ‘Step 1: Download a Grant
Application’; and insert the Funding Opportunity Number in the format:
CDC-RFA-DD11-1107.

Grant Opportunity, CDC, June 6, 2011

A survey of Italian and Spanish neonatologists and pediatricians
regarding awareness of the diagnosis of FAS and FASD and maternal
ethanol use during pregnancy

A recent study revealed that many Italian and Spanish neonatologists and
pediatricians know little about FAS and FASD and do not feel confident
diagnosing the condition.

Study, BMC Pediatrics, June 6, 2011

Sheryl Over receives Holnbeck Award

Sheryl Over of Peterborough, Ontario recently received the 2011 Holnbeck
Award for her extensive efforts to help those living with FASD.

Article, The Peterborough Examiner, June 2, 2011

Florida Fights FASD

Recent newsletter from the Florida Fights FASD campaign of Tallahassee,
Florida.

Newsletter, Florida Fights FASD, June 2011

New research into fetal alcohol spectrum disorder offers hope

New research from the University of Victoria in British Columbia shows
the benefits that regular exercise can have in improving the lives for
those affected by FASD.

Article, Saanich News, May 25, 2011

AFFILIATES

Salvation Army Holds Session on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

The Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS) in
coordination with the Salvation Army of Albert Lea, Minnesota recently
held an informational session to spread the word about FASD in the
community.

Video, KIMT TV – Mason City, Iowa, May 31, 2011

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

FASD Center News

·         CDC Announces Availability of Community Transformation Grants

·         FASD Center Learning Community Seeks to Bridge Cultural, Racial,

Ethnic and Other Issues

·         FASD Center Presents FASD Assessment Information on Webinar

FASD Scientific Literature

·         Pediatricians’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Following Provision

of Educational Resources about Prevention of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal

Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

·         Magnetic Resonance-Based Imaging in Animal Models of Fetal Alcohol

Spectrum Disorder

·         si-RNA Inhibition of Brain Insulin or Insulin-like Growth Factor

Receptors Causes Developmental Cerebellar Abnormalities: Relevance to Fetal

Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

·         Ethanol, Acetaldehyde, and Estradiol Affect Growth and Differentiation

of Rhesus Monkey Embryonic Stem Cells

·         Strain-Specific Vulnerability to Alcohol Exposure in Utero via

Hippocampal Parent-of-Origin Expression of Deiodinase-III

·         Tissue Plasminogen Activator is Required for the Development of Fetal

Alcohol Syndrome in Mice

·         Regional Brain Volume Reductions Relate to Facial Dysmorphology and

Neurocognitive Function in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

·         Web-Based Assessment and Brief Intervention for Alcohol Use in Women

of Childbearing Potential: A Report of the Primary Findings

·         Strain Differences in Developmental Vulnerability to Alcohol Exposure

via Embryo Culture in Mice

·         Comparison of Verbal Learning and Memory in Children with Heavy

Prenatal Alcohol Exposure or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

·         Combined Transcriptome Analysis of Fetal Human and Mouse Cerebral

Cortex Exposed to Alcohol

·         Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Abnormal Neuronal Plasticity

·         Protection of Neurons and Microglia against Ethanol in a Mouse Model

of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated

Receptor-? Agonists

·         Two Alcohol Binding Residues Interact Across a Domain Interface of the

L1 Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule and Regulate Cell Adhesion

·         Agrin Function Associated with Ocular Development is a Target of

Ethanol Exposure in Embryonic Zebrafish

·         The Effects of Alcohol on Fetal Development

·         RE-AIM Evaluation of the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project: Educational

Resources to Inform Health Professionals about Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

·         Ventromedian Forebrain Dysgenesis Follows Early Prenatal Ethanol

Exposure in Mice

·         Medical Expenditures of Children in the United States with Fetal

Alcohol Syndrome

FASD-Related Literature

·         Male Fetuses More Vulnerable to Alcohol during Pregnancy

·         NOFAS Seeks Comments on FASD Additions to DSM-5

·         View International Conference on FASD Session Online

·         SAMHSA 2011 Campaign for Social Inclusion Awards

FASD News Articles—General Press

·         Kate Hudson Drinking Wine? Call the Pregnancy Police!

·         The Long Road to a Diagnosis

·         Three Caregivers Arrested as Disabled Woman ‘Bound Like Crucifix in

Closet’ is Found Dead

·         Male Fetuses More Vulnerable to Alcohol during Pregnancy

·         Study: Parity Has No Effect on Treatment Access, But Lowers Costs

·         The Recipe: Whatever it Takes, David Livingstone is Tops at teaching

FASD

·         Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: How Prevalent is It?

·         ADHD vs. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Kids’ Learning Problems Differ

·         One in Four South African Teenagers ‘Hooked on Drugs or Alcohol’:

Alcohol or Drug Addiction May Affect a Quarter of Teenagers in South Africa,

Experts Say

·         Free Press Staffers Receive Awards to Research FASD, Reserves’ Water

·         Child Workers Rail Against Sébastien’s Law

·         Arthur Meighen Student Art Wins Logo Contest

·         Warnings Lost on Moms, Drinking while Pregnant on Rise in the City

Awareness Spotlight

·         National Alcohol Awareness Month

·         What’s New in the FASD Viewing Library

FASD-Related Events & Conferences

·         The Society for Prevention Research (SPR) 19th Annual Meeting,

“Prevention Scientists Promoting Global Health: Emerging Visions for Today and

Tomorrow

·         American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Annual Meeting, 135th Annual Meeting Inclusive Communities: Pathways to

Realizing the Vision

·         National Coalition for Homeless Veterans Annual Meeting

·         Academy Health’s Annual Research Policy Meeting

·         27th Annual National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

·         The National Congress of American Indians Policy Research Center (NCAI

PRC) Annual Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum

·         Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses Annual

Convention: “Promoting the Health of Women and Newborns”

·         National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Annual

2011 Meeting

›››

FASD Center News

CDC Announces Availability of Community Transformation Grants

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a call for

applications for Community Transformation Grants (CTG) that will be awarded to

up to 75 grantees totaling approximately $100 million for the first year. The

deadline to submit a Letter of Intent is June 6, 2011.

The CTGs will support the implementation, evaluation, and dissemination of

evidence-based community preventive health activities to reduce chronic disease

rates, prevent the development of secondary conditions, address health

disparities, and develop a stronger evidence base for effective prevention

programming.

Funding is available to support evidence and practice-based community and

clinical prevention and wellness strategies that will lead to specific,

measurable health outcomes to reduce chronic disease rates.

The CDC’s CHOICES program and American Congress of Obstetrician and

Gynecologists’ (ACOG) brief intervention toolkit (Drinking and Reproductive

Health: A Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention Tool Kit) are among the

evidence-based interventions that successful applicants may choose to implement.

Alcohol/FASD focused organizations/entities that may wish to apply to implement

one or both of these programs will need to partner with A State or community

applicant that is also applying and will plans to address the required strategic

areas of 1) Tobacco Free Living, and 2) Active Living and Healthy Eating. This

is because these two areas, along with 3) High Impact Quality Clinical and Other

Preventive Services, are required of all applicants and are to account for at

least 50 percent of the funds requested. CHOICES and the ACOG toolkit are listed

on page 11 of the FOA Appendix titled, “Strategic Directions and Examples of

CDC-Recommended Evidence-and Practice-Based Strategies Table”, under Strategic

Area 3.

Community Transformation Grants (CTGs) are authorized under The Patient

Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 for State and local governmental

agencies, tribes and territories, and national and community-based

organizations. Please visit this link for more information.

›››

FASD Center Learning Community Seeks to Bridge Cultural, Racial, Ethnic and

Other Issues

The new learning community, “FASD Prevention and Treatment: Addressing Race,

Ethnicity, and Culture in Service Delivery,” held its first meeting in March

2011, and immediately recognized the range of cultural groups and issues related

to race and ethnicity  that need to be addressed in order to  effectively

deliver FASD prevention and intervention services.

This learning community developed in response to subcontract project directors’

feedback about how the success of their prevention, diagnosis, and intervention

efforts are affected by their clients’ relationships with staff, overall needs,

and understanding and trust of programs’ processes and goals. Participants from

a range of service settings across the country agreed that the primary

objectives for the group would be to:

·         Learn strategies that subcontractor and key partner agencies are using

to address race, ethnicity, and culture and its impact on delivering FASD

services;

·         Share approaches that respect the knowledge, values, mores, and needs

of the target population and that have been effective in service delivery;

·         Share unaddressed needs and challenges in providing effective FASD

services to diverse populations; and

·         Identify needs for customized follow-up technical assistance or

training events for individual or sub-groups of subcontractors.

The subcontractors started their discussion by identifying the racial, ethnic,

and cultural group compositions currently being serviced by their programs. The

participants identified settings serving predominately one racial/ethnic group

as well as settings serving groups that are more diverse. In addition, while

many counselors and case managers match the race and ethnicity of the

populations served, other service providers that are involved in referral

networks do not.

“Cultural competency can sometimes be an issue when referring clients outside of

our agency or linking individuals or families to the larger service delivery

systems,” one participant said.

The group agreed that the learning community could serve as a valuable resource

for sharing strategies, given the diverse set of experiences and level of

familiarity with various groups and issues. The group identified several topics

of interest for future information sharing and discussion:

–      Cultural norms related to race/ethnicity

–      Language differences

–      Age/generational differences

–      Rural and urban group issues

–      Gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender populations

–      Socioeconomically disadvantaged populations

–      Culture of addiction and recovery

Because discussion of these issues may involve diverse sets of client

populations, attendance will remain open to all subcontractors and participation

will likely vary based on the discussion topic or each meeting. As with all of

FASD Center Learning Communities, the group will decide meeting topics, and

information sharing and peer mentoring will be the format for learning.

“If needs arise for more specialized assistance, the FASD Center will follow-up

with individualized assessments for follow-up training or technical assistance,”

said Jill Hensley, FASD Center Subcontractor Coordinating Center Project

Manager.

›››

FASD Center Presents FASD Assessment Information on Webinar

The National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center’s is sponsoring a

number of teleconferences in upcoming months. One of these teleconferences,

“Assessing for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Children”, will be held on

Wednesday, July 13, 2011. Presenters are SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence’s

Technical Liaison, Catherine Hargrove, and Cecily Hardin who is affiliated with

the Child Guidance Center in Jacksonville, Florida.

The fee for these interactive seminars is $25 per session or $75 for the

complete series. This cost is per phone line. If more than one person from your

organization. Please click this link for more information.

›››

FASD Scientific Articles

Prevention

Pediatricians’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice Following Provision of

Educational Resources about Prevention of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal

Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Payne JM, France KE, Henley N, D’Antoine HA, Bartu AE, Mutch RC, Elliott EJ,

Bower C

·         Western Australia

·         Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pediatricians

·         Pediatrician survey

This study aims to provide pediatricians in Western Australia (WA) with

educational resources about the prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure and

fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and assess changes in their knowledge,

attitudes, and practice about fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and alcohol

consumption in pregnancy. In 2007, educational resources were distributed to 159

pediatricians, a follow-up to an initial 2004 survey of pediatricians in WA. Six

months later, these pediatricians were surveyed and their responses were

compared with results from 2004 using prevalence rate ratios (PRRs) and 95

percent confidence intervals (CIs). Of 133 eligible pediatricians, 82 (61.7%)

responded: 65.9 percent had seen the resources, of these 66.7 percent had used

them and 29.6 percent said the resources had helped them change, or influenced

their intent to change, their practice. There was no change in the proportion

that knew all the essential features of FAS or had diagnosed FAS. An increased

proportion agreed that pregnant women should completely abstain from consuming.

Only 21.7 percent (no increase from 2004) routinely asked about alcohol use when

taking a pregnancy history. We recommend that asking about alcohol use during

pregnancy should be emphasized in pediatric training. Click this link for more information.

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

March 30, 2011; doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2011.02037.x [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Characteristics

Magnetic Resonance-Based Imaging in Animal Models of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum

Disorder

O’Leary-Moore SK, Parnell SE, Lipinski RJ, Sulik KK

·         Magnetic resonance imaging techniques

·         Results of imaging techniques

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, such as magnetic resonance

microscopy (MRM), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and magnetic resonance

spectroscopy (MRS), have recently been applied to the study of both normal and

abnormal structure and neurochemistry in small animals. Herein, findings from

studies in which these methods have been used for the examination of animal

models of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are discussed. Emphasis is

placed on results of imaging studies in fetal and postnatal mice that have

highlighted the developmental stage dependency of prenatal ethanol

exposure-induced CNS defects. Consideration is also given to the promise of

methodological advances to allow in vivo studies of aberrant brain and behavior

relationships in model animals and to the translational nature of this work.

Neuropsychology Review

March 29, 2011 [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Characteristics

si-RNA Inhibition of Brain Insulin or Insulin-like Growth Factor Receptors

Causes Developmental Cerebellar Abnormalities: Relevance to Fetal Alcohol

Spectrum Disorder

de la Monte SM, Tong M, Bowling N, Moskal P

·         Insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)

·         Impaired motor function

·         Brain abnormalities

In experimental models of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), cerebellar

hypoplasia and hypofoliation are associated with insulin and insulin-like growth

factor (IGF) resistance with impaired signaling through pathways that mediate

growth, survival, plasticity, metabolism, and neurotransmitter function. To more

directly assess the roles of impaired insulin and IGF signaling during brain

development, we administered intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of si-RNA

targeting the insulin receptor, (InR), IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R), or IGF-2R into

postnatal day 2 (P2) Long Evans rat pups and examined the sustained effects on

cerebellar function, structure, and neurotransmitter-related gene expression

(P20). Rotarod tests on P20 demonstrated significant impairments in motor

function, and histological studies revealed pronounced cerebellar hypotrophy,

hypoplasia, and hypofoliation in si-InR, si-IGF-1R, and si-IGF-2R treated rats.

In addition, si-InR, si-IGF-1R, and si-IGF-2R inhibited expression of choline

acetyltransferase, which mediates motor function. Although the ICV si-RNA

treatments generally spared the neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor

expression, si-InR and si-IGF-1R inhibited NT3, while si-IGF-1R suppressed BDNF.

The conclusion was that early postnatal inhibition of brain InR expression, and

to lesser extents, IGF-R, causes structural and functional abnormalities that

resemble effects of FASD. The findings suggest that major abnormalities in

brains with FASD are mediated by impairments in insulin/IGF signaling. Potential

therapeutic strategies to reduce the long-term impact of prenatal alcohol

exposure may include treatment with agents that restore brain insulin and IGF

responsiveness.

Molecular Brain

March 28, 2011; 4(1):13 [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Etiology

Ethanol, Acetaldehyde, and Estradiol Affect Growth and Differentiation of Rhesus

Monkey Embryonic Stem Cells

Vandevoort CA, Hill DL, Chaffin CL, Conley AJ

·         Cell development

·         Abnormal morphology of cells

The timing of the origins of fetal alcohol syndrome has been difficult to

determine, in part because of the challenge associated with in vivo studies of

the peri-implantation stage of embryonic development. Because embryonic stem

cells (ESCs) are derived from blastocyst stage embryos, they are used as a model

for early embryo development. Rhesus monkey ESC lines (ORMES-6 and ORMES-7) were

treated with 0, 0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 percent ethanol, 1.0 percent ethanol with

estradiol, or 0.00025 percent acetaldehyde with or without estradiol for 4

weeks. Although control ESCs remained unchanged, abnormal morphology of ESCs in

the ethanol and acetaldehyde treatment groups was observed before two weeks of

treatment. Immunofluorescence staining of key pluripotency markers (TRA-1-81 and

alkaline phosphatase) indicated a loss of ESC pluripotency in the 1.0 percent

ethanol group. ORMES-7 was more sensitive to effects of ethanol than ORMES-6.

Researchers concluded that estradiol appeared to increase sensitivity to ethanol

in the ORMES-6 and ORMES-7 cell line. The morphological changes and labeling for

pluripotency, proliferation, and apoptosis demonstrated how ethanol affects

these early cells that develop in culture, their differentiation state in

particular. The effects of ethanol may be mediated in part through metabolic

pathways regulating acetaldehyde formation, and while potentially accentuated by

estradiol in some individuals, how remains to be determined.

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

March 25, 2011; doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01490.x [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Characteristics

Strain-Specific Vulnerability to Alcohol Exposure in Utero via Hippocampal

Parent-of-Origin Expression of Deiodinase-III

Sittig LJ, Shukla PK, Herzing LB, Redei EE

·         Insufficient thyroid hormone levels

·         Genetic vulnerability

Prenatal exposure to alcohol is thought to be the most prevalent nongenetic

cause of a wide range of neurodevelopmental deficits. Insufficient thyroid

hormone levels are one mechanism that hampers development of the alcohol-exposed

brain, and researchers hypothesized that altered dosage of the imprinted thyroid

hormone-inactivating gene deiodinase-III (Dio3) is responsible. To follow

parent-of-origin allelic expression of Dio3 in the fetal and adult offspring of

alcohol-consuming and control dams, we reciprocally crossed two polymorphic rat

strains. In the frontal cortex, prenatal alcohol exposure altered imprinting

patterns and total expression of Dio3 in the fetus and produced a permanent

hypothyroid milieu in the adult. In the hippocampus, alcohol affected the

paternal and total expression of Dio3 in the fetus and in the adult male, where

thyroid hormone levels were concomitantly increased. Hippocampus-dependent

behavioral deficits were identified exclusively in males, suggesting they are

dependent on aberrant allelic Dio3 expression. None of these effects was

observed in offspring of the reciprocal cross. Thus, genetic background and sex

modify vulnerability to prenatal alcohol via brain region-specific expression of

Dio3. This finding implies that phenotypic heterogeneity in human fetal alcohol

spectrum disorder can be linked to genetic vulnerability in affected brain

regions.

Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

March 23, 2011 [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Characteristics

Tissue Plasminogen Activator is Required for the Development of Fetal Alcohol

Syndrome in Mice

Noel M, Norris EH, Strickland S

·         Neurodegeneration

·         Tissue plasminogen activator

Ethanol exposure during developmental synaptogenesis can lead to brain defects

referred to as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which can include mental health

problems such as cognitive deficits and mental retardation. In FAS, widespread

neuronal death and brain mass loss precedes behavioral and cognitive impairments

in adulthood. Because tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been implicated in

neurodegeneration, researchers examined whether it mediates FAS. Neonatal WT and

tPA(-/-) mice were injected with ethanol to mimic FAS in humans. In WT mice,

ethanol elicited caspase-3 activation, significant forebrain neurodegeneration,

and decreased contextual fear conditioning in adults. However, tPA-deficient

mice were protected from these neurotoxicities, and this protection could be

abrogated by exogenous tPA. Selective pharmacological modulators of NMDA and

GABA(A) receptor pathways revealed that the effects of tPA were mediated by the

NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor. This study identifies tPA as a critical

signaling component in FAS.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA

March 22, 2011; 108(12):5069-74 [E-pub, March 7, 2011]

________________________________

Characteristics

Regional Brain Volume Reductions Relate to Facial Dysmorphology and

Neurocognitive Function in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Roussotte FF, Sulik KK, Mattson SN, Riley EP, Jones KL, Adnams CM, May PA,

O’Connor MJ, Narr KL, Sowell ER.

·         Los Angeles, California

·         San Diego, California

·         Cape Town, South Africa

·         Maternal alcohol consumption survey

·         First trimester

Individuals with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure can experience significant

deficits in cognitive and psychosocial functioning and alterations in brain

structure that persist into adulthood. In this report, data from 99 participants

collected across three sites (Los Angeles and San Diego, California and Cape

Town, South Africa) were analyzed to examine relationships between brain

structure, neurocognitive function, facial morphology, and maternal reports of

quantities of alcohol consumption during the first trimester. Across study

sites, evaluators found highly significant volume reductions in the FASD group

for all of the brain regions evaluated. After correcting for scan location, age,

and total brain volume, these differences remained significant in some regions

of the basal ganglia and diencephalon. In alcohol-exposed subjects, smaller

palpebral fissures were significantly associated with reduced volumes in the

ventral diencephalon bilaterally, that greater dysmorphology of the philtrum

predicted smaller volumes in basal ganglia and diencephalic structures, and that

lower IQ scores were associated with both smaller basal ganglia volumes and

greater facial dysmorphology. In subjects from South Africa, researchers found a

significant negative correlation between intracranial volume and total number of

drinks-per-week in the first trimester. These results corroborate previous

reports that prenatal alcohol exposure is particularly toxic to basal ganglia

and diencephalic structures. This extends previous findings by illustrating

relationships between specific measures of facial dysmorphology and the volumes

of particular subcortical structures, and for the first time show that

continuous measures of maternal alcohol consumption during the first trimester

relates to overall brain volume reduction.

Human Brain Mapping

March 17, 2011; doi: 10.1002/hbm.21260 [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Prevention

Web-Based Assessment and Brief Intervention for Alcohol Use in Women of

Childbearing Potential: A Report of the Primary Findings

Delrahim-Howlett K, Chambers CD, Clapp JD, Xu R, Duke K, Moyer RJ 3rd, Van

Sickle D

·         Risky drinking behavior

·         Web-based alcohol assessment and intervention tool

·         Randomized controlled trial

Researchers conducted a small-scale randomized controlled trial to test the

effectiveness of an adapted web-based alcohol assessment and intervention tool

among low-income, nonpregnant women of reproductive age who were receiving Women

Infant and Children (WIC) services in San Diego County and who reported

currently drinking at a moderate risk level. A total of 150 risky drinking

participants completed a Web-based assessment and were randomly assigned to

either receive a personalized feedback intervention or general health

information about alcohol consumption and fetal alcohol syndrome. Follow-up

assessments on reported alcohol consumption were conducted via telephone at 1-

and 2-months postbaseline. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 44 and were

predominately Hispanic/Latina (44%).

At baseline, all respondents reported consuming ?3 standard drinks on ?1

occasion in the previous month. Outcome data were available for 131

participants. The main outcome measure was reduction in the number of risky

drinking occasions, which did not differ significantly between treatment

conditions (odds ratio 1.200, 95% CI 0.567 to 2.539, p=0.634). More than 70

percent of the participants, however, reported a reduction in risky drinking

occasions regardless of treatment condition (control 43/63, 68%; experimental

49/68, 72%). The results of this study demonstrate that Web-based assessment of

alcohol consumption among low-income women of reproductive age, as represented

by WIC clients, is feasible and acceptable. The findings also suggest that

detailed and interactive assessments of alcohol consumption may be sufficient

for the reduction of risky drinking within this population without personalized

feedback.

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

March 15, 2011; doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01469.x [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Characteristics

Strain Differences in Developmental Vulnerability to Alcohol Exposure via Embryo

Culture in Mice

Chen Y, Ozturk NC, Ni L, Goodlett C, Zhou FC.

·         Vulnerability

·         Growth retardation

·         Neurodevelopmental teratogensis

·         Fetal genotype

Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in varying degrees of neurodevelopmental

deficits, growth retardation, and facial dysmorphology. Variations in these

adverse outcomes not only depends on the dose and pattern of alcohol exposure

but also on less well understood interactions among environmental, genetic, and

maternal factors. The current study tested the hypothesis that fetal genotype is

an important determinant of ethanol teratogenesis by evaluating effects of

ethanol exposure via embryo culture in three inbred strains of mice known to

differ in the vulnerability of prenatal alcohol exposure in vivo.

Three strains of mice, C57BL/6N (B6), DBA/2 (D2), and 129S6/SvEvTac (129S6) were

assessed in a whole embryo culture beginning on embryonic day 8.25, with or

without alcohol administration at 88mM for 6 hours followed by 42 hours culture

in ethanol-free media. Results:? Contrasting strain differences in

susceptibility were observed for the brain, the face, and other organ systems

using the Maele-Fabry and Picard scoring system. The forebrain, midbrain,

hindbrain, heart, optic vesicle, caudal neural tube, and hindlimbs of the B6

mice were severely delayed in growth, whereas compared to the respective

controls, only the forebrain and optic vesicle were delayed in the D2 mice, and

no effects were found in the 129S6 mice. A large number of cleaved (c)-caspase 3

positive (+) cells were found in regions of the brain, optic vesicles, cranial

nerve nuclei V, VII, VIII, and IX as well as the craniofacial primordial; only a

few were found in corresponding regions of the B6 controls. In contrast, only a

small number of c-caspase 3 immunostaining cells were found in either the

alcohol treated or the controls of the D2 embryos and in 129S6 embryos. The

independent apoptotic markers TUNEL and Nile blue staining further confirmed the

strain differences in apoptotic responses in both the neural tube and

craniofacial primordia. Researchers concluded that under embryo culture

conditions, in which alcohol exposure factors and fetal developmental staging

were controlled, and maternal and intrauterine factors were eliminated, the

degree of growth retardation and the extent and type of neurodevelopmental

teratogenesis varied significantly across strains. Notably, the 129S6 strain was

remarkably resistant to alcohol-induced growth deficits, confirming a previous

in vivo study, and the D2 strain was also significantly less affected than the

B6 strain. These findings demonstrate that fetal genotype is an important factor

that can contribute to the variation in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

March 15, 2011; doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01465.x [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Characteristics

Comparison of Verbal Learning and Memory in Children with Heavy Prenatal Alcohol

Exposure or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Crocker N, Vaurio L, Riley EP, Mattson SN.

·         Verbal learning

·         Memory function

·         Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have deficits in verbal

learning and recall. However, the specificity of these deficits has not been

adequately tested. In the current study, verbal learning and memory performance

of children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure was compared to children with

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a disorder commonly seen in

alcohol-exposed children. Performance on the California Verbal Learning

Test-Children’s Version (CVLT-C) was examined in 3 groups of children

(N=22/group): (i) heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and ADHD (ALC), (ii)

nonexposed with ADHD (ADHD), and (iii) nonexposed typically developing (CON).

Groups were matched on age, sex, race, ethnicity, handedness, and socioeconomic

status (SES). Results:? Group differences were noted on learning trials (CON>

ADHD> ALC). On the delayed recall trial, CON children performed better than both

clinical groups, who did not differ from each other. Children in the ALC group

demonstrated poorer recognition than children in the CON and ADHD groups, who

did not differ from each other. Marginally significant group differences were

noted on retention of previously learned material. Post hoc analyses indicated

that ADHD children showed worse retention relative to the CON group, whereas

retention in the ALC children remained intact. These data suggest that children

with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and nonexposed children with ADHD show

differential patterns of deficit on the CVLT-C. Performance of alcohol-exposed

children reflects inefficient encoding of verbal material, whereas performance

of the ADHD group may be better characterized by a deficit in retrieval of

learned material. Differences noted between clinical groups add to a growing

neurobehavioral profile of FASD that may aid in differential diagnosis.

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

March 15, 2011; doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2011.01444.x [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Characteristics

Combined Transcriptome Analysis of Fetal Human and Mouse Cerebral Cortex Exposed

to Alcohol

Hashimoto-Torii K, Kawasawa YI, Kuhn A, Rakic P

·         Rodent and human model systems

·         Gene expression analysis

Fetal exposure to environmental insults increases the susceptibility to

late-onset neuropsychiatric disorders. Alcohol is listed as one of such prenatal

environmental risk factors and known to exert devastating teratogenetic effects

on the developing brain, leading to complex neurological and psychiatric

symptoms observed in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Here, researchers

performed a coordinated transcriptome analysis of human and mouse fetal cerebral

cortices exposed to ethanol in vitro and in vivo, respectively. Up- and

down-regulated genes conserved in the human and mouse models and the biological

annotation of their expression profiles included many genes/terms related to

neural development, such as cell proliferation, neuronal migration and

differentiation, providing a reliable connection between the two species. The

data indicate that use of the combined rodent and human model systems provides

an effective strategy to reveal and analyze gene expression changes inflicted by

various physical and chemical environmental exposures during prenatal

development. It also can potentially provide insight into the pathogenesis of

environmentally caused brain disorders in humans.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA

March 8, 2011; 108(10):4212-7 [E-pub February 2011]

________________________________

Characteristics

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Abnormal Neuronal Plasticity

Medina AE

·         Neuronal plasticity

·         Neuro-abnormalities

·         Pharmacological approaches

The ingestion of alcohol during pregnancy can result in a group of

neurobehavioral abnormalities collectively known as fetal alcohol spectrum

disorders (FASD). During the past decade, studies using animal models indicated

that early alcohol exposure can dramatically affect neuronal plasticity, an

essential property of the central nervous system responsible for the normal

wiring of the brain and involved in processes such as learning and memory. The

abnormalities in neuronal plasticity caused by alcohol can explain many of the

neurobehavioral deficits observed in FASD. Conversely, improving neuronal

plasticity may have important therapeutic benefits. In this review, the author

discusses the mechanisms that lead to these abnormalities and comment on recent

pharmacological approaches that have been showing promising results in improving

neuronal plasticity in FASD.

The Neuroscientist

March 7, 2011 [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Etiology

Protection of Neurons and Microglia against Ethanol in a Mouse Model of Fetal

Alcohol Spectrum Disorders by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-?

Agonists

Kane CJ, Phelan KD, Han L, Smith RR, Xie J, Douglas JC, Drew PD.

·         Microglia cells

·         Protective characteristics of PPAR-y

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) result from ethanol exposure to the

developing fetus and are the most common cause of mental retardation in the

United States. These disorders are characterized by a variety of

neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative anomalies that result in significant

lifetime disabilities. Thus, novel therapies are required to limit the

devastating consequences of FASD. Neuropathology associated with FASD can occur

throughout the central nervous system (CNS), but is particularly well

characterized in the developing cerebellum. Rodent models of FASD have

previously demonstrated that both Purkinje cells and granule cells, which are

the two major types of neurons in the cerebellum, are highly susceptible to the

toxic effects of ethanol. The current studies demonstrate that ethanol decreases

the viability of cultured cerebellar granule cells and microglial cells.

Interestingly, microglia have dual functionality in the CNS. They provide

trophic and protective support to neurons. However, they may also become

pathologically activated and produce inflammatory molecules toxic to parenchymal

cells including neurons. The findings in this study demonstrate that the

peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-? agonists 15-deoxy-?12,15

prostaglandin J2 and pioglitazone protect cultured granule cells and microglia

from the toxic effects of ethanol. Furthermore, investigations using a newly

developed mouse model of FASD and stereological cell counting methods in the

cerebellum elucidate that ethanol administration to neonates is toxic to both

Purkinje cell neurons as well as microglia, and that in vivo administration of

PPAR-? agonists protects these cells. In composite, these studies suggest that

PPAR-? agonists may be effective in limiting ethanol-induced toxicity to the

developing CNS.

Brain, Behavior, and Immunity

March 3, 2011 [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Etiology

Two Alcohol Binding Residues Interact Across a Domain Interface of the L1 Neural

Cell Adhesion Molecule and Regulate Cell Adhesion

Dou X, Menkari CE, Shanmugasundararaj S, Miller KW, Charness ME

·         Alcohol binding

·         Cell adhesion

Ethanol may cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), in part, by

inhibiting cell adhesion mediated by the L1 neural cell adhesion molecule.

Azialcohols photolabel Glu-33 and Tyr-418, two residues that are predicted by

homology modeling to lie within 2.8 Å of each other at the interface between the

Ig1 and Ig4 domains of L1 (PNAS 105, 371 (2008)). Using transient transfection

of NIH/3T3 cells with wild type (WT-L1) and mutated L1, we found that cysteine

substitution of both residues (E33C/Y418C-L1) significantly increased L1

adhesion above levels observed for WT-L1 or the single cysteine substitutions

E33C-L1 or Y418C-L1. The reducing agent ?-mercaptoethanol (?ME) reversibly

decreased the adhesion of E33C/Y418C-L1, but had no effect on WT-L1, E33C-L1 or

Y418C-L1. Thus, disulfide bond formation occurs between Cys-33 and Cys-418,

confirming both the close proximity of these residues and the importance of

Ig1-Ig4 interactions in L1 adhesion. Maximal ethanol inhibition of cell adhesion

was significantly lower in cells expressing E33C/Y418C-L1 than in those

expressing WT-L1, E33C-L1, or Y418C-L1. Moreover, the effects of ?ME and ethanol

on E33C/Y418C-L1 adhesion were non-additive. The cutoff for alcohol inhibition

of WT-L1 adhesion was between 1-butanol and 1-pentanol. Increasing the size of

the alcohol-binding pocket by mutating Glu-33 to Ala-33 increased the alcohol

cutoff from 1-butanol to 1-decanol. These findings support the hypothesis that

alcohol binding within a pocket bordered by Glu-33 and Tyr-418 inhibits L1

adhesion by disrupting the Ig1-Ig4 interaction.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry

March 2, 2011 [E-pub ahead of print]

________________________________

Characteristics

Agrin Function Associated with Ocular Development is a Target of Ethanol

Exposure in Embryonic Zebrafish

Zhang C, Turton QM, Mackinnon S, Sulik KK, Cole GJ.

·         Agrin function

·         Ocular gene expression

·         Zebrafish model

Alcohol (ethanol) is a teratogen known to affect the developing eyes, face, and

brain. Among the ocular defects in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are

microphthalmia and optic nerve hypoplasia. Employing zebrafish as an FASD model

provides an excellent system to analyze the molecular basis of prenatal ethanol

exposure-induced defects because embryos can be exposed to ethanol at defined

developmental stages and affected genetic pathways can be examined. It has been

previously shown that disruption of agrin function in zebrafish embryos produces

microphthalmia and optic nerve hypoplasia. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to

varying concentrations of ethanol in the absence or presence of morpholino

oligonucleotides (MOs) that disrupt agrin function. In situ hybridization was

used to analyze ocular gene expression as a consequence of ethanol exposure and

agrin knockdown. Morphologic analysis of zebrafish embryos was also conducted.

Acute ethanol exposure induces diminished agrin gene expression in zebrafish

eyes and, importantly, combined treatment with subthreshold levels of agrin MO

and ethanol produces pronounced microphthalmia, markedly reduces agrin gene

expression, and perturbs Pax6a and Mbx gene expression. Microphthalmia produced

by combined agrin MO and ethanol treatment was rescued by sonic hedgehog (Shh)

mRNA overexpression, suggesting that ethanol-mediated disruption of agrin

expression results in disrupted Shh function. These studies illustrate the

strong potential for using zebrafish as a model to aid in defining the molecular

basis for ethanol’s teratogenic effects. The results of this work suggest that

agrin expression and function may be a target of ethanol exposure during

embryogenesis. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2011.

Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology

March 9, 2011; 91(3):129-41 doi: 10.1002/bdra.20766 [E-pub February 2011]

________________________________

Characteristics

The Effects of Alcohol on Fetal Development

Jones KL

·         Neurobehavioral development

·         Structural defects

Prenatal exposure to alcohol has profound effects on many aspects of fetal

development. Although alterations of somatic growth and specific minor

malformations of facial structure are most characteristic, the effects of

alcohol on brain development are most significant in that they lead to

substantial problems with neurobehavioral development. Since the initial

recognition of the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a number of important

observations have been made from studies involving both humans and animals. Of

particular importance, a number of maternal risk factors have been identified,

which may well be of relevance relative to the development of strategies for

prevention of the FAS as well as intervention for those who have been affected.

These include maternal age of more than 30 years, ethnic group, lower

socioeconomic status, having had a previously affected child, maternal

under-nutrition, and genetic background. The purpose of this review is to

discuss these issues as well as to set forth a number of questions that have not

adequately been addressed relative to alcohol’s effect on fetal development. Of

particular importance is the critical need to identify the full spectrum of

structural defects associated with the prenatal effects of alcohol as well as to

establish a neurobehavioral phenotype. Appreciation of both of these issues is

necessary to understand the full impact of alcohol on fetal development.

Birth Defects Research Part C: Embryo Today <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1542-9768>

March 2011; 93(1):3-11 doi: 10.1002/bdrc.20200

________________________________

Prevention

RE-AIM Evaluation of the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project: Educational Resources to

Inform Health Professionals about Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal Alcohol

Spectrum Disorder

Payne JM, France KE, Henley N, D’Antoine HA, Bartu AE, O’Leary CM, Elliott EJ,

Bower C, Geelhoed E

·         Prevention

·         Educational resources

·         Western Australia

The objective was to evaluate the Alcohol and Pregnancy Project that provided

health professionals in Western Australia (WA) with educational resources to

inform them about prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol

spectrum disorder (FASD). The authors developed, produced, and distributed

educational resources to 3,348 health professionals in WA. Six months later,

they surveyed 1,483 of these health professionals. The authors used the RE-AIM

framework (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) to

evaluate the project. The educational resources were effective in producing a 31

percent increase in the proportion of health professionals who routinely

provided pregnant women with information about the consequences of drinking

alcohol during pregnancy. One hundred percent of the settings adopted the

project, it reached 96.3 percent of the target population, it was implemented as

intended, and the resources were maintained. The educational resources for

health professionals have potential to contribute to reducing prenatal alcohol

exposure and FASD. Access the educational resources here.

Evaluation and the Health Professions

March 2011; 34(1):57-80

________________________________

Characteristics

Ventromedian Forebrain Dysgenesis Follows Early Prenatal Ethanol Exposure in

Mice

Godin EA, Dehart DB, Parnell SE, O’Leary-Moore SK, Sulik KK.

·         Forebrain deficiency

·         Ventromedian tissue loss

Ethanol exposure on gestational day (GD) 7 in the mouse has previously been

shown to result in ventromedian forebrain deficits along with facial anomalies

characteristic of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). To further explore ethanol’s

teratogenic effect on the ventromedian forebrain in this mouse model, scanning

electron microscopic and histological analyses were conducted. For this, time

mated C57Bl/6J mice were injected with 2.9g/kg ethanol or saline twice, at a

4-hour interval, on their 7th day of pregnancy. On GD 12.5, 13, and 17, control

and ethanol-exposed specimens were collected and processed for light and

scanning electron microscopic analyses. Gross morphological changes present in

the forebrains of ethanol-exposed embryos included cerebral hemispheres that

were too close in proximity or rostrally united, enlarged foramina of Monro,

enlarged or united lateral ventricles, and varying degrees of hippocampal and

ventromedian forebrain deficiency. In GD 12.5 control and ethanol-exposed

embryos, in situ hybridization employing probes for Nkx2.1 or Fzd8 to

distinguish the preoptic area and medial ganglionic eminences (MGEs) from the

lateral ganglionic eminences, respectively, confirmed the selective loss of

ventromedian tissues. Immunohistochemical labeling of oligodendrocyte

progenitors with Olig2, a transcription factor necessary for their

specification, and of GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, showed

ethanol-induced reductions in both. To investigate later consequences of

ventromedian forebrain loss, MGE-derived somatostatin-expressing interneurons in

the subpallial region of GD 17 fetal mice were examined, with results showing

that the somatostatin-expressing interneurons that were present were dysmorphic

in the ethanol-exposed fetuses. The potential functional consequences of this

insult are discussed.

Neurotoxicology and Teratology

March-April 2011; 33(2):231-9 [E-pub November 11, 2011]

________________________________

Costs

Medical Expenditures of Children in the United States with Fetal Alcohol

Syndrome

Amendah DD, Grosse SD, Bertrand J

·         Medical expenditures

·         Expenditures of children with FAS

·         Pediatric Medicaid enrollees with FAS

This paper calculates the medical expenditures for pediatric Medicaid enrollees

with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), those with and those without reported

intellectual disability (ID). The pediatric portion of the MarketScan® Medicaid

Multi-State databases for the years 2003-2005 was used. Children with FAS were

identified based on International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision,

Clinical Modification codes. Children without FAS formed the comparison group.

Annual mean, median, and 95th percentile total expenditures were calculated for

those continuously enrolled during 2005. Children with FAS incurred annual mean

medical expenditures that were nine times higher than those of children without

FAS during 2005 ($16,782 vs. $1,859). ID more commonly was listed as a medical

diagnosis among children with FAS than among children in the comparison group

(12% vs. 0.5%), and mean expenditures of children with FAS and ID were 2.8 times

those of children with FAS but without reported ID. Children with FAS incurred

higher medical expenditures compared with children without FAS. A subset of

children with FAS who had ID sufficiently serious to be recorded in medical

records increased those expenditures still further. Our estimate of mean

expenditures for children with FAS was several times higher than previous

estimates in the United States.

Neurotoxicology and Teratology

March-April 2011; 33(2):322-4 [E-pub November 10, 2010]

›››

FASD-Related Literature

Male Fetuses More Vulnerable to Alcohol during Pregnancy

Researchers at Northwestern University report that a gene variation passed on by

the mother to her son makes male fetuses more vulnerable to alcohol than

females, according to an article published in Alcohol Help. This gene variation

can make a fetus vulnerable to even moderate amounts of alcohol by upsetting the

balance of thyroid hormones in the brain. This is the first study to identify a

direct genetic mechanism of behavioral deficits causes by fetal alcohol

exposure. Read more at http://www.alcohol-help.co.uk/male-fetuses-more-vulnerable-to-alcohol-during-pregnancy.

NOFAS Seeks Comments on FASD Additions to DSM-5

The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS) has issued an action

alert regarding the inclusion of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and

related terminology in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

(DSM).

Published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the DSM currently is

being revised (DSM-5). A Substance-Related Disorders Work Group is considering

the inclusion of an FASD-related category or entry. The draft language for

describing the clinical development and behavioral manifestations of prenatal

alcohol exposure has not been posted, precluding direct comments on proposed

classification of the disorder. However, NOFAS is asking interested parties to

submit comments on the matter by the June 15, 2011 deadline. For more

information, open this link, http://www.nofas.org/advocate/ActionAlert-May27,2011.doc,

or to comment, go directly to the APA’s DSM-5 Web site, http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx.

International Conference on FASD Session Available Online

A webcast of the plenary sessions of the fourth International Conference on FASD

held in Vancouver, BC, is available on-line. Conference speakers include Phil

May, Faye Calhoun, Ed Riley, Claire Coles, Kieran O’Malley, Kenneth Lyons Jones,

Ira Chasnoff, and Michael Charness. Powerpoint slides are included for viewing

at http://www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/FASD.htm.

SAMHSA 2011 Campaign for Social Inclusion Awards

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has

announced the availability of the 2011 Campaign for Social Inclusion Awards. The

deadline for submitting applications is June 6, 2011.These awards fund selected

statewide peer-run organizations across the United States to promote social

inclusion on state and local levels, and to counter the negative perceptions,

attitudes and beliefs associated with mental health and/or substance use

problems.

This year, SAMHSA will award six $20,000 grants for statewide and

community-based efforts that promote and expand the “What a Difference a Friend

Makes <http://www.whatadifference.samhsa.gov/> ” campaign. Proposed activities

must target 18- to 25-year-olds and provide a detailed plan to increase

awareness of behavioral health issues, and of mental health and addiction

recovery among young adults, in particular those from diverse populations

including Hispanic/Latino, African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander and

American Indian populations. Proposals are also encouraged that address young

adults who have experienced trauma.

The comprehensive Project Guide, which fully describes the project focus,

eligibility and application requirements and other important information, is

available at http://promoteacceptance.samhsa.gov/CSI/awards/2011awards.aspx.

›››

FASD News Articles—General Press

katehudsonlarge

Kate Hudson Drinking Wine? Call the Pregnancy Police!, TODAY Moms, April 5, 2011

The media were all abuzz when the paparazzi snapped photos of this pregnant

actor sipping wine with her meal at a restaurant. The article references the

gamut of voices on alcohol- exposed pregnancy—from total abstinence to moderate

drinking and binge drinking. Read more at http://moms.today.com/_news/2011/04/05/6407429-kate-hudson-drinking-wine-call-the-pregnancy-police.

Kate Hudson

The Long Road to a Diagnosis, Winnipeg Free Press, March 26, 2011

This article looks at the many steps it takes to receive an FASD diagnosis.

Confirmation that the birth mother drank during pregnancy is the first step.

Assessments by schools and social workers lead to psychologist-administered

tests that focus on how well a child uses words or pictures to reason. For more,

go to http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/fyi/the-long-road-to-a-diagnosis-118700109.html.

Three Caregivers Arrested as Disabled Woman ‘Bound Like Crucifix in Closet’ is

Found Dead, Daily Mail, March 29, 2011

Three caregivers were arrested in connection with the death of a woman with an

FASD. Read the story

News story

Study: Parity Has No Effect on Treatment Access, But Lowers Costs, Join

Together, March 22, 2011

Requiring parity for substance abuse disorders in health insurance plans results

in identifying more people who need alcohol and drug treatment and lowers plan

participants’ out-of-pocket costs—but has almost no effect on patients’ use of

treatment or the quality of care, according to a study highlighted in a March 18

press release in Psychiatric News <http://pn.psychiatryonline.org/content/46/6/1.2.full>

. The study, “Effect of Insurance Parity on Substance Abuse Treatment,” was

published in the February 2011 issue of Psychiatric Services

<http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/62/2/129> . Go

to http://www.jointogether.org/news/research/summaries/2011/parity-has-no-effect-on.html

for the complete article.

The Recipe: Whatever it Takes, David Livingstone is Tops at teaching FASD Kids

by Carol Saunders, Winnipeg Free Press, March 19, 2011

This an inspiring article about the innovative approaches used by a school to

teach children who have an FASD. The Bridges program has 27 children in grades

K-8, and new classes are set up for students as they progress to higher grades.

This article is one in a series of articles about FASD written and published by

this newspaper in Winnipeg, made possible with the help of a research grant from

the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Read the complete article at

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/fyi/the-recipe-whatever-it-takes-118288384.html.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: How Prevalent is It? , KBS News, March 15, 2011

This article provides an overview of FASD and reports on a new study to

determine the prevalence of FASD in San Diego. The San Diego Unified School

District and foster care system plan to screen up to 3,000 children for FASD

over the next 5 years. Learn more about the study at http://www.kpbs.org/news/2011/mar/15/fetal-alcohol-syndrome-how-prevalent-it/.

ADHD vs. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Kids’ Learning Problems Differ, My Health News

Daily, March 15, 2011

Study findings about learning problems among children with attention deficit

hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) show

that children with ADHD have trouble remembering information, while children

with FASD tend to have trouble learning information to begin with. Read more at

http://www.myhealthnewsdaily.com/learning-problems-kids-adhd-prenatal-alcohol-exposure-1269/.

One in Four South African Teenagers ‘Hooked on Drugs or Alcohol’: Alcohol or

Drug Addiction May Affect a Quarter of Teenagers in South Africa, Experts Say,

London Daily Mail, March 14, 2011

Underage drinking in South Africa is increasing. Many children start drinking as

young as 9 years old and some are alcoholics by age 11. Although the government

says the practice has ended, farm workers are paid for work with alcohol, a big

contributor to the incidence of FASD. Merchants freely sell alcohol to youth who

routinely attend school drunk of hung over. Read more at http://www.metro.co.uk/news/858079-one-in-four-south-african-teens-hooked-on-drugs-or-alcohol.

Free Press Staffers Receive Awards to Research FASD, Reserves’ Water, Winnipeg

Free Press, March 10, 2011

The Winnipeg Free Press is recipient of two major journalism awards that will

provide $40,000 for in-depth research into fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and

drinking-water reserves. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research provides

this funding. A team of three reporters will explore FASD causes, social costs,

treatments, and prevention. View the full article at http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/free-press-staffers-receive-awards-to-research-fasd-reserves-water-87204632.html

<http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/free-press-staffers-receive-awards-to-research-fasd-reserves-water-87204632.html>

.

Child Workers Rail Against Sébastien’s Law, Winnipeg Free Press, March 8, 2011

Canada’s child advocates want the federal government to shelve planned

amendments to the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Advocates urged lawmakers to

consider the impact the changes would have on vulnerable kids, particularly

those with mental health issues and brain damage due to fetal alcohol spectrum

disorder. Go to http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/child-workers-rail-against-sebastiens-law-117569763.html.

Arthur Meighen Student Art Wins Logo Contest, The Daily Graphic, March 4, 2011

Kari Miller, a seventh grade student at the Arthur Meighen School has won the

Portage and District FASD Coalition’s logo contest. She will receive a $100

prize from the organization. The Coalition provides information on FASD

information including prevention and how to deal with youth affected by the

disorder.  http://www.cpheraldleader.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3004653

Warnings Lost on Moms, Drinking while Pregnant on Rise in the City, Winnipeg

Free Press, March 2, 2011

Husband and wife, Chris and Sel Burrows sketch ads against drinking alcohol

while pregnant. The number of women in Winnipeg who drink while pregnant is

rising. Province health experts attribute this rise to provincial health experts

training to ask better questions about drinking during pregnancy. Local doctors

disagree with survey suggesting expectant moms can drink occasionally. Read more

at http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/special/fasd/what-is-fasd/warning-lost-on-many-moms-117222973.html.

›››

Awareness Spotlight

Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health America (MHA), like the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)

Center for Excellence, is dedicated to battling the stigma, shame, and myths

surrounding mental disorders that prevent people from getting the help they

need. Formerly known as the National Mental Health Association, MHA is a

nationwide nonpartisan public education organization that was launched as part

of the 1999 White House Conference on Mental Health.

Mental Health Awareness Month has been ongoing since 1949. This year, MHA is

using two themes to highlight their work. Do More for 1 in 4 and is a call to

action for Americans to help the 1 in 4 American adults in their lives who are

living with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition. This brand

platform can be used to highlight treatment and recovery programs.

The second theme, Live Well! It’s Essential for Your Potential, is a wellness

theme that encompasses the notion of balance in one’s life among the mental,

physical and emotional elements of health. A person who has achieved this sense

of wellness can be fully engaged in their family and community.

The MHA goal is to provide education and create a more accepting environment for

people to seek help. The FASD Center has developed information and organizations

with some of the same purposes.

In the FASD Center’s Recovering Hope: Mothers speak out about FASD

<http://www.fascenter.samhsa.gov/publications/recoveringHopeIntro.cfm>  DVD,

mothers and families of children with an FASD talk about their paths to

recognizing the disorder, seeking diagnosis and treatment, and the benefits of

their actions.

The Birth Mothers Network <http://www.fascenter.samhsa.gov/statesystemsofcare/BirthMothersNetwork.cfm>

(BMN) is an organization of health practitioners and mothers of children with an

FASD, designed to increase understanding and support for birth mothers and women

in recovery who drank during their pregnancies. The BMN works to decrease the

stigma, shame and blame associated with intellectual disabilities that can

accompany an FASD, which many birth families experience. Its goals are to

provide peer support for birth mothers and to improve and strengthen the lives

of birth families.

Open the link below to learn more about MHA activities and to view and obtain

educational materials on select topics for each of their 2011 themes.

Additionally, look further into the SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence Web site

for information on initiatives to decrease stigma and improve access to FASD

diagnosis, treatment and support services <http://www.fascenter.samhsa.gov/assessmentprevention/diagnosisintervention.cfm>

.

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may

›››

What’s New in the FASD Viewing Library

As Long as the Rivers Flow, Bartleman, J., Knopf Canada: Ontario, 2011

This novel tells the story of a mother, Martha, and her search to reunite with

her son, Spider, who has an FASD. Martha was “stolen” from her family at the age

of six and flown far away to an English-speaking residential school where she

was abused by school staff. While drinking to drown the memories of her

childhood abuse, the State remove Spider from her care. After returning home to

the Cat Lake First Nation in northern Ontario, Martha decides to go back to the

city to search for her son. Available for purchase at: http://www.amazon.com

FASD and Related Conferences & Events

June 2011

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Annual

Meeting, 135th Annual Meeting Inclusive Communities: Pathways to Realizing the

Vision

Date: June 5–9, 2011

Location: Twins City, Minnesota

Description: The conference focuses on sharing expertise and ideas relevant to

creating inclusive communities.

Registration: Onsite registration only after April 18, 2011. Link to

http://www.childlife.org/Annual%20Conference/Registration.cfm.

National Coalition for Homeless Veterans Annual Meeting

Date: June 6–8, 2011

Location: Washington, District of Columbia

Description: This conference focuses on the current Administration’s Plan to end

homelessness among Veterans.

Registration: $35 late registration fee after May 1. Click here for more information.

Academy Health’s Annual Research Policy Meeting

Date: June 12–14, 2011

Location: Seattle, Washington

Description: Academy Health Annual Research Meeting (ARM) focuses on

opportunities for researchers to share important findings with policymakers and

providers who can put the research into action.

Registration: For more information click here.

27th Annual National Rural Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Date: June 12–16, 2011

Location: Menomonie, Wisconsin

Description: This is the annual meeting of professionals working in alcohol and

drug addiction/treatment/adjudication fields in rural areas.

Registration: CEUs and graduate credit are available. Advance registration

deadline: May 27, 2011. To register, click here.

*The National Congress of American Indians Policy Research Center (NCAI PRC)

Annual Tribal Leader/Scholar Forum

Date: June 13–16, 2011

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Description: This is the mid-year conference of the National Congress of

American Indians (NCAI), the oldest, largest American Indian and Alaska Native

organization serving the broad interest of tribal governments and communities.

Registration: Click here for more information.

*The SAMHSA FASD Center for Excellence will participate in this conference.

Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses Annual Convention:

“Promoting the Health of Women and Newborns”

Date: June 25–29, 2011

Location: Denver, Colorado

Description: This convention focusing on new directions in the care of women and

newborns.

Registration: For more information, please click here.

July 2011

National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Annual 2011

Commissioners Meeting

Date: July 17–19, 2011

Location: Alexandria, Virginia

Description: This is the annual meeting of the National Association of State

Mental Health Program Directors.

Registration: Deadline June 17, 2011. Cost: $500. Click here for more information

National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center Webinar: “Assessing for

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Children”

Date: July 13, 2011

Location: Teleconference, online

Description: One of several 90-minute conference calls that will include the

option to view a Web-based presentation of slides and other handouts.

Registration: Cost: $25 per session or $75 for the complete series. For

information about this and other upcoming teleconferences click here.

NOFAS Weekly Roundup – Volume 2, Issue 17

The NOFAS Weekly Roundup features news articles, research, event

announcements, new materials and other highlights from around the world

of FASD. The Roundup also includes the latest news from NOFAS and a link

to the Calendar of Events page on the NOFAS website.

FEATURES

NIDA raises the curtain on addiction

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recently launched the
Addiction Performance Project, a new continued medical education program
designed to help primary care providers eliminate the stigma associated
with addiction.

Press release, NIDA, April 19, 2011

Craving a beer during pregnancy: How much is safe to drink?

A pregnant mother educates herself on the risks of drinking alcohol
while pregnant and educates others about FASD.

Article, Joy Online, April 20, 2011

Grant Opportunity Available from the American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recently announced a FASD
grant opportunity.  This funding opportunity is open to AAP Chapters
only.

Grant Announcement, American Academy of Pediatrics, April 21, 2011

European FASD Alliance

Recently the European FASD Alliance, a new non-profit organization, was
formed in Sweden. This organization supports member associations in
European countries in their efforts to prevent FASD and improve the
quality of life of persons living with FASD.

Announcement, European FASD Alliance, April 24, 2011

AFFILIATES

Help Support NOFAS Washington State’s Camp for Kids

Help NOFAS Washington raise funding for their Camp for Kids – a camp for
children with FASD and their families.

Article, NOFAS Washington, April 2011

CALENDAR OF EVENTS