# Brain Maturation in Adults with FASD

> **NIH NIH R01** · SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $336,957

## Abstract

Project Summary
Exposure to alcohol in utero can have devastating effects on the developing fetus, including growth deficits,
cognitive and behavioral anomalies, alterations in brain, and distinct facial characteristics; collectively these are
referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). While research over the last 40 years has
characterized these alterations and provided numerous potential mechanisms for the effects of prenatal
alcohol exposure (PAE), very little data exists on long-term consequences as the majority of clinical research
has focused on children and adolescents. Many of the consequences of PAE are thought to be lifelong, yet
data on individuals past young adulthood are rare, despite animal model data suggesting long-term
consequences and altered trajectories of behavioral development. The goal of this application is to address
this significant shortfall in our knowledge by evaluating the protracted effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on
the brain. Previous large studies from Seattle, WA developed well-characterized research samples of
individuals with a classification of having an FASD who are now adults between 30 and 60 years of age. These
individuals are currently being recruited into a registry of research participants. Over 150 of these individuals
have had previous structural MRI scans conducted while in their teens and twenties. A subset of subjects and
matched controls (N=90) will be recruited to have another MRI session in which structural, DTI, and
connectivity assessments will be conducted. Comparisons between these and earlier scans will provide insight
into the changes in overall brain structure, white matter integrity, and function with age in subjects with alcohol
exposure histories. We postulate that brain maturation following PAE follows an altered trajectory relative to
normal developing controls. This work will begin to examine a major gap in our knowledge about the impact of
PAE by addressing for the first time the longitudinal changes in brain during the adult period, and identify gaps
in knowledge regarding FASD in adulthood.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10442629
- **Project number:** 5R01AA026994-05
- **Recipient organization:** SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** EDWARD P RILEY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $336,957
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10442629

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10442629, Brain Maturation in Adults with FASD (5R01AA026994-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10442629. Licensed CC0.

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