Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) continued Psychology notes
In my last notes, I indicated I was to continue with Animal Models: However I have decided to skip that part of my notes. Many people are offended by the research used with animals. I will record the notes of a case study from a Canadian Film we watched in class. I am so sorry that I do not have more info than the boy’s name is David. I think it is important to know how terrible the effects of alcohol can have on the baby and what can happen when that baby grows up.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - David with FAS is 21 years old (when this was filmed)
- no internal clock. David can sleep 24 hours and still need more sleep. He is not tired or lazy.
David gets up, puts on his clean clothes and shower and shaves. He works on time, eats well and receives emotional support. He is depressed and suicidal. Recreationally, he enjoys movies and playing pool. He thinks he would be dead if his care giver wasn’t there.
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Information goes into brain, retrieved, sorting is different. Making sense out of life is different.
Alcohol concentrates on the developing brain “Hangover lasts a life time” can disrupt migration –smaller, full of holes. When mother wasn’t drinking, brain tried to catch up causing this. It is in a negative state.
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Parent may re-enforce negativity referring to his child as stupid or lazy because he does not know his son’s condition. Social stigma is depicted.
In David’s case, his mom is a social worker who adopted him. David’s brain has been damaged. MRI looks like swiss cheese- different- delays, years behind. He could not organize himself without coaching and therefore it was heartbreaking for him. His father thought there was a lack of effort and now believes he was abusive and feels guilt. It is hard for him to be in a relationship with his son. He is still needed as a dad.
David was “born an alcoholic”. It was not a choice for him. It is not easy for a sibling. The sibling deals with this by withdrawing.
There is a loss of human potential.
Effects of Ethanol on the Brain
-Reduced whole brain weight.
- Reduced neural proliferation or cell loss:
. Neo cortex – evidence in animals – may be reduction of neurons
. Hippocampus – behaviorally and anatomically
. Cerebellum (purkinje cells)
. Impaired migration
. Impaired or abnormal axon growth
Anatomical effects of Ethanol in hippocampus (summarized in Uecker and Nadel)
- reduced number of CA1 pyramidal cells (correlated with behavior)
- abnormal morphology of CAI pyramidal cells
- mossy fibre pathway hypertrophy (input from dentrate gyrus to body of the hippocampus
Behavioral Effects of Ethanol
- Morris maze performance
- third trimester model
- binge vs uniform vs control (more effect than amount of alcohol, throughout the days spread out.
Cerebellar effects
- reduced cerebella size
-reduced numbers of Purkinje and granule cells
EFFECTS IN INFANCY
“jittery babies”
poor Braselton scores (extensive test looks at broader things)
delayed reflex and motor development
poor habituation (repetitive pattern of stimulation) eg. sucking
Long term outcomes of FAS
1) sensory development (hearing problems, middle ear infections).
2) Intelligence
- Streisguth (1991)
. 61 FAS cases – mean IQ = 64
- Aronson(1985)
. children of alcoholics > 15 points below normal
31 visual - spatial and spatial memory problems (Uecker & Nadel)
Some important notes: Were the studies conducted well or not? Did they control the groups?
Attentional and Behavioral problems
Early childhood
. hyperactivity
. impulsiveness
Adolescence and early adulthood
. less hyperactive, more distractible
. social control problems (such as with David)
Prospective Studies
Are there effects of moderate drinking?
. Comparison of 6 prospective studies using the Bayley scale – no consistent effect
. some evidence of modest effects on attention in children
CONCLUSIONS
Are there direct effects on the brain? - Yes, provided it is in high doses, critical periods of brain development. Probably has a long critical period.
Are they dose related? - Yes
Is there a critical period? - Probably multiple critical periods.
Are there genetic differences in susceptibility? – Yes (at least in animals).
Is there a threshold? Not yet clear (at least not when I was taking these notes)
When I write about the brain again it will be about the effects of mercury.
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