Even people far from medicine are well aware that alcohol during pregnancy can harm a child, according to Pannochka, an online publication for girls and women from 14 to 35 years old.. net Recently, scientists have found out something new about the dangers of alcohol..
Findings from a Finnish study suggest that drinking alcohol in the first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy (even before many women find out about their situation) can disrupt the functioning of certain genes in the baby’s brain and irreversibly affect its structure.
The study, the results of which were published in the online edition of PLOS ONE, was conducted on laboratory mice..
Scientists say that the genes in question are also present in humans, therefore a similar effect of alcohol on the fetal brain in humans is more than likely.
A research team led by Dr. Nina Kaminen-Ahola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, explained in detail the mechanism of action of alcohol in the first weeks of pregnancy.
Scientists claim that alcohol upsets the regulation of genes in embryonic stem cells, from which mature brain cells are subsequently formed. The result is a change in the structure of the brain, especially the hippocampus, which lasts a lifetime.
Alcohol use during pregnancy has long been associated with an increased risk of a variety of problems in the offspring, including stunted growth, impaired intelligence, poor memory, coordination, and speech.
Dr. Kaminen-Ahola writes that until recently, the mechanism of the influence of alcohol on the fetal brain has remained controversial. Earlier animal experiments showed that alcohol can affect the epigenome of the embryo in the first weeks of pregnancy, so Finnish scientists decided to continue work in this direction.
Alcohol affects the epigenome in the hippocampus.
In the course of their study, scientists gave alcohol to pregnant mice during the first 8 days of gestation, which is equivalent to 3-4 weeks of gestation in humans. Then they watched their offspring throughout life.
Scientists paid special attention to the state of the epigenome in the hippocampus - the area of \u200b\u200bthe brain that is involved in memorizing, emotions, maintaining attention, learning.
They found that the offspring of such mice seriously disrupt gene regulation, which leads to a change in the structure and functions of the hippocampus, as well as the structure of the ventricles of the brain.
In addition, scientists found structural and functional changes in the tissues of the bone marrow and olfactory epithelium.
The results will help in the diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome in humans..
Kaminen-Ahola says that the changes in mice in their experiments are reminiscent of what happens with fetal alcohol syndrome (ASP) - a condition characterized by stunted growth, changes in the structure of the face and skull, and hyperactivity.
The researcher believes that the results will help to significantly improve the diagnosis of fetal alcohol syndrome, which is difficult today: “Our data confirm that alcohol disrupts gene regulation at a very early stage. This is important for the diagnosis of any alcohol-induced disorders in children.. Ideally, you can create a genetic test that allows you to diagnose TSA using a single swab taken from the inside of the cheek. "
medbe. ru.