Project
Stress, Memory, and Behavior in Children with FASD
Principal Investigator or Project Contact: David Haley; (416) 208 4896; haley@utsc.utoronto.ca
Proposed Start/End Date: July 1, 2007 - August 2008
Brief Description: Substantial research conducted over the last 30 years indicates that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) adversely affects fetal development (Jones & Smith, 1973), which may result in brain damage (Clarren et al., 1978) and increased risk for cognitive and social-emotional behavior problems (Streissguth et al. 1980). Although the specific mechanisms linking PAE to brain damage and poor developmental outcomes remain unclear, one important pathway linking PAE to adverse outcomes are alterations in the stress system. Studies on rats and monkeys have shown that the offspring of mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy develop altered stress hormone responses to challenges, which are often up-regulated (e.g., Taylor et al., 1982; Weinberg, 1988). In one of the few human studies to look at this issue, stress hormones were elevated both at rest and in response to a physical challenge in the infants of mothers who drank during pregnancy compared to infants of mothers who abstained (Jacobson et al., 1999). More recently, we evaluated PAE in relation to infant stress hormones in response to a social-emotional challenge (Haley et al., 2006). Our results suggest that the greater the PAE, the greater the stress reactivity. It remains to be shown, however, whether PAE is associated with long-term abnormalities in the development of the stress system in children. To begin to examine this issue, the current proposal will test hypothesis 1 that stress hormones (basal and stress response) are altered in children that have been diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) compared to controls. A second issue addressed in this proposal is the relationship between stress hormones, attention, and memory. This work will test hypothesis 2 that greater alterations in the stress system will be associated with poorer attention and working memory. Third, we will examine associations between the stress system and behavior problems. We will test hypothesis 3 that greater alterations in the stress system will be related to greater behavior difficulties. This work will increase our understanding of how PAE affects brain development and will highlight specific interventions that focus on stress reduction and enhance the capacity for stress regulation in children with FASD.
Time Frame: Proposed if funded starting July 1, 2007. It is still in its initial planning stage. A small proposal has been submitted for collecting pilot data. The plan though is to apply for a larger health grant in the fall. Here's some information on the proposed study.
Type of Project: Research
Population Served: All
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