Lindsey A. Leigland1,
Matthew D. Budde2, Christopher D. Kroenke1, 3
1Advanced
Imaging Research Center and Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon
Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States; 2Department
of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States; 3Division
of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Oregon Health &
Science University, Beaverton, OR, United States
The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of prenatal exposure to ethanol on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measurements in the developing cerebral cortex, and directly compare histological evidence of disrupted neuronal morphology in a rat model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Data indicated disruptions in cortical developmental DTI patterns seen in response to prenatal exposure to ethanol, related via histology to abnormal neuronal morphology and differentiation. Given the sensitivity of DTI to detect abnormalities caused by ethanol exposure during gestation, DTI is introduced as a potential diagnostic methodology for FASD.