A study conducted by researchers from the Bioinformatics and Neurogenetics Laboratory (LaBiN) of the Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) confirmed that ethanol (EtOH) consumption, the active component of alcoholic beverages, during pregnancy can compromise fetal neurodevelopment. This can trigger Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which includes physical, mental, and behavioral impairments and is often confused with autism, especially in young children.
According to the results, EtOH alters the organization of the structure responsible for compacting DNA (chromatin) and impairs the development of functional neural network formation during brain development. Alcohol exposure negatively affects both the formation and activity of these networks.
“Previous studies have already shown that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to disorders known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, which include physical, mental, and behavioral impairments that are even confused with autism, especially in young children. In the United States, it is estimated that 1 in 20 births is affected by FASD, but there are no concrete data on incidence in Brazil,” explained the researcher and LabiN coordinator, Roberto Hirochi Herai.
According to a survey by the Center for Information on Health and Alcohol (Cisa), between 2010 and 2023, the percentage of women who excessively consume alcoholic beverages increased from 10.5% to 15.2%. Among men, the rate remained stable, from 27% to 27.3%. In the general population, the increase was from 18.1% to 20.8%. “In the case of pregnant women, the risks associated with alcohol are even greater, as there is still no data indicating a safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy,” the researchers state.
For one of the study authors, Bruno Guerra, the molecular effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy on human fetal cerebral cortex development are still little known.
“Understanding the basis of these molecular changes, including the problems caused in brain cells, will help develop future treatment therapies for FASD and clarify alterations related to neurobiological processes. This will enable the generation of more data to assist in creating public health policies related to alcohol consumption by pregnant women,” he highlighted.
Source: Agência Brasil