New FASDÂ study makes key fetal alcohol spectrum disorder discovery
Canadian researchers have come one step closer to discovering a biomarker associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) after identifying distinct patterns associated with the DNA of children who were exposed to alcohol during pregnancy.
The investigation, led by the University of British Columbia (UBC), analyzed DNA samples from 110 children with FASD from across Canada.
The study relied on data collected through the Kids Brain Health Network, a national collaboration that aims to improve the understanding and treatment of neurodevelopment disorders, such as FASDÂ and autism.
The findings were published earlier this summer in the journal Epigenetics & Chromatin.
What the results mean
The research showed that methylation, a process that affects how genes behave, differed for children who have FASD. The researchers discovered consistent, statistically significant patterns of methylation unique to the children who were exposed to alcohol before birth compared with those who were not.
Developing a genetic test for FASD would have many benefits, such as allowing for much earlier diagnosis of FASD and thus early treatment interventions; currently, diagnosing the disorder requires a series of assessments by specialists and typically doesn’t happen until children are in school, when signs of developmental or behavioural issues become apparent.
Early interventions for kids with FASDÂ are crucial because there is no cure for FASD.
Why this matters?
Studying the effect prenatal alcohol exposure has on a person’s DNA can lead to better assessment and diagnostic techniques. It’s also the first step in understanding the underlying mechanisms that alcohol exposure has on brain development.
The study looked at two million genetic markers and another 450,000 epigenetic markers, which control the activity of DNA.
Further studies of this pattern could help identify what specific parts of the DNA are affected and uncover biomarkers that would make a laboratory test possible for diagnosing the disorder.
