Rhythms of Hippocampal Function and Memory Deficits After Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Project Principal Investigator/s:
Lilliana M. Sanchez

Project Co-Investigator/s:
Ben Clark (Sponsor)

Funding Agency:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Amount Awarded:
$108,588

Period of Performance:
10/2022 - 09/2025

Goals and Aims of Study

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders involve morphologic and neurobiological abnormalities in offspring subjected to prenatal alcohol exposure. While learning and memory deficits have been well characterized after prenatal alcohol exposure, few studies have determined the circuit or systems level mechanisms. A complete understanding of memory deficits after prenatal alcohol exposure is needed to ultimately identify treatments that may mitigate impacts later in life. In our previous work, we determined that rats with moderate prenatal alcohol exposure are significantly impaired in learning associations between an object and its spatial location. Further, disruption to the hippocampus impairs object-place associations and object-place learning and memory is critically dependent on synchronized rhythmic activity of hippocampal cell populations. In two aims, we will test the hypotheses that impaired learning and memory after moderate prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with uncoupling of brain activity oscillations within the hippocampal formation and that these alterations in hippocampal rhythmic activity are associated with impairments in learning and remembering the locsation of objects in the environment.

How this Research Will Benefit Society

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are characterized by cognitive abnormalities in offspring exposed to alcohol during pregnancy. One of the most common cognitive deficits in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders involve impaired learning and memory and altered hippocampal function. A complete understanding of the neural bases of learning and memory deficits in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders is needed to ultimately identify treatments that may mitigate impacts later in life. The aims of this proposal will significantly advance our understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms of learning and memory deficits after moderate prenatal alcohol exposure.