Thursday, March 28

Study Pokes Holes in Fetal Alcohol Hypothesis

Posted: 10/19/17 10:01

A new study published in the journal Brain Behavior and Immunity appears to challenge the theory that cells in the brain's immune system are the culprit behind the neurological damage that occurs in children exposed to alcohol while in the womb. "In order to develop treatments for this condition, we must first understand how alcohol affects the developing brain," said Ania Majewska, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and lead author of the study. "While the hypothesis that dysfunctional immune cells play a role in fetal alcohol syndrome is logical and enticing, it appears that this idea may be a scientific dead end." Read More