How prenatal alcohol exposure affects spatial memory and the hippocampus
Neural Basis of Spatial Memory Deficits After Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
This project looks at how drinking during pregnancy changes brain circuits that help babies and children learn and remember locations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New Mexico NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11259465 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists use animal models to mimic moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and study resulting problems with learning and remembering places. They record activity from many neurons in the hippocampus while animals perform navigation tasks to map how firing patterns and brain rhythms are altered. By linking these neural-circuit changes to the animals' behavior, the team aims to identify the systems-level brain mechanisms behind spatial memory deficits after prenatal alcohol exposure. This work is intended to provide a foundation for future approaches that could help people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People of any age with a history of prenatal alcohol exposure and difficulties with spatial memory would be the most relevant group for related clinical follow-up, although this project primarily uses animal models.
Not a fit: People whose memory problems are unrelated to prenatal alcohol exposure or who have other causes of cognitive impairment may not benefit directly from these findings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could point to specific brain circuits or activity patterns to target for therapies that improve spatial memory in people affected by prenatal alcohol exposure.
How similar studies have performed: Prior human and animal work has consistently shown spatial memory problems after prenatal alcohol exposure, but detailed neural-circuit explanations at the systems level remain largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Albuquerque, United States
- University of New Mexico — Albuquerque, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Clark, Benjamin J — University of New Mexico
- Study coordinator: Clark, Benjamin J
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.