How prenatal alcohol exposure harms hearing development
Official title: Cellular mechanisms of auditory processing deficits in a mouse model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Funded at University of Nebraska Medical Center · NIH-11332579 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how alcohol exposure during pregnancy changes the brain cells that help process sound in mice, to better understand hearing problems in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | May 17, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $343,931 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA031026-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332579 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This work is most relevant to children and families affected by prenatal alcohol exposure or diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders who are concerned about hearing and auditory processing difficulties.
✕Less likely to help
People without prenatal alcohol exposure or whose hearing problems come from unrelated causes (like genetic deafness or ear infections) are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
This work uses a mouse model where mothers voluntarily drink during pregnancy to mimic prenatal alcohol exposure. Scientists will examine auditory brain regions to see how parvalbumin-expressing inhibitory neurons and their surrounding perineuronal nets develop. They will measure synaptic inhibition in the primary auditory cortex and inferior colliculus and record whether the auditory cortex becomes hyperexcitable in live animals. The aim is to link specific cellular and circuit changes to the auditory processing problems seen in FASD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to cellular targets and time windows for therapies to improve auditory processing in children with FASD.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have linked prenatal alcohol exposure to GABAergic interneuron dysfunction and auditory deficits, but examining perineuronal nets and specific circuit hyperexcitability in the auditory system is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ragunathan, Padmashri — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Ragunathan, Padmashri
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Cellular mechanisms shaping fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
This NIH grant studies how alcohol exposure before birth damages development at the cellular level, with potential to improve understanding and care for individuals affected by FASD.
-
Web tools to screen children for effects of prenatal alcohol exposure
This project uses online tools to check children ages 6–17 for physical, thinking, and behavior signs linked to prenatal alcohol exposure.
-
Choline Genetics and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Children
This study looks at how genetic differences in choline metabolism affect cognitive and behavioral outcomes in children with prenatal alcohol exposure who may benefit from choline supplementation.
-
Data coordination for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders research
A national collaboration coordinates data and sharing to help understand and improve care for children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD.
-
Improved FASD screening for kids using BRAIN-online in Spanish
A web-based, Spanish-enabled screening tool helps identify signs of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in children to guide further evaluation and support.
-
Prenatal Alcohol Gene-by-Exposure study: how maternal and child genetics influence FASD
A big study will look at genes in mothers and their children to understand why some babies exposed to alcohol before birth develop FASD and others don’t.
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.