Understanding and treating behavior problems from prenatal alcohol exposure
C0-Overall: Fetal Ethanol-induced behavior deficits: Mechanisms, diagnosis and Intervention
Finding earlier tests and better treatments for children whose brain development and behavior were harmed by alcohol exposure before birth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11085994 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child was exposed to alcohol before birth, this center works to understand how that exposure damages the developing brain and causes behavior and learning problems. Researchers are looking for biological signs (biomarkers) that can be found earlier in life to help make diagnosis more reliable and predict which children will have long-term difficulties. They combine lab and clinical work and test new mixes of behavioral, educational, and medication approaches to try to improve attention, learning, and behavior. The goal is to give families clearer diagnoses sooner and better treatment options to help children do better at home and school.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are infants, children, or adolescents with known or suspected prenatal alcohol exposure or a diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), and families willing to participate in clinical assessments or interventions.
Not a fit: People without prenatal alcohol exposure or whose symptoms are clearly due to other conditions may not receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to earlier, more reliable diagnosis and more effective behavioral, educational, and pharmacologic treatments that improve long-term functioning for children with prenatal alcohol exposure.
How similar studies have performed: Previous smaller clinical and preclinical studies have identified some potential biomarkers and promising therapies, but integrated, clinically reliable diagnosis-and-treatment approaches remain largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Albuquerque, United States
- University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr — Albuquerque, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Valenzuela, Carlos Fernando — University of New Mexico Health Scis Ctr
- Study coordinator: Valenzuela, Carlos Fernando
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.