The brain’s immune system may not be responsible for FASD

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Researchers continue to find evidence that the brain’s immune system may not be the culprit behind fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.

It has long been thought that cells of the brain’s immune system, called microglia, are responsible for the neurological damage that occurs when this type of exposure occurs.

“We looked for more subtle changes in the function of the microglia this time around,” says Ania Majewska, professor of neuroscience at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester and lead author of the developmental neurobiology study. .

“We were unable to detect a difference in function, which leads us to believe that the defect may exist in other types of cells. However, given the heterogeneity and complexity of microglial function, we are also exploring how different populations of microglia in different parts of the brain respond to alcohol.

One in 100 babies born in the United States is diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which occurs when a child is exposed to alcohol in the womb. FASD can cause lifelong physical and cognitive impairments, such as poor impulse control and attention, learning disabilities, impaired fine motor skills, and delays in the brain’s ability to process visual information and auditory. There is no treatment available for FASD.

Majewska’s research initially challenged the idea that FASD is caused by damage to the brain from altered microglia, while his lab found no difference in brain activity in the area in mice exposed to alcohol early in development versus those that were not exposed.

In this recent work, researchers exposed mice to alcohol early in development and looked beyond the baseline of microglial movement. Using an advanced imaging technology called two-photon microscopy, scientists observed how microglia interacted with neural dendrites, part of the connection between neurons that allows neighboring nerve cells to communicate. They found no difference in this regard when they compared brains exposed to alcohol to brains that were not.

“The brain is made up of many types of neurons, so it is possible that other microglia-neuron interactions are changing, but this is not a general phenomenon,” explains Majewska. “But just because they’re immune cells doesn’t mean they’ll be involved in every developmental disorder or disturbance. It is important to restrict their exact roles in terms of targeting these cells for therapies against neurodevelopmental disorders. “

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism funded the work.

Source: University of Rochester

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