Fetal Alcohol Exposure May Prime Offspring for Alcoholism
Rat studies suggest the senses learn to like drinking early on
By Amanda Gardner Posted 12/13/07
THURSDAY, Dec. 13 (HealthDay News) — Rats exposed to alcohol while still in the womb learn to like the substance and are more drawn to it as young rats, a new study shows.
The observation may help explain why teens with prior fetal exposure to drinking may be more likely to abuse the substance, researchers say.
“[Exposure] to something mom ate during gestation will alter its response,” explained Steven Youngentob, a professor of neuroscience and physiology at State University of New York (SUNY) and member of the SUNY Upstate Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center in Syracuse.
Youngentob is lead author of two studies detailing these findings in the December issue of Behavioral Neuroscience.
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