Animal Models of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

This chapter reviews the development and use of animal models in research on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, highlighting methodological issues. The development of suitable animal models in this field has been crucial in investigating the wide range of effects of prenatal alcohol exposure under tightly controlled conditions, as well as factors that can influence the severity of effects observed, and the mechanisms mediating those effects. Animal models in this field have been critical in demonstrating that alcohol is a powerful teratogen with serious neurodevelopmental consequences, a fact that was met with skepticism by many in the scientific community when Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first described. The review begins with a discussion of the various animal models in the field, highlighting the benefits and limitations of each model. Although it is not inclusive, this chapter aims to provide an overview of the challenges that FASD researchers have had in developing animal models that have construct, face and etiological validity. We then discuss the factors that must be addressed in the development of an animal model, including dose and timing of alcohol exposure, blood alcohol levels (BALs), mode of alcohol administration, nutritional considerations, maternal–pup interactions, housing considerations, and strain differences. The chapter then moves on to discuss in some detail the model of chronic, moderate prenatal alcohol exposure utilized in our research with Spragu...
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