Timing of Moderate Level Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Influences Gene Expression of Sensory Processing Behavior in Rhesus Monkeys

Authors

Mary L. Schneider, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Colleen F. Moore, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Julie A. Larson, University of Wisconsin - MadisonFollow
Christina S. Barr, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Onofre T. DeJesus, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Andrew D. Roberts, Minnesota State University - MankatoFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2009

Abstract

Sensory processing disorder, characterized by over- or under-responsivity to non-noxious environmental stimuli, is a common but poorly understood disorder. We examined the role of prenatal alcohol exposure, serotonin transporter gene polymorphic region variation (rh5-HTTLPR), and striatal dopamine (DA) function on behavioral measures of sensory responsivity to repeated non-noxious sensory stimuli in macaque monkeys. Results indicated that early gestation alcohol exposure induced behavioral under-responsivity to environmental stimuli in monkeys carrying the short (s) rh5-HTTLPR allele compared to both early-exposed monkeys homozygous for the long (l) allele and monkeys from middle-to-late exposed pregnancies and controls, regardless of genotype. Moreover, prenatal timing of alcohol exposure altered the relationship between sensory scores and DA D₂R availability. In early-exposed monkeys, a positive relationship was shown between sensory scores and DA D₂R availability, with low or blunted DA function associated with under-responsive sensory function. The opposite pattern was found for the middle-to-late gestation alcohol-exposed group. These findings raise questions about how the timing of prenatal perturbation and genotype contributes to effects on neural processing and possibly alters neural connections.

Publication Title

Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience

Recommended Citation

M.L. Schneider, C.F. Moore, J.A. Larson, C.S. Barr, O.T. DeJesus, and A.D. Roberts. Timing of Moderate Level Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Influences Gene Expression of Sensory Processing Behavior in Rhesus Monkeys. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 3, article #30.

DOI

10.3389/neuro.07.030.2009

Link to Publisher Version (DOI)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/neuro.07.030.2009

Publisher's Copyright and Source

Copyright © Schneider, Moore, Larson, Barr, DeJesus, and Roberts. This is an open-access article subject to an exclusive license agreement between the authors and the Frontiers Research Foundation, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original authors and source are credited. Reprinted with permission from Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, volume 3, 2009, article number 30. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/neuro.07.030.2009

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.