Figure 4.

Diagram illustrating the potential role of neurotransmitter system alterations in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Ethanol exposure during development, acting in conjunction with genetic susceptibility factors (for instance, variations in the serotonin transporter gene) and environmental factors (for example, coexposure to nicotine), disrupts the actions of neurotransmitter systems (i.e., biogenic amines, etc) that normally interact in a complex manner to regulate the key processes involved in brain development (i.e. proliferation, etc). Disruption of these processes results in persistent alterations in synaptic transmission/plasticity and neuronal network function. These alterations likely underlie the deficits associated with FASD (i.e., learning and memory deficits). The precise chain of events leading from developmental ethanol exposure to these deficits remains to be determined.