Från och med januari 2010 publiceras det internationella medicinska nyhetsbrevet FETAL ALCOHOL FORUM – som utges av brittiska National Organisation on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - på denna bloggplats. Hittills har fyra nyhetsbrev publicerats och vart och ett innehåller ett stort antal vetenskapliga artiklar och mycket annat material, främst riktat till professionella på området. Varje nyhetsbrev omfattar upp till 120 abstracts och flera hela artiklar. Flera av världens absolut främsta forskare bidrar till innehållet!

Klicka på länkarna E-letter till respektive utgåva till höger. Nyhetsbreven är i form av PDF filer som du kan ladda ner till din egen dator.

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Integrating Research, Policy and Promising Practice Around the World: A Catalyst for Change

The 3rd International Conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - PowerPoint Presentations! These files from the conference are now available for download.

Några av titlarna:

• Long term Follow-Up Study of children with FASD in Young AdulthoodHans-Ludwig Spohr



• Developing an Adult FASD Diagnostic Clinic: The Victoria BC ExperienceJonathan Down, Grace Gerry, Kathy Horne



• Prenatal Diagnosis of FASD – Is It Possible?Andrew D. Hull



• Status of FASD Prevention in Nine Areas in France, and Recommendation to Support FASD Prevention in FranceDenis Lamblin, Sylvie Kunchten

Se alla presentationerna här >>>


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Eye test could help diagnose fetal alcohol syndrome

James Reynolds, a professor at the Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. has developed a test that he believes can pinpoint those children with the disorder.
Reynolds has found that children exposed to alcohol in utero have slower eye movements than healthy children.

Läs mer >>>

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20th Annual ENTIS meeting

ENTIS, European Network of Teratology Information Services,

The general objective for ENTIS is to coordinate and collaborate the activities of the different Teratology Information Services (TIS), and to collect and evaluate data in order to contribute to the primary prevention of birth defects and developmental disorders.

The 20th meeting of European Network of Teratology Information Services (ENTIS) will be organised by Servizio di Tossicologica Perinatale and will take place in Firenze, Italy, from May 29 – 31, 2009.

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Läs mer >>>

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CTIS Pregnancy Risk Information Line

The CTIS Pregnancy Risk Information Line has a new website! We've worked hard to become more user friendly and accessible. Please take a few moments to visit our new site.

Läs mer >>>

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New NIAAA site on drinking

Do you enjoy a drink now and then? Many of us do, often when socializing with friends and family. Drinking can be beneficial or harmful, depending on your age and health status, and, of course, how much you drink.

For anyone who drinks, this site offers valuable, research-based information. What do you think about taking a look at your drinking habits and how they may affect your health? Rethinking Drinking can help you get started.

Läs mer >>>

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Binge Drinking During Pregnancy and Risk of Seizures in Childhood: A Study Based on the Danish National Birth Cohort

Results showed that exposure to binge drinking episodes during pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of seizure disorders in children, except for those exposed at 11–16 gestational weeks. These children had a 3.15-fold increased risk of neonatal seizures (95% confidence interval: 1.37, 7.25) and a 1.81-fold increased risk of epilepsy (95% confidence interval: 1.13, 2.90). These findings suggest that maternal binge drinking during a specific time period of pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of specific seizure disorders in the offspring. The results are exploratory, however, and need to be replicated.


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35th Annual Alcohol Epidemiology Symposium of the Kettil Bruun Society (KBS 2009) in Copenhagen, June 1-5, 2009

The primary purpose of the conference is to provide a forum where researchers involved in studies on alcohol can exchange ideas about their ongoing research. The scope of the symposium includes studies of determinants and consequences of drinking, drinking practices, attitudes and the social and institutional responses to drinking related harms. Empirical research, theoretical papers and reviews of the literature are welcome. Epidemiology is broadly construed and includes research in a variety of disciplines, such as psychology, sociology, criminology, economics, history and other disciplines.

Läs mer >>>

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Binge drinking comes to France

Until a few years ago, many French people were convinced that their cafe society and laissez-faire approach to alcohol made them immune to binge drinking.
But times, and drinking habits, have changed. The government recognises the problem and plans to raise the legal age for buying alcohol from 16 to 18 next year.
In some parts of Paris, municipal authorities have already targeted teenage drunkenness by declaring "dry areas" where drinking on the streets is banned at night.

Läs mer >>>

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Moms-to-Be Who Drink May Damage Fetus' White Matter

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can damage white matter in a fetus' frontal and occipital lobes, which play a major role in executive function and visual processing. The finding may help explain problems seen in infants whose mothers drink during pregnancy, a new study says.
"The brain's white matter is made up of nerve bundles that transfer information between brain regions," study corresponding author Susanna L. Fryer, a researcher at San Diego State University's Center for Behavioral Teratology, said in a news release.

Läs mer >>>

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Published Reports Inaccurate Concerning Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy

A national alcohol research group is concerned that the media's misinterpretation of a recent British research study could encourage pregnant women to be more at ease with temperate alcohol consumption.
Some media reports erroneously stated that the study by The University College London researchers revealed that light drinking by pregnant women could be beneficial to their babies. Other articles said light drinking during pregnancy would not affect the behavior or mental acuity of babies born to drinking mothers.

Läs mer >>>

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The Fatal Link - The Connection Between School Shooters and the Brain Damage from Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol

Jody Allen Crowe presents a compelling look at the silent epidemic of prenatal exposure to alcohol and the undeniable connection to school shooters. He was an elementary student in 1966 when, in his hometown high school, David Black became the first adolescent school shooter in the nation. Memories of that day stayed with the author throughout his career as an educator on reservations across the nation. When the Red Lake High School became the scene of a school shooting in 2005, Crowe was uniquely positioned to see the similarities between his hometown shooter and the Red Lake shooter, as well as the evidence of brain damage from prenatal exposure to alcohol in both cases. The Fatal Link provides a glimpse into Crowe’s twenty years of experience with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and reveals the connection between school shooters and their mother’s drinking patterns.

Läs mer >>>

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Apoptosis Inhibitors Prevent Not Only Cell Death, But Also Play A Role In Cell Migration

One of the defining characteristics of cancer cells is that they systematically prevent programmed cell death (apoptosis), with which the body guards itself against the proliferation of defective cells. In order to do this, they express so-called apoptosis inhibitors (IAPs) among other proteins. Many of the cancer drugs currently undergoing clinical trials target IAPs, since if the levels of IAPs are reduced, tumour cells will be destroyed by the body's own self-protecting mechanism or by the chemotherapeutic drugs. However, as a research group from the Goethe University in Frankfurt, working with scientists at the Universities of Würzburg and Philadelphia have recently discovered, IAPs also have another life: they control cell migration.

Läs mer >>>

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How Mental Health Care Affects Outcomes For Foster Children

A new study co-written by Jung Min Park and Joseph P. Ryan, professors in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois, followed 5,978 children in foster care in Illinois for several years to determine whether these children’s placement and permanency outcomes were affected by their histories of intensive mental health treatment. The statewide sample included all children and adolescents 3-18 years of age who entered foster care for the first time between 1997 and 2001. They were observed through June 2005.

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Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on hippocampal volume, verbal learning, and verbal and spatial recall in late childhood

Results revealed smaller left hippocampi and poorer verbal learning and verbal and spatial recall performance in children with FASDs than controls, as well as positive correlations between selective memory indices and hippocampal volumes only in the FASD group. Additionally, hippocampal volumes increased significantly with age in controls only, suggesting that PAE may be associated with long-term abnormalities in hippocampal development that may contribute to impaired verbal learning and verbal and spatial recall.


Läs mer >>>

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Even moderate drinking in pregnancy harmful

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children born to women who have as little as one drink a week during pregnancy are more likely to have symptoms of behavior problems as teens, according to research published this month in the journal Pediatrics. To better understand the independent role of alcohol exposure in pregnancy, Disney and her colleagues looked at 1,252 17-year-olds enrolled in the Minnesota Twins Family Study and their parents.

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The 3rd International Conference on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

FASD is a window through which to view the state of our world. While it has a profound impact on individuals, families and all aspects of society, it is also a stimulus for change. This international conference will provide a forum to discuss and examine current research, policy and practice that will assist parents, caregivers, service systems and governments as they strive to prevent FASD and to provide a range of supports for people living with it. The emphasis of this conference will be the practical application of various forms of research covering these broad areas:

Biomedical
Clinical Diagnosis & Assessment
Health
Legal, justice, correction
Social Services
Family
Education
Community

Läs mer >>>

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Study: Paying more for alcohol saves lives

Each time the state of Alaska raised its alcoholic beverage tax, fewer deaths were caused by or related to alcohol, according to the study that examined 28 years of data.

When Alaska raised its alcohol tax in 1983, deaths caused by or related to alcohol dropped 29 percent. A 2002 tax increase was followed by an 11 percent reduction, according to the study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

"Increasing alcohol taxes saves lives; that's the bottom line," said the study's lead author, Dr. Alexander Wagenaar, a professor at the University of Florida's Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research. "The tax increase caused some reduction in consumption of alcohol. The reduction saved lives."

Läs mer >>>

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Warning labels on alcoholic drinks soon law (Sydafrika)

IN less than four months‘ time all alcoholic drinks will come with a warning label.
Anti-alcohol lobby groups are happy about the move, but industry insiders fear it is just the tip of the iceberg in the government‘s fast-tightening grip on the multi-billion rand industry.

Läs mer >>>

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Drinking beer dangerous

Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) has responded to South Africa’s new law, which requires all alcoholic beverages to carry a health warning message on their labels, by placing hazard signs on its intoxicating products.
Läs mer >>>

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Measurement of direct ethanol metabolites suggests higher rate of alcohol use among pregnant women than found with the AUDIT...

In all, our sample identified 25% of
subjects as possible alcohol consumers.
Of those with positive biomarkers, 3 had
acknowledged any alcohol use in the
AUDIT questionnaire, although at very
low levels. Furthermore, of the 7 subjects
in the current study whose EtG or FAEE
levels in hair that were highly suspicious
for heavy drinking, only 1 had admitted
to ongoing alcohol consumption in the
AUDIT questionnaire. Clearly, subjects
may underestimate their alcohol useand/or
be unwilling to disclose their
drinking habits during pregnancy. Although
negative results for direct ethanol
metabolites are not considered proof
of abstinence, we argue that when positive,
they provide strong evidence for
moderate or excessive drinking.

Läs mer >>>

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Warning labels on alcoholic drinks soon law

IN less than four months‘ time all alcoholic drinks will come with a warning label.
Anti-alcohol lobby groups are happy about the move, but industry insiders fear it is just the tip of the iceberg in the government‘s fast-tightening grip on the multi-billion rand industry.
As with the tobacco industry – which first was forced by law to put warning labels on all cigarette packets, followed by a ban on advertising – the alcohol industry is scrambling to prepare itself for a marketing blackout which they believe is only “a matter of time”.
Already major retailers have started receiving liquor supplies with the warning labels which read: “Alcohol reduces driving ability – don‘t drink and drive” and “Drinking during pregnancy can be harmful to your unborn baby”.
Läs mer >>>

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One third of pregnant women secretly drink alcohol, survey finds

But one in 10 mothers-to-be believe that drinking doesn't do as much damage as experts claim, according to the survey by baby charity Tommy's.
A total of 1,300 women were questioned for the survey.

The survey also found that one in 10 women did not know how much a unit of alcohol is.

Läs mer >>>

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Obstetrik, ny lärobok

Den nya läroboken är resultatet av ett unikt samarbete mellan ett stort antal specialkunniga läkare och barnmorskor inom svensk obstetrik. Boken vänder sig till läkarstuderande på grundutbildningen samt till läkare och barnmorskor som är verksamma inom såväl öppen som sluten vård. Den kan även användas som fördjupnings- och referensbok.
Kapitlet Drogmissbruk under graviditet bahandlas av Mona Göransson och Ihsan Sarman.
På bokens webbplats kan du som lärare ladda ner bokens illustrationer som PowerPoint-presentation på Studentlitteraturs hemsida. Länkar till presentationerna kan också fås via mail från FAS-föreningen. Kontakta FAS@telia.com
Läs mer >>>

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Alarming Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Exposure in a Mediterranean City

In conclusion, the preliminary results of this study, which highlights a 45% ethanol consumption during pregnancy in a low socioeconomic status cohort from a Mediterranean city, may serve as an eye opener for Europeans that gestational ethanol exposure is endemic not only in areas outside of Europe.

Of critical importance, alcohol consumption by pregnant women in Mediterranean countries may be different from that of North European regions: daily consumption of mainly wine and beer during principal meals is a common pattern. In agreement with this, approximately 50% of Spanish women declared daily ethanol consumption in the most recent Spanish National Survey on Drug abuse.13 In this context, early postnatal diagnosis of fetal exposure to maternal alcohol by meconium analysis of FAEEs should be advocated for all newborns because age at diagnosis is a prognostic factor for FASD, and evidence of maternal drinking is a critical
prerequisite.

Läs mer >>>

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Verbal and Visuospatial Learning and Memory Function in Children With Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Prenatal alcohol exposure during the first trimester predicted deficits in learning, short-term memory, and long-term memory, specifically in the verbal domain. Deficits in performance were specific to learning and memory of word-pairs. In addition, deficits in memory were mediated by learning performance.

Results demonstrated that prenatal alcohol exposure lead to deficits in encoding processes as indicated by deficits in verbal learning. Initial deficits in acquisition were responsible for deficits in immediate and delayed recall of verbal information in children who were exposed to alcohol during pregnancy but did not have fetal alcohol syndrome.

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Fetal alcohol syndrome prevention in Washington State:

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine whether the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome among children in a foster care population, born between 1993 and 1998, decreased with the documented decrease in prevalence of maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy from 1993 and 1998 in Washington State. The prevalence of maternal drinking during pregnancy in Washington State declined significantly (0.001) from 1993 to 1998 as did the prevalence of fetal alcohol syndrome among foster children born 1993–98 (0.03). These observations support the likelihood that fetal alcohol syndrome prevention efforts in Washington State are working successfully.

Läs mer >>>

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Binge Drinking During Pregnancy as a Predictor ofPsychiatric Disorders on the Structured Clinical Interviewfor DSM-IV in Young Adult Offspring

The odds of the appearance of six psychiatric disorders and traits were more than double in adults exposed to one or more binge alcohol episodes in utero. Three of these six odds ratios were uniformly stable against confounding: axis I substance dependence or abuse disorders and axis II passive-aggressive and antisocial personality disorders or traits. Conclusions: Prenatal exposure to alcohol may be a risk factor for specific psychiatric disorders and traits in early adulthood, even in a nonclinical group

Läs mer >>>

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Eurocare holds successful Evening Reception on Alcohol and Pregnancy in European Parliament

Over 50 people attended the Eurocare Evening Reception in the European Parliament, marking ”International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day” on Tuesday 9th September 2008.

Hosted by MEPs Ms Mairead McGuinness (EPP, IE) and Ms Catherine Stihler (PSE, UK), the reception was attended by a number of MEPs including Jules Maaten (ALDE, NL), Glenis Willmott (PSE, UK), Mary Lou McDonald (GUE, IE) among others.
The reception was also attended by a number of Eurocare member organisations as well as representatives of NGOs supporting the Eurocare "Alcohol and Pregnancy" campaign (European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), Confederation of Family Organisations (COFACE), Mental Health Europe, and the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME).
The reception was a unique opportunity to learn more about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, and discuss the different policy options to curb its incidence, notably, the labelling of alcoholic beverages.

Läs mer >>>

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Maelstrom Quashes Jumping Genes

Scientists have known for decades that certain genes (called transposons) can jump around the genome in an individual cell. This activity can be dangerous, however, especially when it arises in cells that produce eggs and sperm. Such changes can threaten the offspring and the success of a species. To ensure the integrity of these cells, nature developed a mechanism to quash this genetic scrambling, but how it works has remained a mystery. Now a team of scientists, including researchers at the Carnegie Institution's Department of Embryology, has identified a key protein that suppresses jumping genes in mouse sperm and found that the protein is vital to sperm formation.

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Researchers Block Damage to Fetal Brain Following Maternal Alcohol Consumption

Newswise — In a study on fetal alcohol syndrome, researchers were able to prevent the damage that alcohol causes to cells in a key area of the fetal brain by blocking acid sensitive potassium channels and preventing the acidic environment that alcohol produces. The cerebellum, the portion of the brain that is responsible for balance and muscle coordination, is particularly vulnerable to injury from alcohol during development.
The researchers also found that although alcohol lowers the amount of oxygen in the blood of the mother, it is not the lack of oxygen that damages the fetal cerebellum, but the drop in pH.

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Alcohol Binges Early in Pregnancy Increase Risk of Infant Oral Clefts

A new study by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, shows that pregnant women who binge drink early in their pregnancy increase the likelihood that their babies will be born with oral clefts.

The researchers found that women who consumed an average of five or more drinks per sitting were more than twice as likely than non-drinkers to have an infant with either of the two major infant oral clefts: cleft lip with or without cleft palate, or cleft palate alone. Women who drank at this level on three or more occasions during the first trimester were three times as likely to have infants born with oral clefts.

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Children's Cognitive Ability From 4 to 9 Years Old as a Function of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure, Environmental Risk, and Maternal Verbal Intelligence

This study examined the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure, environmental risk, and maternal verbal intelligence on children's cognitive ability. Gender and age were examined as moderators of potential cocaine exposure effects. The Stanford–Binet IV intelligence test was administered to 231 children (91 cocaine exposed, 140 unexposed) at ages 4, 6, and 9 years. Neonatal medical risk and other prenatal exposures (alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana) were also examined for their unique effects on child IQ.

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Water-diffusion technology identifies brain regions damaged by prenatal alcohol exposure

Scientists know that children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) often have structural brain damage. Yet little is known about how white matter connections, and deep gray matter structures that act as relay stations, are affected in children with FASD. A new study has used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to identify several specific white matter regions as well as deep gray matter areas of the brain that appear sensitive to prenatal alcohol exposure.
Results will be published in the October issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View.

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4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON BIRTH DEFECTS & DISABILITIES IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD

Every year an estimated 7.8 million children are born in the world with a serious genetic or acquired birth defect. Of these 3.3 million die each year. The impact of birth defects is particularly severe in developing countries where 90% of births and 95% of deaths of children with serious birth defects occur. The conference is timely as most developing countries lack comprehensive programs for care and control of birth defects, either because their importance is underestimated or because they perceive lack of resources. This conference will demonstrate why both these notions are incorrect.

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MicroRNA Implicated As Molecular Factor In Alcohol Tolerance

In recent years, a class of small molecules known as microRNA have been found to play an important role in regulating gene products in most animal and plant species. A new study now indicates that microRNA may influence the development of alcohol tolerance, a hallmark of alcohol abuse and dependence.

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Peptidergic Agonists of Activity-Dependent Neurotrophic Factor Protect Against Prenatal Alcohol-Induced Neural Tube Defects and Serotonin Neuron Loss

Prenatal alcohol exposure via maternal liquid diet consumption by C57BL/6 (B6) mice causes conspicuous midline neural tube deficit (dysraphia) and disruption of genesis and development of serotonin (5-HT) neurons in the raphe nuclei, together with brain growth retardation. The current study tested the hypothesis that concurrent treatment with either an activity-dependent neurotrophic factor (ADNF) agonist peptide [SALLRSIPA, (SAL)] or an activity-dependent neurotrophic protein (ADNP) agonist peptide [NAPVSIPQ, (NAP)] would protect against these alcohol-induced deficits in brain development.

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Ny forsking om rusbarn

Forskarar ved Haukeland Universitetssjukehus har funne ut at barn utsett for narkotiske stoff i svangerskapet, har fleire nevropsykologiske skadar enn barn utsett for alkohol i svangerskapet. Vi fann signifikante utslag på konsentrasjon, merksemd, impulskontroll og generell regulering av åtferd hos barn utsett for narkotiske stoff i svangerskapet, fortel nevropsykolog Sidsel Bruarøy ved Barneklinikken på Haukeland.
– Over 90 prosent av barna framsto med ADHD. Av 130 barn vart 103 diagnostisert å ha ADHD. Også blant barn utsett for alkohol i svangerskapet er delen ADHD- barn høg, men det er likevel forskjellar.

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The Association Between Major Birth Defects and Preterm Birth

Abstract Objective To evaluate the association between preterm birth and major birth defects by maternal and infant characteristics and specific types of birth defects. Study Design We pooled data for 1995–2000 from 13 states with population-based birth defects surveillance systems, representing about 30% of all U.S. births. Analyses were limited to singleton, live births from 24–44 weeks gestational age. Results Overall, birth defects were more than twice as common among preterm births (24–36 weeks) compared with term births (37–41 weeks gestation) (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.62–2.68), and approximately 8% of preterm births had a birth defect. Birth defects were over five times more likely among very preterm births (24–31 weeks gestation) compared with term births (PR = 5.25, 95% CI 5.15–5.35), with about 16% of very preterm births having a birth defect. Defects most strongly associated with very preterm birth included central nervous system defects (PR = 16.23, 95% CI 15.49–17.00) and cardiovascular defects (PR = 9.29, 95% CI 9.03–9.56). Conclusions Birth defects contribute to the occurrence of preterm birth. Research to identify shared causal pathways and risk factors could suggest appropriate interventions to reduce both preterm birth and birth defects.

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WHO adopts Swedish alcohol resolution - Cuba fick ge sig

The WHO, in a press release summarizing the results of the assembly, recognized that work needed to be intensified to "curb the harmful use of alcohol" which is the fifth leading risk factor for death and disability in the world.

Sweden has pushed hard for the development of a global strategy and has received the backing of its Scandinavian neighbours in lobbying for the adoption of a 'Swedish' view on alcohol policy.

The resolution brought by Sweden and the other Nordic countries at the World Health Assembly in 2007 failed in the face of opposition from Cuba, a significant alcohol producer.

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Having a Drink During Pregnancy Is Common for French Women

More than half of women in France continue to drink alcohol during their pregnancies, according to a new French study. However, the researchers also found that most of these women are uninformed about the risks to their babies’ health.

The study, published in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, compiled data from 837 pregnant women at public and private obstetric centers who participated in the study between July 2003 and June 2004.

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New MRI Technique Detects Subtle But Serious Brain Injury

A new technique for analyzing magnetic resonance imaging data, developed by researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center, can reveal serious brain injury missed by current tests and help predict a patient’s degree of recovery.In brain injuries sustained when the head suddenly stops moving — during a motor vehicle accident, for instance — the force can shear and damage nerve cells. This kind of injury does not show up on computerized tomography scans, the researchers said, and magnetic resonance imaging does not yet reliably detect this type of injury.“This is a new way of measuring a common injury that has been overlooked,” said Dr. Ramón Díaz-Arrastia, professor of neurology and senior author of the paper, which appears in the May issue of the journal Archives of Neurology.

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Moderate Drinking Raises Risk of Mouth Cancer, Researchers Say

Drinking just two glasses of wine daily can cause a 75-percent increase in the risk of developing mouth cancer, according to Australian researchers.
The Telegraph reported May 12 that the study from the Cancer Institute of New South Wales also found that drinking a similar amount of alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer among women by 22 percent, and that men increase their risk of bowel cancer by 64 percent if they consume four units of alcohol daily.
Moderate alcohol consumption also was linked to higher risk of esophageal and larynx cancer. "We don't want a general scare, but the fact is that alcohol consumption on a regular basis, even at moderate levels, can increase the risk," said Jim Bishop, CEO of the Cancer Institute. "Clearly for cardiac disease it may be that red wine is helpful, but for cancer we cannot see any benefit at all from alcohol."

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Fourth International Conference on Birth Defects and Disabilities in the Developing World

The theme of the Fourth International Conference is "Translating Research into Cost-effective Services for the Care and Prevention of Birth Defects, Preterm Birth and Consequent Disabilities."

The conference will be organized around five central themes. A focus of each will be on the presentation of successful models of care and prevention around the world.

• Surveillance, monitoring and needs assessment;


• Care of neonates and children with birth defects and disabilities;


• Prevention of birth defects and disabilities;


• Local, regional and global networks to strengthen the quality of health service delivery and promote community awareness; and


• Clinical genetics in its broad sense, including dysmorphology, metabolic disorders, thalassemia, muscular dystrophy and mental retardation, genetic predisposition to common chronic illnesses, etc.

The conference will be structured to encourage dialogue and the sharing of experiences among health care providers, researchers, parent/patient group representatives, policy makers and other stakeholders from developing and industrialized countries.

Birth defects, preterm birth and small for date births have received relatively little attention to date by international health policy makers. Yet the global toll of death and disability from both is high. Each year an estimated 7.9 million children are born with a serious genetic birth defect. Of these, 3.3 million die within the first five years of life. Preterm birth is estimated to complicate 6-10 percent of pregnancies worldwide. The toll of mortality and disability from these conditions is substantial, with a disproportionate burden (90 percent of births and 95 percent of deaths of children with these disabilities) being experienced in developing countries.

Recognizing the growing need to build capacity in lower-resource countries for the prevention of birth defects and preterm birth and care of those affected, the primary goal of this conference is to provide specific practical tools and approaches that developing country participants can use to implement and strengthen services when they return to their respective countries. Participants are expected to include health care providers, experts in data collection and monitoring, researchers, parent-patient organizations and youth volunteers from both the developing and industrialized world.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
A Call for Abstracts will be issued in July 2008 and early submission is encouraged. A proportion of travel and per diem expenses, to be determined, will be awarded to those whose abstracts are accepted for oral presentation and who require funding.

Dr. I. C. Verma dr_icverma@yahoo.com

Dr. Michael Katz Conference Chairman & Head,

Secretary, Executive Committee

Analysis of Alcoholics’ Brains Suggests Treatment Target

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – An analysis of brain tissue samples from chronic alcoholics reveals changes that occur at the molecular level in alcohol abuse – and suggests a potential treatment target, according to researchers from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Reporting in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, the scientists said that a protein known as beta-catenin that is involved in cell signaling and development is found at higher levels in the brains of chronic alcoholics compared to people of the same age with no history of alcoholism.

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Velkommen til konferanse!

Det er hyggelig å nok en gang kunne ønske velkommen til konferansen ”Barnet og Rusen”.
Tematikken barn/familie/rus engasjerer. Det handler om små og litt større barn som er sårbare i forhold til sin utvikling når oppvekstvilkårene er vanskelige fordi mor eller far har et rusproblem, det handler om å se, gripe inn og sette inn gode tiltak- så barnet og familien opplever at det er hjelp og få. Det handler også om graviditet, småbarnstid og rusproblematikk.
For oss på Borgestadklinikken som har dette som et av våre kjerneområder er det gledelig å se at det jobbes så bredt i Norden, noe vi ser gjenspeilet i dette konferanseprogrammet.
Her er tiltak og prosjekt i Danmark, Sverige, Finland, Grønland og Norge presentert. Det jobbes med å legge til rette for faglig styrking på dette feltet gjennom nasjonale satsinger og prosjekt på myndighetsnivå og det jobbes godt og systematisk i enkelt prosjekt i små og store kommuner og lokalsamfunn.
Med håp om at konferansen skal være til inspirasjon og gi mer kunnskap, ønsker vi velkommen til Sandefjord 24.-26. september!

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Borgestadklinikken >>>

Nicotinamide Protects against Ethanol-Induced Apoptotic Neurodegeneration in the Developing Mouse Brain

Exposure to alcohol during brain development may cause a neurological syndrome called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Ethanol induces apoptotic neuronal death at specific developmental stages, particularly during the brain-growth spurt, which occurs from the beginning of third trimester of gestation and continues for several years after birth in humans, whilst occuring in the first two postnatal weeks in mice. Administration of a single dose of ethanol in 7-d postnatal (P7) mice triggers activation of caspase-3 and widespread apoptotic neuronal death in the forebrain, providing a possible explanation for the microencephaly observed in human FAS. The present study was aimed at determining whether nicotinamide may prevent ethanol-induced neurodegeneration.

Our findings indicate that nicotinamide can prevent some of the deleterious effects of ethanol on the developing mouse brain when given shortly after ethanol exposure. These results suggest that nicotinamide, which has been used in humans for the treatment of diabetes and bullous pemphigoid, may hold promise as a preventive therapy of FAS.

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Pot Plus Alcohol Kills Young Rats' Brain Cells

Researchers from Humboldt University, Berlin, administered THC, a synthetic form of THC, ethanol, an anticonvulsant called MK-801, and phenobarbital to rats between one and 14 days old. A previous study by the same team found that ethanol and drugs such as sedatives, anesthetics and anticonvulsants caused extensive nerve cell death in the brains of young rodents. The new study was conducted to determine if cannabinoids caused similar harm.

The researchers found that THC and synthetic THC did not cause nerve cell death when administered alone but did cause cell death when given with mildly intoxicating amounts of ethanol. The combined effect increased according to the dose of THC and was strongest when the rats were seven days old.

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