Previous work has demonstrated that two synthetic peptides can prevent prenatal alcohol-induced damage as assessed by prevention of learning abnormalities in adult offspring as well as improve outcome from traumatic brain damage.
This study evaluated whether these peptides could prevent long-term alcohol-induced learning abnormalities.
MPS type IIIA patients have dysfunctional sulfamidase enzyme leading to lysosomal storage of the GAG heparan sulfate, severe neurological symptoms including regression in learning, behavioural abnormalities, and premature death.
Clinical manifestations of a 22q11.2 deletion are pleiotropic and can include congenital heart disease, developmental problems, neurological abnormalities, immune system abnormalities, learning disabilities and psychiatric problems that also includes autism [ 1– 4].
About a year later, Nathan-Neil (pronounced Nathaniel) was born with a lung infection and DiGeorge syndrome, a disorder caused by a chromosomal defect that can result in congenital heart disease, skeletal abnormalities, learning difficulties and other problems.
Fmr1 knock-out mice recapitulate the typical characteristics of FXS, including behavioural abnormalities, learning deficits and audiogenic seizures.
Transgenic mice carrying an extra copy of Dyrk1A display neurodevelopmental delays, motor abnormalities, learning and memory deficits, and altered synaptic plasticity (Smith et al, 1997; Altafaj et al, 2001; Ahn et al, 2006).
Prominent lesions include optic pathway gliomas, Lisch nodules, skeletal dysplasia, cardiovascular abnormalities, learning defects and various cancers such as leukemia and intestinal tumors (Side et al., 1997; Side et al., 1998; Bahuau et al., 2000; Andersson et al., 2005; Williams et al., 2009).
Each measure will create real hardships for women who will have to decide whether to terminate a pregnancy before learning of major fetal abnormalities or risks to their own health.
Neuroprotective peptides NAPVSIPQ (NAP) and SALLRSIPA SALL) can prevent some of the alcohol-induced teratogenesis including fetal death, growth abnormalities, and learning impairment in part by preventing alcohol-induced alterations in N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor gene expression in a mouse model for FAS.
This murine model presents both brain abnormalities and learning impairments [19], [20], [21].
