Gut Microbiome, Neuroinflammation, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Rodent Models

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a significant public health issue that affects children. It results from ethanol exposure during pregnancy, leading to considerable physical, neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and cognitive deficits. The exact mechanism is not well understood. Recently, consid...

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Main Authors: Abdulrahman M. Busayli, Wenhua Xu, Ghaidaa A. Raffah, Gang Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Biology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/6/593
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author Abdulrahman M. Busayli
Wenhua Xu
Ghaidaa A. Raffah
Gang Chen
author_facet Abdulrahman M. Busayli
Wenhua Xu
Ghaidaa A. Raffah
Gang Chen
author_sort Abdulrahman M. Busayli
collection DOAJ
description Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a significant public health issue that affects children. It results from ethanol exposure during pregnancy, leading to considerable physical, neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and cognitive deficits. The exact mechanism is not well understood. Recently, considerable attention has been focused on the influence of gut microbiome on brain development through the gut–brain axis. Changes in the gut microbiome resulting from ethanol exposure may contribute to the pathology of FASD, potentially involving neuroinflammation. This literature review summarizes the existing research and primary animal studies on the impact of early ethanol exposure on the gut microbiome, neuroinflammation, brain development, and behavioral consequences. The evidence suggests that early ethanol exposure alters the gut microbiome, which may induce neuroinflammation, brain damage, and cognitive impairment. However, a clear causal relationship among these factors remains to be fully elucidated.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2079-7737
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spelling doaj-art-25b405a2280e49759c859c6abbca64db2025-08-20T03:26:15ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372025-05-0114659310.3390/biology14060593Gut Microbiome, Neuroinflammation, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Rodent ModelsAbdulrahman M. Busayli0Wenhua Xu1Ghaidaa A. Raffah2Gang Chen3Department Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USADepartment Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USADepartment Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USADepartment Pharmacology & Nutritional Sciences, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536, USAFetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a significant public health issue that affects children. It results from ethanol exposure during pregnancy, leading to considerable physical, neurodevelopmental, behavioral, and cognitive deficits. The exact mechanism is not well understood. Recently, considerable attention has been focused on the influence of gut microbiome on brain development through the gut–brain axis. Changes in the gut microbiome resulting from ethanol exposure may contribute to the pathology of FASD, potentially involving neuroinflammation. This literature review summarizes the existing research and primary animal studies on the impact of early ethanol exposure on the gut microbiome, neuroinflammation, brain development, and behavioral consequences. The evidence suggests that early ethanol exposure alters the gut microbiome, which may induce neuroinflammation, brain damage, and cognitive impairment. However, a clear causal relationship among these factors remains to be fully elucidated.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/6/593ethanolfetal alcohol spectrum disordersgut microbiomeneuroinflammationshort-chain fatty acidsbrain
spellingShingle Abdulrahman M. Busayli
Wenhua Xu
Ghaidaa A. Raffah
Gang Chen
Gut Microbiome, Neuroinflammation, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Rodent Models
Biology
ethanol
fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
gut microbiome
neuroinflammation
short-chain fatty acids
brain
title Gut Microbiome, Neuroinflammation, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Rodent Models
title_full Gut Microbiome, Neuroinflammation, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Rodent Models
title_fullStr Gut Microbiome, Neuroinflammation, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Rodent Models
title_full_unstemmed Gut Microbiome, Neuroinflammation, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Rodent Models
title_short Gut Microbiome, Neuroinflammation, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Insights from Rodent Models
title_sort gut microbiome neuroinflammation and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders insights from rodent models
topic ethanol
fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
gut microbiome
neuroinflammation
short-chain fatty acids
brain
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/6/593
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AT ghaidaaaraffah gutmicrobiomeneuroinflammationandfetalalcoholspectrumdisordersinsightsfromrodentmodels
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