Red wine neuroprotection in a mouse model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)

Ethanol exposure during pregnancy is a cause of mental retardation in children, inducing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Neurotrophic factors, such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), may have a major role in FASD onset (1,2). The aim of this study was to investigate brain NGF and BDNF levels in a FASD CD-1 mouse model, following chronic early exposure to ethanol/water (11% vol) or to red wine at the same alcohol concentration. 123 496 Eur J Nutr (2011) 50:489-498 ?Methods and results: No difference between groups in pregnancy duration or pups delivery, mortality and sex ratio were observed. Early ethanol exposure in adult animals disrupted the levels of both NGF and BDNF in the hippocampus and other brain areas, impaired ChAT immunopositivity in the septum and nucleus basalis and altered cognition and emotional behavior. Red wine elicited no change in behavior or in ChAT immunopositivity, but mild alterations in hippocampal BDNF and cortical NGFwere observed. NGF-induced neuritic outgrowth in PC-12 cells was still present when mice were exposed to red wine, but not when exposed to ethanol/water with the same alcohol content. Conclusions: Red wine components may exert a neuroprotective effect against ethanol-induced neurotoxicity.