Effects of Paternal Exposure to Alcohol on Offspring Development
نویسنده
چکیده
T adverse consequences of maternal alcohol intake during pregnancy on fetal outcome are well documented (for a review, see Meyer and Riley 1986). However, the possibility that paternal alcohol consump tion also may induce deficits in the proge ny has received relatively little attention. This is somewhat surprising, as alco holism appears to be linked genetically with the father in humans (Merikangas 1990; Pickens et al. 1991), and studies indicate that male offspring of alcoholic fathers have behavioral problems and impaired intellectual skills as well as hormonal and nervous system anomalies (see below). This article discusses the possible direct effects of paternal alcohol consumption on fetal development, distinguishing these effects from studies of the genetic heri tability of alcoholism. The article also discusses the possibility that such paternal effects may contribute to cognitive and biochemical disturbances that may be associated with altered responses to alco hol that might lead to addiction. For purposes of this review, alco holism is broadly defined as the excessive and repetitive consumption of alcohol that results in significant disturbances in a person’s life, such as preoccupation with drinking to the exclusion of other activi ties, inability to perform adequately at work, and deterioration of family or other social interactions. In general, the study populations discussed below meet not only these criteria but also others required for a clinical diagnosis of alcoholism.
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