Dissecting the Genetics of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

The purpose of this study is to help scientists understand why some people who were exposed to alcohol in the womb have special facial features but other people do not. This study will test if genetics (or DNA) explains these differences. We hope this will help improve treatments and interventions for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).

Participants in this study (or their parents or legal guardians) will be asked to:

* Answer some questions about themselves. These questions ask about their demographic background (such as gender, race, ethnicity, income, and education), their health history, and their mother's health during her pregnancy with them (if that information is known).
* Speak with study staff briefly by phone or video chat to confirm enrollment in the study and ask any questions they have.
* Take photographs of their face.
* Provide a saliva sample for genetic research.

Participants can complete the study at home from anywhere in the world. The questions can be answered online, over the phone, or on paper. Adopted families are welcome to enroll. The study pays for all shipping costs.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) typically involves poor growth for age, particular facial characteristics, and cognitive deficiencies. Although FAS was first described in the literature over 40 years ago, significant challenges remain in the development of rapid and efficient approaches to identify individuals who were prenatally exposed to alcohol. Further, no widely available effective interventions or treatments to improve the long term outcomes of individuals with FAS and related disorders (collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders or FASD) exist, despite the high prevalence (as high as 33.5 per 1,000 in some communities) of FASD across the United States.

The Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (CIFASD) seeks to address critical issues related to earlier and improved recognition of FASD, identify biomarkers of exposure, and elucidate the genetic risk factors contributing to FASD risk and resilience by conducting multidisciplinary projects and maintaining cooperative resources. This project is part of CIFASD's ongoing efforts and will specifically address the elucidation of genetic factors that contribute to risk and resilience in FASD.

Prior work with animal models of FASD have identified genetic variants that contribute to alterations in facial morphology after exposure to alcohol during embryonic development (McCarthy et al., 2013). Prenatal alcohol exposure also activates immune pathway genes in animal models. The identification of these genetic factors suggest that genetic variation may similarly contribute to differences in response to prenatal alcohol exposure in humans. The goal of this project is to identify genetic variants that protect against or increase the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in humans.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Documented or suspected history of prenatal alcohol exposure OR Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) diagnosis
* Speaks English

Exclusion Criteria:

* No documented or suspected history of prenatal alcohol exposure OR FASD diagnosis
* Does not speak English