Structural brain network organization in children with prenatal alcohol exposure

Abstract

Introduction: There is growing evidence suggesting that children with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) struggle with cognitively demanding tasks, such as learning, attention, and language. Complex structural network analyses can provide insight into the neurobiological underpinnings of these functions, as they may be sensitive for characterizing the effects of PAE on the brain. However, investigations on how PAE affects brain networks are limited. We aim to compare diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tractography-based structural networks between children with low-to-moderate PAE in trimester 1 only (T1) or throughout all trimesters (T1-T3) with those without alcohol exposure prenatall..