Other studies are examining the role of nutritional supplements on gene transcription. Animal models of FASD demonstrate that prenatal alcohol exposure significantly affects gene transcription through epigenetic modifications (Ungerer et al. 2013). Specifically, alcohol-induced changes in DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNAs may alter the expression patterns of numerous genes important for neurodevelopment and behavior. Nutrients such as choline, betaine, folic acid, methionine, and zinc can influence these epigenetic profiles and can potentially attenuate alcohol-induced changes to the epigenome. For example, supplemental choline in rats exposed to alcohol during development alters alcohol-related changes in global DNA methylation in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (Otero et al. 2012) and significantly attenuates ethanol-induced hypermethylation of genes in the hypothalamus (Bekdash et al. 2013). Additionally, access to a diet supplemented with nutrients that act as methyl donors normalized changes to DNA methylation patterns in embryonic tissue following a single binge exposure to alcohol in early gestation (Downing et al. 2011). These nutrient-induced changes to the epigenome may contribute to the behavioral and cognitive improvements seen in alcohol-exposed rodents following supplementation (see below).
