Nearly 40 years of research have demonstrated that alcohol is a potent physical and behavioral teratogenic agent. While the debate rages on about whether or how much alcohol during pregnancy is safe or whether there are periods during pregnancy when it might be safe to drink, the data clearly show that alcohol can have devastating effects on brain and behavioral development. These effects of gestational alcohol exposure are by far the most profound, having life-long implications for the affected individual, the family, and society. Individuals with histories of prenatal alcohol exposure are at risk for problems in mental health, school, the justice system, and independent living in general (e.g., Spohr and Steinhausen 2008). The articles on FASD in this issue review what we know in terms of brain and behavioral outcomes in these individuals. Although the data in many cases are limited given that this field is still young, they present a compelling case for the underlying CNS cause of the many problems faced by these individuals. As technologies become more refined, better methodologies for identifying these individuals will become
