Recent studies report variations in the shape of the bilateral caudate and hippocampal nuclei [26]. Hippocampal deformations were observed spreading across the body and tail regions on the superior surface and on the head of the inferior surface, bilaterally. In the right hippocampus, the inferior surface deformation spread from the head to the tail region. Furthermore, contraction of the anterior region of the right hippocampus head was associated with greater prenatal alcohol exposure. The left caudate was deformed in the body and tail regions of the lateral surface, and contraction of the tail region of the right caudate was associated with greater alcohol exposure. Although Joseph and colleagues report significant deformations, only trend-level group differences in absolute volume of the bilateral caudate and left hippocampus were reported. More work will be necessary to determine how shape variation of these regions may relate to the deficits reported in FASD. Given that prior research has found a positive relationship between hippocampal volume and spatial recall [27]; caudate volume and inhibitory control [28]; and volumes of both these regions are implicated in verbal
