Given that a large degree of variance in alcohol usage in the population can be attributed to genetic influences (heritability estimates are 50-60%; [62]), the genetic factors that contribute to maternal proclivity towards alcohol consumption may also contribute to the observed functional brain changes in FASD. To examine the potential role of family history of alcoholism, Norman et al. [49] examined brain activation patterns during an fMRI spatial working memory task among children with; (1) heavy prenatal alcohol exposure; (2) family history positive for alcoholism (FHP); and (3) healthy controls. In general, the greatest differences in BOLD activation were between alcohol-exposed and control groups, while FHP displayed a more intermediate pattern of activation. Relative increases in BOLD activation of frontal areas during the spatial working memory task were unique to the alcohol-exposed children and likely due to their exposure rather than a family history of alcoholism. However, having a family history of alcoholism may have contributed to the increased activation of the lentiform nucleus and insula, as these areas were activated in both the alcohol-exposed and the FHP groups.
