cost to the entire United States believed to be $4 billion annually (American Academy of Pediatrics 2000; Lupton et al. 2004). Many biological effects of AUD and FAS are found in the central nervous system (CNS). For example, ethanol has been found to have negative effects on hippocampal neurogenesis (He et al. 2005), regulating the expression profile of the key epigenetic regulator methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2), metabolism, and cycle genes important for stem cell differentiation and proliferation (Hicks, Miller 2011). While much of the work involved in AUD inheritance and FAS in offspring has focused on the maternal contributions, there is also evidence for the role of paternal epigenetic influence, where children of fathers with AUD have higher risk of psychological disorders (Ozkaragoz et al. 1997). Studies have also associated chronic alcohol consumption with increase sperm DNA methylation within differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that are important in regulating growth factors (Ouko et al. 2009). For this review, however, we will focus on direct exposure of neuronal precursor cells to alcohol.
