Studies involving animal model systems clearly show that prenatal alcohol exposure affects all stages of brain development from neurogenesis to myelination, through a variety of mechanisms, including disrupted cell-cell interactions, altered gene expression, oxidative stress, and growth factor signaling disruptions (see Goodlett et al. 2005 for a review). As noted, the most profound effects of prenatal alcohol exposure disrupt brain development and subsequent cognitive, motor, and behavioral functions. The majority of articles in this special issue of the journal review that evidence. In the first paper, Mattson et al. provide a review of the neuropsychological and behavioral consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure. Of particular importance is the evidence that similar findings are seen in children with FAS and those who might be labeled as ARND. This is relevant for identifying a “behavioral profile or phenotype” of prenatal alcohol exposure, given that so many individuals with an ARND fall through the cracks in systems of care. To identify the full range of outcomes resulting from gestational alcohol exposure, we need to define the behavioral characteristics resulting from such exposure. This is
