BOLD response during spatial working memory in youth with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.

Background: Prenatal alcohol exposure has been consistently linked to neurocognitive deficits and structural brain abnormalities in affected individuals. Structural brain abnormalities observed in regions supporting spatial working memory (SWM) may contribute to observed deficits in visuospatial functioning in youth with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs).

Methods: We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response in alcohol-exposed individuals during a SWM task.