Italian Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: cognitive and behavioral deficits

Objective. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) refer to a group of clinical conditions that occur in a person exposed to alcohol before birth. Neuroimaging shows abnormalities in brain structure, cortical development, white matter micro-structure, and functional connectivity in individuals with FASD. These abnormalities modify the normal developmental trajectories resulting in deficits in cognition and behavior across several domains, including general intelligence, memory, language, attention, learning, visuospatial abilities, executive functioning, fine and gross motor skills, and social and adaptive functioning. This paper provides a review of the cognitive and behavioral outcomes of prenatal alcohol exposure. Updates data on FASD-specific neurobehavioral profile and its potential as a diagnostic tool will then be presented.