Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: MARIANNA SILVA BASTOS

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : MARIANNA SILVA BASTOS
DATE: 02/04/2025
TIME: 16:00
LOCAL: Sala 1 Psicobiologia
TITLE:

ALCOHOL EXPOSURE AND NEURODEVELOPMENT: BEHAVIORAL AND COGNITIVE EFFECTS IN ZEBRAFISH (DANIO RERIO) LARVAE AND JUVENILES

KEY WORDS:

Alcohol; FASD; zebrafish; ontogeny; neuroinflammation; behavior; cognition

PAGES: 16
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Fisiologia
SUMMARY:

Alcohol is the most widely used drug of abuse globally, and its excessive consumption generates significant socioeconomic and health impacts. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is the leading cause of preventable fetal malformations and a major risk factor for various fetal developmental problems. Exposure to alcohol during the embryonic stage is also the primary cause of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), which are characterized by intellectual, visual, and auditory impairments, cardiac malformations, and behavioral and learning disorders. It is estimated that the global prevalence of FASD is 7.7 cases per 1,000 individuals, with approximately 630,000 children born each year within the FASD spectrum. Diagnosing FASD is challenging, as not all cases present with severe malformations, and many mothers either do not disclose or do not recall alcohol consumption during pregnancy. In addition to FASD, another global concern is alcohol consumption during adolescence. In the United States, youths aged 12 to 20 account for 3.2% of all alcohol consumption in the country. In Brazil, in 2012, 22% of adults reported trying alcohol before the age of 15, with 5% initiating consumption as early as 11 years old. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) share a high degree of genetic similarity with humans, have transparent embryos that allow for direct observation of embryonic development, and exhibit a well-documented behavioral repertoire. Moreover, key factors such as alcohol concentration and exposure duration can be experimentally controlled in this model, which makes zebrafish a powerful tool to study both FASD and early-life alcohol consumption. In this study, we will use zebrafish embryos and juveniles exposed to alcohol and apply behavioral tests to assess executive functions, along with molecular analyses of immune response. The results of this research may help to better understand the impact of alcohol on the developing brain and the role of neuroinflammation in behavior and cognition.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1644341 - ANA CAROLINA LUCHIARI
Interna - 1665448 - KATIE MORAES DE ALMONDES