Prenatal alcohol impairs synaptic plasticity.

<p>(a) Input-output curves showing hippocampal basal synaptic transmission did not change in rats prenatally exposed to alcohol compared to controls. The graph shows f-EPSP amplitudes (mean ± SEM) as a function of stimulus intensity in the CA1 stratum radiatum. (b) TBS-induced LTP was recorded in hippocampal brain slices from prenatal alcohol exposed and nonexposed control rats (<i>n = 5</i>). The figure presents the time-course of percentage change in field EPSP slopes (mv/ms) with representative traces. The arrow indicates the time at which TBS protocol was delivered and 5 minute baseline is shown for clarity. Inset, representative fEPSP traces taken before the TBS (1,3) and after stabilization of LTP expression (2,4) for control and alcohol groups accordingly. (c) LTP was reduced in animals exposed to prenatal alcohol as compared to the nonexposed controls; [average for exposed animals was 162.2 ± 19.0%, and for nonexposed animals was 129.6 ± 20%, <i>F</i> = 6.217; <i>p</i> < 0.05].