A 21-Year Longitudinal Analysis of the Effects of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Young Adult Drinking

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Abstract
CONTEMPORARY accounts of the etiology of alcoholism typically acknowledge a range of determinants, including genetic, biological, psychological, and social factors.1,2 Consistently overlooked in these models is the exposure to teratogenic agents during pregnancy.3 However, fetal exposure to alcohol has been associated specifically with attention problems, memory problems, impulsivity, and deficits in executive cognitive functioning,4,5 each of which has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorders.2 Fetal exposure to alcohol may also result in specific drug sensitivity and drug preferences, as has been suggested in animal models.6- 10 Drug sensitivity has also been included in models of risk for alcohol problems in humans.11,12