Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol Induces Functional and Structural Plasticity in Dopamine D1 Receptor-Expressing Neurons of the Dorsomedial Striatum.

Our model of PAE does result in persistent hyperactivity in offspring. In adult PAE offspring, hyperactivity is accompanied by potentiated glutamatergic strength and afferent connectivity in DMS D1-MSNs, an outcome that is also consistent with the observed increase in alcohol preference in PAE offspring. Consequently, a PAE-sensitive circuit, centered within the D1-MSN, may be linked to behavioral outcomes of PAE.