Significance: Prenatal exposure to ethanol causes several morphological and neurobehavioral deficits. While there are some studies on the effects of ethanol exposure on blood flow, research focusing on acute changes in the microvasculature is limited. Aim: The first aim of this study was to assess the dose-dependent changes in murine fetal brain microvasculature of developing fetuses in response to maternal alcohol consumption. The second aim was to quantify changes in vasculature occurring concurrently in the mother's hindlimb and the fetus's brain after maternal exposure to alcohol. Approach: Correlation mapping optical coherence angiography was used to evaluate the effects of prenatal exposure to different doses of ethanol (3, 1.5, and 0.75 g∕kg) on murine fetal brain vasculature in utero. Additionally, simultaneous imaging of maternal peripheral vessels and the fetal brain vasculature was performed to assess changes of the vasculature occurring concurrently in response to ethanol consumption. Results: The fetal brain vessel diameters (VDs) decreased by ∼47%, 30%, and 14% in response to ethanol doses of 3, 1.5, and 0.75 g∕kg, respectively. However, the mother's hindlimb VD increased by 63% in response to ethanol at a dose of 3 g∕kg. Conclusions: Results showed a dose-dependent reduction in vascular blood flow in fetal brain vessels when the mother was exposed to ethanol, whereas vessels in the maternal hindlimb exhibited concurrent vasodilation.

Marijuana is one of the most commonly abused substances during pregnancy. Synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) are a group of heterogeneous compounds that are 40-to 600-fold more potent than Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol, the major psychoactive component of marijuana. With SCBs being legally available for purchase and the prevalence of unplanned pregnancies, the possibility of prenatal exposure to SCBs is high. However, the effects of prenatal SCB exposure on embryonic brain development are not well understood. In this study, we use complex correlation mapping optical coherence angiography to evaluate changes in murine fetal brain vasculature in utero, minutes after maternal exposure to an SCB, CP-55940. Results showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) in fetal brain vessel diameter, length fraction and area density when compared to the sham group. This preliminary study shows that acute prenatal exposure to an SCB resulted in significant fetal brain vasoconstriction during the peak period for brain development. K E Y W O R D S brain vasculature, murine embryos, optical coherence tomography, prenatal cannabinoid exposure, synthetic cannabinoids

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