Alcohol and white matter development--a review.

This is a review of the literature on the effects of alcohol on white matter development. For many years, human and animal studies have reported the vulnerability of developing white matter to the effects of alcohol. However, until recently, studies on alcohol and white matter were limited by existing technology. New technology documenting the presence of neurotransmitter receptors and ion channels on glial cells now provides a new focus for research on alcohol and white matter development. New research using new technology should enlarge our knowledge of the role of glial cells in brain damage associated with alcohol exposure during development.