Ethanol-induced inhibition of chick brain growth.

Retarded fetal brain growth is associated with a high incidence of mental retardation among the offspring of chronic alcoholic mothers. Research using an embryonic chick model suggests that ethanol exposure suppresses fetal development including suppression of brain growth. Total brain cyclic AMP content and endogenous brain protein kinase specific activity are not altered by ethanol; however, ethanol exposure does significantly stimulate kinase catalytic activity measured in the presence of saturating amounts of exogenous cyclic AMP.