Women who drink alcohol while pregnant put their babies at risk of a developmental disability called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Symptoms can include poor growth, muscle tone and coordination, delayed development, and problems with thinking, speech, movement, and age-appropriate social skills. It is the leading known cause of developmental disability in Canada, according to Health Canada.

Now a ground-breaking study by 18-year-old Coquitlam BC student Vincent Ye sheds new light on the problem by documenting that developing brain cells actually shrink after exposure to alcohol.

Using advanced-imaging technology at the University of British Columbia’s Brain Research Centre, Vincent was able to take 3D images of a living tadpole’s growing brain cells, then compare normal growth with brain cells exposed to alcohol.

His work showed that alcohol exposure shrinks brain cell length. The normal tadpole brain neuron is 100 microns in length – roughly equal to a hair’s width. Vincent found that the neurons exposed to alcohol were 30 microns shorter.

Vincent is a Grade 12 student at Dr. Charles Best Secondary School.

“It’s a powerful study,” says mentor Dr. Kurt Haas. “Vincent demonstrates that alcohol exposure has a direct impact on developing brain cells.”

Not much is known about how alcohol alters brain cell development but Dr Haas’ lab has unique capabilities of doing 3-D imaging of living brain tissues. Images were taken every five minutes to examine the changes in the growth of neurons in tadpoles.

That data then had to be painstakingly analysed and measurements made on the scale of microns.

Vincent admits this started as a “grandiose project involving brain research and seemed terribly daunting.” But beginning work on the project last October he learned that “with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.”

“It was very challenging project,” says Dr Haas. “Vincent learned quickly and became an active contributor. We invited him back this summer to continue working on this.”

Vincent says the sanofi-aventis Biotalent Challenge strengthened his ambition of entering the neuroscience program at McGill University.