Prenatal ethanol exposure impairs the conduction delay at the atrioventricular junction in the looping heart

Abstract

This is the first study investigating the impact of ethanol exposure on the early cardiac conduction system. Our results showed that ethanol-exposed embryos exhibited abnormally fast atrioventricular conduction, but this increased conduction did not strictly correlate with decreased cushion size. In addition, our findings, in CV measurements and endocardial cushion thickness, reveal regional differences in the AVJ myocardium even at this early stage in heart development, suggesting that the differentiation and maturation at this site are complex and warrants further studies.