{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,4]],"date-time":"2026-11-04T08:24:40Z","timestamp":1793780680833,"version":"4.6.1"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759968000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"PRIN: research projects of relevant national interest. \u201cFetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): A New Step Towards a Multidisciplinary Approach\u201d","award":["PRIN 2022 COD. 2022R2EM3F_02"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PRIN 2022 COD. 2022R2EM3F_02"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Healthcare"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: This article aims to investigate the multifaceted effects of alcohol on neurophysiopathological development from gestational stages through adult life and the consequent dynamic-relational challenges in individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). FASD, resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), is characterized by a range of neurological, cognitive, behavioral, and sometimes physical impairments. This article explores how alcohol and its toxic metabolites cross the placenta, inducing direct cellular toxicity and epigenetic alterations that disrupt critical neurodevelopmental processes such as neurogenesis and brain circuit formation. Clinically, individuals with FASD exhibit diverse deficits in executive functioning, learning, memory, social skills, and sensory-motor abilities, leading to significant lifelong disabilities. A central focus is the application of the World Health Organization\u2019s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) criteria to comprehensively frame these disabilities. The ICF\u2019s biopsychosocial model allows for a multidimensional assessment of impairments in body functions and structures, limitations in activities, and restrictions in participation, while also considering the crucial role of environmental factors. Methods: PubMed and Semantic Scholar databases were searched for relevant papers published in English. Results: This article highlights the utility of the ICF in creating individualized functioning profiles to guide interventions and support services, addressing the limitations of traditional assessment methods. Conclusions: While the ICF framework offers a robust approach for understanding and managing FASD, further research is essential to develop and validate FASD-specific ICF-based assessment tools to enhance support and social participation for affected individuals.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare13192546","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T16:54:31Z","timestamp":1760028871000},"page":"2546","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Applying the WHO ICF Framework to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): A Forensic and Clinical Perspective on Disability Assessment and Patient Support"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8150-7476","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Davide","family":"Ferorelli","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Legal Medicine, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), University of Bari \u201cAldo Moro\u201d, 70124 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Francesco","family":"Cal\u00f2","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Legal Medicine, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), University of Bari \u201cAldo Moro\u201d, 70124 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-7712-4305","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gianmarco","family":"Sirago","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Legal Medicine, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), University of Bari \u201cAldo Moro\u201d, 70124 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3622-6370","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dania","family":"Comparcini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Legal Medicine, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), University of Bari \u201cAldo Moro\u201d, 70124 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Filippo","family":"Gibelli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies \u201cG.F. Ingrassia\u201d, University of Catania, 95121 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0357-8791","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesco","family":"Sessa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies \u201cG.F. Ingrassia\u201d, University of Catania, 95121 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8136-7597","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Carotenuto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinic of Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry, Department of Mental Health, Physical and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania \u201cLuigi Vanvitelli\u201d, 81100 Caserta, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3096-8998","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Biagio","family":"Solarino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Section of Legal Medicine, Interdisciplinary Department of Medicine (DIM), University of Bari \u201cAldo Moro\u201d, 70124 Bari, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Monica","family":"Salerno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies \u201cG.F. Ingrassia\u201d, University of Catania, 95121 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"760","DOI":"10.1016\/S1474-4422(19)30150-4","article-title":"Clinical presentation diagnosis, and management of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder","volume":"18","author":"Wozniak","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet Neurol."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e20153113","DOI":"10.1542\/peds.2015-3113","article-title":"Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders","volume":"136","author":"Williams","year":"2015","journal-title":"Pediatrics"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.1080\/03602532.2019.1679169","article-title":"Ethanol and its metabolites: Update on toxicity, benefits, and focus on immunomodulatory effects","volume":"51","author":"Lagente","year":"2019","journal-title":"Drug Metab. 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