Impairment of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity by acetaldehyde

The facial features that are characteristic of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are strikingly similar to those seen in pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) deficiency. Furthermore, alcohol-induced central nervous system insult results in midline anomalies such as agenesis of the corpus callosum, which has also been described in several metabolic diseases, including PDH deficiency. The purpose of this work was to examine the effect of acetaldehyde on PDH …