Search results for "brain development"
showing 10 items of 24 documents
A clinical review on megalencephaly: A large brain as a possible sign of cerebral impairment
2017
Megalencephaly and macrocephaly present with a head circumference measurement 2 standard deviations above the age-related mean. However, even if pathologic events resulting in both megalencephaly and macrocephaly may coexist, a distinction between these two entities is appropriate, as they represent clinical expression of different disorders with a different approach in clinical work-up, overall prognosis, and treatment. Megalencephaly defines an increased growth of cerebral structures related to dysfunctional anomalies during the various steps of brain development in the neuronal proliferation and/or migration phases or as a consequence of postnatal abnormal events. The disorders associate…
The Effects of Early Life Stress on the Brain and Behaviour: Insights From Zebrafish Models
2021
The early life period represents a window of increased vulnerability to stress, during which exposure can lead to long-lasting effects on brain structure and function. This stress-induced developmental programming may contribute to the behavioural changes observed in mental illness. In recent decades, rodent studies have significantly advanced our understanding of how early life stress (ELS) affects brain development and behaviour. These studies reveal that ELS has long-term consequences on the brain such as impairment of adult hippocampal neurogenesis, altering learning and memory. Despite such advances, several key questions remain inadequately answered, including a comprehensive overview…
Models for preterm cortical development using non invasive clinical EEG
2017
AbstractThe objective of this study was to evaluate the piglet and the mouse as model systems for preterm cortical development. According to the clinical context, we used non invasive EEG recordings. As a prerequisite, we developed miniaturized Ag/AgCl electrodes for full band EEG recordings in mice and verified that Urethane had no effect on EEG band power. Since mice are born with a “preterm” brain, we evaluated three age groups: P0/P1, P3/P4 and P13/P14. Our aim was to identify EEG patterns in the somatosensory cortex which are distinguishable between developmental stages and represent a physiologic brain development. In mice, we were able to find clear differences between age groups wit…
Involvement of Thyroid Hormones in Brain Development and Cancer
2021
Simple Summary Development and function of the mammalian brain clearly require precise regulation of gene expression at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. Thyroid hormones have been recognized to play a fundamental role in these processes, by acting at multiple levels and in different brain cell types, through direct effects on transcription, mediated by nuclear receptors, and also by triggering transduction pathways at the plasma membrane. At the same time, due to their effects on proliferation, differentiation, and cell metabolism, thyroid hormones may have a critical role in different kinds of cancer, including brain cancer. Abstract The development and maturation o…
Regulatory identification of BPA as an endocrine disruptor : Context and methodology
2018
International audience; BPA is one of the most investigated substances for its endocrine disruptor (ED) properties and it is at the same time in the center of many ED-related controversies, the analysis on how BPA fits to the regulatory identification as an ED is a challenge in terms of methodology. It is also a great opportunity to test the regulatory framework with a uniquely data-rich substance and learn valuable lessons for future cases. From this extensive database, it was considered important to engage in a detailed analysis so as to provide specific and strong evidences of ED while reflecting accurately the complexity of the response as well the multiplicity of adverse effects. An ap…
Epigenetic dysregulation in the developing Down syndrome cortex
2016
Using Illumina 450K arrays, 1.85% of all analyzed CpG sites were significantly hypermethylated and 0.31% hypomethylated in fetal Down syndrome (DS) cortex throughout the genome. The methylation changes on chromosome 21 appeared to be balanced between hypo- and hyper-methylation, whereas, consistent with prior reports, all other chromosomes showed 3–11 times more hyper- than hypo-methylated sites. Reduced NRSF/REST expression due to upregulation of DYRK1A (on chromosome 21q22.13) and methylation of REST binding sites during early developmental stages may contribute to this genome-wide excess of hypermethylated sites. Upregulation of DNMT3L (on chromosome 21q22.4) could lead to de novo methyl…
Do informal musical activities shape auditory skill development in preschool-age children?
2013
The influence of formal musical training on auditory cognition has been well established. For the majority of children, however, musical experience does not primarily consist of adult-guided training on a musical instrument. Instead, young children mostly engage in everyday musical activities such as singing and musical play. Here, we review recent electrophysiological and behavioral studies carried out in our laboratory and elsewhere which have begun to map how developing auditory skills are shaped by such informal musical activities both at home and in playschool-type settings. Although more research is still needed, the evidence emerging from these studies suggests that, in addition to f…
Adaptive Function and Brain Evolution
2012
Comparing brains is not a mere intellectual exercise but also helps to understand how the brain enables adaptive behavioral strategies to cope with an ever-changing world and how this complex organ has evolved during the phylogeny. For instance, comparative neurobiology helps understanding the specific features of our species, an issue that attracted scientists since the time of Santiago Ramon y Cajal. Following this tradition, 20 years ago Hans ten Donkelaar and Gerhard Roth started the European Conferences on Comparative Neurobiology (ECCN). This e-book includes some of the contributions to the last meeting, the sixth ECCN (Valencia, Spain; April 22-24 2010), plus selected works by severa…
HGG-03. THE GLYCOSPHINGOLIPIDS METABOLISM IS A NOVEL TARGET IN H3K27M-MUTANT DIFFUSE MIDLINE GLIOMA
2021
Abstract H3K27M-mutant diffuse midline glioma (H3K27M-mutant DMG) is a rare malignant brain tumour entity in children and adults with a median overall survival of around 12 months. Genomic and proteomic analysis may help to identify new target structures, however not all relevant targets are covered by these analyses. Glycosphingolipids and particularly gangliosides play a major role in brain development and have been involved in the pathology of brain tumours. The conversion of ceramide to glucosylceramide via glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) is one of the first steps in the synthesis of glycosphingolipids. Therefore, targeting GCS will inhibit their synthesis. Here we analysed the glycosph…
Structural effects and neurofunctional sequelae of developmental exposure to psychotherapeutic drugs: experimental and clinical aspects
2004
The advent of psychotherapeutic drugs has enabled management of mental illness and other neurological problems such as epilepsy in the general population, without requiring hospitalization. The success of these drugs in controlling symptoms has led to their widespread use in the vulnerable population of pregnant women as well, where the potential embryotoxicity of the drugs has to be weighed against the potential problems of the maternal neurological state. This review focuses on the developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity of five broad categories of widely available psychotherapeutic drugs: the neuroleptics, the antiepileptics, the antidepressants, the anxiolytics and mood stabilizers, an…