fetal brain development

Previous reports indicated that zinc deficiency could increase the risk of infectious diseases and developmental retardation in children. In experimental study, it has been reported that zinc deficiency during the embryonic period inhibited fetal growth, and disturbed neural differentiation and higher brain function later in adulthood. Although it has been suggested that zinc deficiency during development can have significant effects on neuronal differentiation and maturation, the molecular mechanisms of the effects of low zinc on neuronal differentiation during development have not been elucidated in detail...

Outer radial glia (oRG) emerge as cortical progenitor cells that support the development of an enlarged outer subventricular zone (oSVZ) and the expansion of the neocortex. The in vitro generation of oRG is essential to investigate the underlying mechanisms of human neocortical development and expansion. By activating the STAT3 signaling pathway using leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), which is not expressed in guided cortical organoids, we define a cortical organoid differentiation method from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that recapitulates the expansion of a progenitor pool into the oSVZ...

New human life begins in the uterus in a period of both extreme plasticity and sensitivity to environmental disturbances. The fetal stage is also a vital period for central nervous system development, with experiences at this point profoundly and permanently shaping brain structure and function. As such, some brain disorders may originate in utero. Glucocorticoids, a class of essential stress hormones, play indispensable roles in fetal development, but overexposure may have lasting impacts on the brain. In this review, we summarize data from recent clinical and non-clinical studies regarding alterations in fetal brains due to prenatal glucocorticoid overexposure that are associated with nervous system disorders...

GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain and through its actions on GABAARs, it protects against excitotoxicity and seizure activity, ensures temporal fidelity of neurotransmission, and regulates concerted rhythmic activity of neuronal populations. In the developing brain, the development of GABAergic neurons precedes that of glutamatergic neurons and the GABA system serves as a guide and framework for the development of other brain systems. Despite this early start, the maturation of the GABA system also continues well into the early postnatal period...

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons play an important role in the regulation of neuroendocrine responses to stress. The excitability of CRH neurons is regulated by inhibitory GABAergic inputs. However, it is unclear when GABAergic regulation of CRH neurons is established during fetal brain development. Furthermore, the exact progression of the developmental shift of GABA action from depolarization to hyperpolarization remains unelucidated. Considering the importance of CRH neuron function in subsequent hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation during this critical phase of development, we investigated the ontogeny of GABAergic inputs to CRH neurons and consequent development of chloride homeostasis...

INTRODUCTION: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of severe neonatal brain injuries, resulting from inflammation and the immune response after perinatal hypoxia and ischemia. IgG N-glycosylation plays a crucial role in various inflammatory diseases through mediating the balance between anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory responses. This study aimed to explore the effect of IgG N-glycosylation on the development of HIE. METHODS: This case-control study included 53 HIE patients and 57 control neonates...

OBJECTIVE: There are differences in the vulnerability of male and female fetal brains to adverse intrauterine exposure, preterm birth, and associated perinatal brain injury. The main objective of this study was to identify any statistically significant difference in the change of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the intracranial regions of male and female fetuses in the second and third trimesters. METHODS: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed in 200 fetuses between 20 and 37 gestational ages (GA) with normal results or suspicious results on sonography followed by structural MRI...

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), characterized by elevated homocysteine (Hcy) levels, is a known risk factor for cardiovascular, renal, and neurological diseases, as well as pregnancy complications. Our study aimed to investigate whether HHcy induced by a high-methionine (high-Met) diet exacerbates cognitive and behavioral deficits in offspring and leads to other breeding problems. Dietary HHcy was induced four weeks before mating and continued throughout gestation and post-delivery. A battery of behavioral tests was conducted on offspring between postnatal days (PNDs) 5 and 30 to assess motor function/activity and cognition...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate corpus callosum (CC) size in fetuses with malformations of cortical development (MCD) and to explore the diagnostic value of three CC length (CCL) ratios in identifying cortical abnormalities. METHODS: This is a single-center retrospective study in singleton fetuses at 20-37 weeks of gestation between April 2017 and August 2022. The midsagittal plane of the fetal brain was obtained and evaluated for the following variables: length, height, area of the corpus callosum, and relevant markers, including the ratios of corpus callosum length to internal cranial occipitofrontal dimension (CCL/ICOFD), corpus callosum length to femur length (CCL/FL), and corpus callosum length to cerebellar vermian diameter (CCL/VD)...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) therapy in pregnant women on the brain development of preterm infants using amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 211 preterm infants with a gestational age of 28 to 34+6 weeks. The infants were divided into an ACS group (131 cases) and a control group (80 cases) based on whether antenatal dexamethasone was given for promoting fetal lung maturity...

During pregnancy, the maternal environment is critical for normal ontogeny and central nervous system development. Occasionally, prenatal exposure to environmental factors affects tissue architecture and functional development of the brain, which causes developmental disorders, including disorders of the autism spectrum. One of these environmental factors is the exposure to infectious diseases during pregnancy. In this study, we generated mice with infectious disease-induced inflammation by prenatal exposure to 200 μg/kg polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid sodium salt [Poly(I:C)] at embryonic day 12...

Three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound imaging has contributed to our understanding of fetal developmental processes by providing rich contextual information of the inherently 3D anatomies. However, its use is limited in clinical settings, due to the high purchasing costs and limited diagnostic practicality. Freehand 2D ultrasound imaging, in contrast, is routinely used in standard obstetric exams, but inherently lacks a 3D representation of the anatomies, which limits its potential for more advanced assessment...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: For many decades, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation was tested in premature infants to achieve an intake equivalent to the average level in breast milk, but this approach has led to conflicting results in terms of development and health outcomes. Higher doses of DHA closer to fetal accumulation may be needed. RECENT FINDINGS: The efficacy of DHA supplementation for preterm infants at a dose equivalent to the estimated fetal accumulation rate is still under investigation, but this may be a promising approach, especially in conjunction with arachidonic acid supplementation...

Introduction: In the early stage of embryonic development, the neural tube (NT) cannot be closed properly due to some complex factors, including environmental factors, genetic factors, and the relationship between various factors, leading to the occurrence of neural tube defects (NTDs). Methods: In this study, we induced a mouse model of NTDs by feeding mice with a low-folate diet and intraperitoneally injecting them with 1.5 mg/kg methotrexate on E7.5. Fetal mice were achieved at E13.5, and we extracted proteins from brain tissues with trypsin digestion...

INTRODUCTION: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common pregnancy complication, caused by placental insufficiency, with serious adverse consequences for development in utero and postnatal wellbeing. There are no antenatal treatments to improve growth or organ development in FGR, and animal models are essential to mimic the physiological adaptations in FGR and to assess potential interventions. This study aimed to identify the temporal nature of reduced developmental trajectory in fetuses with FGR, and to examine the effects of common factors that may mediate differential growth such as glucocorticoid treatment...

In the naturally hypoxic in utero fetal environment of preterm infants, oxygen and oxygen-sensitive signaling pathways play an important role in brain development, with hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α) being an important regulator. Early exposure to nonphysiological high oxygen concentrations by birth in room can induce HIF1α degradation and may affect neuronal and glial development. This involves the dysregulation of astroglial maturation and function, which in turn might contribute to oxygen-induced brain injury...

Neurotrophins (NTs) are four small proteins produced by both neuronal and non-neuronal cells; they include nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4). NTs can exert their action through both genomic and non-genomic mechanisms by interacting with specific receptors. Initial studies on NTs have identified them only as functional molecules of the nervous system. However, recent research have shown that some tissues and organs (such as the lungs, skin, and skeletal and smooth muscle) as well as some structural cells can secrete and respond to NTs...

Acrania is a fetal malformation characterized by complete or partial absence of the calvaria above the orbits and supraciliary ridge. No exact mechanism is demonstrated for this anomaly but disturbances in mesenchymal migration during the fourth week of development are the most documented. The key sonographic features of acrania are absent calvaria and dorsally bulging brain (Mickey Mouse head). Due to the normal process of ossification of cranial bones, the diagnosis can be established only after 11 weeks of gestation...

BACKGROUND: Maternal immune activation (MIA) is a significant factor inducing to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in offspring. The fundamental principle underlying MIA is that inflammation during pregnancy impedes fetal brain development and triggers behavioural alterations in offspring. The intricate pathogenesis of ASD renders drug treatment effects unsatisfactory. Traditional Chinese medicine has strong potential due to its multiple therapeutic targets. Yigansan, composed of seven herbs, is one of the few that has been proven to be effective in treating neuro-psychiatric disorders among numerous traditional Chinese medicine compounds, but its therapeutic effect on ASD remains unknown...

Catecholamines norepinephrine and dopamine have been implicated in numerous physiological processes within the central nervous system. Emerging evidence has highlighted the importance of tightly regulated monoamine levels for placental functions and fetal development. However, the complexities of synthesis, release, and regulation of catecholamines in the fetoplacental unit have not been fully unraveled. In this study, we investigated the expression of enzymes and transporters involved in synthesis, degradation, and transport of norepinephrine and dopamine in the human placenta and rat fetoplacental unit...