Reduced cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal brain in Down syndrome

Annals of Anatomy = Anatomischer Anzeiger : Official Organ of the Anatomische Gesellschaft
Karen Bonde LarsenB Pakkenberg

Abstract

Mental retardation is seen in all individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and different brain abnormalities are reported. The aim of this study was to investigate if mental retardation at least in part is a result of a lower cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal forebrain. We therefore compared brains of DS fetuses aged 19 weeks of gestation with normal control brains. The cell numbers were estimated using the optical fractionator method. The total cell number in the neocortical part of four DS human fetal forebrain was found to be substantially smaller in DS compared to the normal fetus. The average total cell number of 6.85 billion was equal to a reduction by 34% compared to the 10.4 billion cells in a normal fetal brain of that age. This study indicates that the mental retardation found in DS is based on a structural deficit in the human fetal brain already present in the second trimester.

References

Oct 1, 1992·American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology·R O Bahado-SinghJ C Hobbins
Jul 1, 1984·Neurology·M H RossT L Kemper
Sep 1, 1994·Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology·J A Golden, B T Hyman
Jan 1, 1993·The American Journal of Psychiatry·N C AndreasenW T Yuh
Jul 28, 1997·The Journal of Comparative Neurology·B Pakkenberg, H J Gundersen
May 29, 1999·Journal of Microscopy·H J Gundersen Nielsen J
Oct 2, 2001·The American Journal of Psychiatry·J D PinterA L Reiss
Nov 3, 2001·Brain Research. Brain Research Reviews·S E AntonarakisH S Scott
Aug 25, 2004·NeuroImage·Richard J HaierMichael T Alkire
Apr 1, 2006·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Jacob JelsingBente Pakkenberg
May 26, 2007·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Jeppe Romme ChristensenBente Pakkenberg

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Dec 12, 2012·Apoptosis : an International Journal on Programmed Cell Death·Noemí RuedaCarmen Martínez-Cué
Oct 12, 2013·International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience·Takeshi KanaumiGabor G Kovacs
May 30, 2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jason P WeickAnita Bhattacharyya
Aug 11, 2010·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Joongkyu ParkKwang Chul Chung
May 6, 2010·American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities·Mohammed Rachidi, Carmela Lopes
Jun 12, 2012·Neural Plasticity·Noemí RuedaCarmen Martínez-Cué
Dec 14, 2011·International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience·Hajnalka ÁbrahámLászló Seress
Jan 26, 2010·Progress in Neurobiology·Andrea ContestabileLaura Gasparini
Aug 4, 2009·Neuroscience Letters·Hui-Pin LuPaul Wai-Fung Poon
Jan 31, 2012·Brain Research·Ananya MitraDaniel V Madison
Sep 16, 2014·Neuroscience·A S KarlsenB Pakkenberg
Jun 2, 2016·The Journal of Pediatrics·Niels B MatthiesenJohn R Østergaard
Nov 24, 2017·Brain Structure & Function·Ivan MilenkovicErik Keimpema
Jul 9, 2009·Physiological Reviews·Mara DierssenXavier Estivill
Mar 23, 2017·Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience·Andrea ContestabileLaura Cancedda
May 19, 2019·Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology·Ana A BaburamaniMary A Rutherford
Aug 21, 2020·Acta Neuropathologica Communications·Ana A BaburamaniMary A Rutherford
Nov 3, 2017·Journal of Neurophysiology·Louise ThiryFrédéric Bretzner
Jan 25, 2020·Developmental Cell·Jan Tomasz Czermiński, Jeanne Bentley Lawrence
Jun 25, 2020·Behavioural Brain Research·Xinjuan WangJingzhu Guo

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.