During the development of the human brain, the layers of the cerebral cortex are formed by migrating neurons which come from specialized proliferating regions lying deep in the brain. This neural migration comprises neurons moving as far as one thousand times their own body lengths before they arrive at their destination. During this developmental process, the cortex is divided into six organized layers. In Lissencephaly, this organized cortical layering is disrupted and instead forms four unorganized layers1. It is a severe developmental brain disorder which is characterized by a smooth brain with an abnormal thick cortex, enlarged ventricles, and very few or no gyri2. At the basis of this disease lies failure of proper migration of …show more content…
The C-Terminal Ser/Pro-rich domain has no known function in microtubule binding as of yet. Rather, it functions as an interaction site for other molecules. This suggests that DCX is involved in signaling pathways: DCX is phosphorylated by both Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) and c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)7,8 at the Ser/Pro-rich domain. Phosphorylation of DCX by CDK5 controls and localizes DCX to fine perinuclear microtubules but not to microtubule bundles in proximal processes. This phosphorylation is developmentally regulated by p35, the major activating subunit for CDK58. At the growth cones, DCX is co-localized with JNK. Phosphorylation of DCX by JNK facilitates neurite outgrowth during differentiation, a process which is important in migration. Additionally, DCX interacts with JNK–interacting protein-1 (JIP-1), a scaffold protein that facilitates its phosphorylation by JNK and furthermore might provide a crosstalk with the reelin pathway7,9. A defective cortical layering phenotype is also observed in individuals with mutations in the REELIN gene. Other phosporylation proteins for DCX are PKA and MARK. Dcx/microtubule interactions are negatively controlled by PKA and MARK at the growth cones.10 Unlike the other two kinases, PKA and and MARK does not phosporylate DCX at the Ser/Pro domain, but at several other sites, with the most important one being S47. The C-terminal region of DCX regulates filamentous actin polymerization in
According to (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013), the brain begins to mature even before birth and it continues to mature throughout life. According to (Jetha & Segalowitz, 2012) all the brain functions do not mature at the same rate. A child with highly advanced verbal skills may develop gross and fine motor control more slowly and have trouble learning to write clearly (Jetha & Segalowitz, 2012). Learning differences are also related to genetics, temperament and environment (Thierry, 2008). As child born it has a function govern like their heartbeats, eating and sleeping.
A common teratogen that causes problems in pregnancy is the use of methamphetamine, a stimulant that affects a person’s central nervous system, by the potential father or mother. Research on methamphetamine abuse among pregnant women is in progress and has been for several years, but the exact effects of prenatal exposure to this drug are still actually limited. It is common for a child of a mother who used meth during pregnancy to have brain development problems. The National Institute on Drug Abuse(NIDA), (2013) informs us that there have been only small samples of pregnant women researched for only using methamphetamine, therefore, the results are limited to knowing that “neurobehavioral problems such
The brain stem or the medulla is the closest to the spinal cord. The brainstem is responsible for most of the human bodily functions. The brain stem is critical for human survival and normal human functions. The brain stem is also responsible for information of pain and touch from the head and neck; it is also responsible for the inputs from the face and the mouth. Reticular formation is a group of neurons, nuclei, that are important for sleep and wakefulness. In reticular formation there is nuclei that are a major source of neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is important for regulating mood and activities.
There are three interconnected layers in the brain, the central core, the limbic system, cerebral cortex. The central core has five main regions that help regulate basic life processes, such as breathing, pulse, arousal, movement, balance, and sleep. The first main region in the central core is the thalamus. The thalamus begins the process of interpreting sensory information and determines fundamental propriaties and then forwards the information to the approprIate areas of the cerebral cortex. The second main region is the pons. The pons triggers dreaming and waking from sleep. The next main region is the cerebellum, which coordinates body movements, controls, posture, and maintains equilibrium. The reticular formation is another main region that is responsible for sending signals to the cerebral cortex to attend new stimulation and remain alert even during sleep. Lastly, the medulla is the center for breathing, waking, sleeping, and beating of the heart.
1) the regulation of modes of division that are essential to control brain grow and neuronal differentiation; disruption of proliferative and asymmetric mode of divisions is believed to be at the origin of microcephalies and cancers in humans.
The development of the cortex is a delicate balance between proliferation, differentiation and migration of neural progenitors (NPs). Throughout developmental process, various cellular mechanisms ensure that NPs are differentiating into the correct cell subtypes, migrating to their correct regions, and forming the correct cortical and sub-cortical layers. The cortex is comprised of both excitatory and inhibitory neurons, which interact within neuronal circuits to mediate cortical functions. Though both types of neurons reside in the cortex, they arise from different embryonic brain regions, and from different neural progenitors. Excitatory neurons are generated from neural progenitors residing in the ventricular zone (VZ)/subventricular
Due to modern medicine, there are many ways that pregnant women can now see how their fetus is growing inside them. The woman’s egg travels down the fallopian tube entering the uterus. It is fertilized by the sperm and its home for the next nine months. There is a long process before the baby arrives into the mother's arms. This is the beginning of conception and the development of the baby.
The human brain consists of billions of neurons (nerve cells) and develops rapidly during early childhood. These nerve cells send electrochemical signals to each other to form the brains essential functions of language, communication, learning, memory, movement, thinking, and problem-solving. This essay will explore the changes in children’s behaviour from early childhood to adolescence as the brain develops.
Moreover, focal cortical dysplasia is a malformation of cortical development. Focal cortical dysplasia is a common cause of intractable epilepsy in children and is a frequent cause of epilepsy in adults. However, FCD includes a spectrum of disordered white and gray matter entities that range from mild cortical disruption to complete derangement of cortical lamination. Patients usually in childhood with refractory partial epilepsy, and subsequent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have reveals the area of disordered cortex. Treatment is centered on relieving the seizures and often involves surgical removal of the affected cortex. The defect is thought to arise from a migrational or apoptotic defect occurring early in development. In humans, the
By the end of the twelfth week the baby measures almost 90mm and weighs 45g. The baby's face, develops narrower; the eyes are closed for protection from about 10 weeks until the sixth month. Female or male is now obvious. In reaction to a touch on the sole of his foot he will curl his toes or bend his hips and knees to move away. At 12 weeks he can close his fingers and thumb and he will open his mouth in response to pressure applied at the base of his thumb.
Cilia are organelles protruding from body cells, consisting of microtubules. These structures are important for hemostasis and cell development. Along with a group of proteins called kinesins superfamily proteins (KSFs), the cilia also play an important role in SHH signaling. The proteins found in this family serve a variety of functions relating to microtubule regulation, such as KIF4A and KIF21A. KIF4A controls microtubule length during cell division, whereas KIF21A inhibits microtubule growth at the cell cortex. A prominent member of this family is the protein KIF7, a homologue of the protein Costal2 (Cos2) found in Drosophila and zebrafish. Both serve relatively similar functions with relation to the Hh signaling pathway, though there
The results primarily displayed that grey matter develops from inside out, and from the back of the brain to front and myelination follows a similar ordered approach. There was also a decrease in brain water content during development and the grey and white matter intensities during the first 6 months are inverted from the adult pattern such that grey matter appears lighter than white matter (Barkovich, Kjos, Jackson & Norman, 1988). From ages 6 to 12 month’s grey and white matter was not well distinguished and either was the myelination of neuron bodies. In addition to this study, Hüppi et al. (1996) demonstrated that brain surface changes from smooth surface and from few enfolds to a significantly enfolded surface with an increase of myelin in cortical white matter. His study included new born babies from 31 weeks gestation to 40 weeks post conception age, and this was carried out for the first 2-3 years of the child’s life. This study was undertaken over a longer period of time which displayed a more significant result in the change in grey matter, which are the neuronal cell bodies, and the process of myelination of axons which is white matter. In addition to this it backs up the previous study as it has a similar trend. These studies highlight the importance of more grey matter linked to development as it includes sections of the brain used in muscle control, and sensory perception, as well as others and they added to our understanding
Lissencephaly (colloquially known as smooth brain) is a rare developmental disorder of the brain cortex due to impaired neuronal migration between the 3rd and 4th months of human gestation. The condition can appear isolated or associated with diverse phenotypes such as Miller-Dieker or Walker-Warburg syndrome.
Brain development in the first two years is the most important and critical. Maria Montessori referred to this time as of the "absorbent mind" Early brain development is the frame work for the road ahead. When and how the brain develops in the first two years will play a critical role into adulthood. At birth, the brain is the only incomplete organ. The brain will continue to grow through childhood and adolescents.
You live and you learn, from the moment that we breathe our first breath, we are assimilating and are acquiring information. Life changing and profound learning experiences happen before we can even speak, as children our learning process is grandiose. Harvard University published a series of summaries on Child development. One of these articles mentions that “The basic architecture of the brain is constructed through an ongoing process that begins before birth and continues into adulthood.” ("InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development," n.d.).