Tag

Neurodevelopment

All articles tagged with #neurodevelopment

health10 days ago•5 min saved

Swedish study links congenital TORCH infections to tripled autism risk

A large-scale Swedish study published in JAMA Pediatrics indicates that children born with congenital TORCH infections face a significantly elevated risk of autism and intellectual disability. Analyzing 3.7 million births between 1987 and 2021, researchers found that infected infants were three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism and up to 30 times more likely to have severe intellectual disabilities compared to the general population. The study highlights cytomegalovirus (CMV) as a primary driver, accounting for half of observed cases, and suggests that vaccination could prevent a subset of autism cases. While the absolute population impact remains small due to the rarity of these infections, experts emphasize the need for broader CMV screening and vaccination efforts in the United States to mitigate these neurodevelopmental risks.

via CIDRAP|

#autism #cmv #health

science20 days ago•16 min saved

Living xenocortex model emerges as human brain tissue fills mouse cortex

Stanford researchers transplanted lab-grown human cortical organoids into newborn mice engineered to lack most of their cortex; within three months the human tissue filled over 90% of cortical space, formed connections with the mouse brain and spinal cord, and acted as a living xenocortex. The model enables donor-specific studies of human brain development and disease (autism, epilepsy, schizophrenia, cerebral palsy), with observed von Economo neurons and potential for targeted drug testing, while ethical guardrails continue to be a focal discussion.

via The Times of India|

#brain-organoids #ethics #neurodevelopment

neuroscience20 days ago•19 min saved

Brain patterns linked to IQ may actually reflect socioeconomic privilege, study finds

A large analysis using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study shows a child’s neighborhood and socioeconomic background strongly shape brain development and function, more so than many traditional cognitive or health factors. Patterns previously associated with IQ largely mirrored socioeconomic status and stress-related factors; after removing SES effects, IQ–brain associations largely disappeared. Multivariate models trained only on higher-SES data failed to predict IQ in lower-SES groups, indicating shortcut learning rather than a true biological signature of intelligence. SES explained roughly 16% of brain variation, underscoring environmental influences and suggesting future work on sleep and stress reduction in under-resourced communities.

via PsyPost|

#brain-imaging #iq #neurodevelopment

science21 days ago•25 min saved

Stanford researchers graft human brain tissue into mice to study human neurodevelopment

Stanford scientists transplanted lab-grown human cortical organoids into mice engineered with partial cortex loss; the grafts survived, grew, and formed functional connections with the mouse brain and spinal cord, offering a new model to study human neural development and disease mechanisms, while noting the grafts are not miniature human brains and are used to probe potential interventions for conditions like autism, schizophrenia, cerebral palsy and epilepsy.

via New York Post|

#brain-organoids #neurodevelopment #neuroscience

science28 days ago•8 min saved

Prenatal plasticizer exposure linked to autism- and ADHD-like traits through epigenetic changes

An observational Australian study (Barwon Infant Study) of 847 mother–baby pairs found that higher prenatal exposure to DEHP, a common plasticizer, was associated with DNA methylation changes in cord blood and more autism- and ADHD-related behaviors at ages 2 and 4, especially in boys. Exposure was estimated from a urine sample at 36 weeks; methylation patterns at about 531 genes and 1,000 sites mediated about 21% of the link. The researchers caution that this is correlation, not causation, and that parent-reported behaviors are not clinical diagnoses. The findings invite further research and support for precautionary health measures for pregnant women.

via ScienceAlert|

#autism #dehp #epigenetics

health29 days ago•14 min saved

ADHD Evolves Across a Lifetime

The piece explores how ADHD symptoms can shift as people age, using a Southern California family that relies on medications, whiteboards, and routines to manage ADHD in both children and parents, illustrating that ADHD can emerge, fade, or morph over time and that treatment and daily life evolve across life stages.

via The New York Times|

#adhd #adhd-in-adulthood #aging

science1 month ago•168 min saved

Organoid timing gap challenges lab-grown minibrains as brain models

New research shows lab-grown brain organoids don’t mirror real brain development timing. In mouse-derived organoids, radial glial progenitors sometimes produce neurons too early, while later-stage progenitors overproduce, and about a third become fate-restricted to a single neuron type. The organoids also lack in vivo signals like blood vessels and extracellular cues that may synchronize development. This timing mismatch could limit organoids’ usefulness for modeling brain development and disease, prompting researchers to identify missing signals and test human-cell organoids to better mimic real brains.

via Live Science|

#brain-development #minibrains #neurodevelopment

health2 months ago•207 min saved

Hidden risks in common disinfectants: QACs linked to fertility and neurodevelopment concerns

A CNN Health report highlights that quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), common disinfectants’ active ingredients, may pose health risks beyond cleaning. Animal studies connect QAC exposure to placental inflammation and fertility issues, while human exposure has been detected in blood, breast milk, urine, and dust—often higher in daycare and healthcare settings. Experts urge caution, noting dose and real-world use matter, and suggest reading labels, avoiding unnecessary “antibacterial” products, and opting for safer alternatives (e.g., citric acid, hydrogen peroxide, ethyl alcohol) or simple soap and water when disinfection isn’t needed.

via CNN|

#disinfectants #fertility #health

health2 months ago•2 min saved

Birth order may steer health risks across life, large study finds

A large study of over 10 million two-child families links birth order to disease risk across many conditions: first-borns show higher odds of neurodevelopmental issues (autism, ADHD), OCD, Tourette syndrome, allergies and acne, while younger siblings are more prone to substance abuse, gastrointestinal problems, and certain infections such as herpes zoster. The authors suggest immune and microbial exposure differences, plus social factors, with closer age gaps strengthening the microbial-sharing effect.

via Euronews|

#allergies #birth-order #health

science3 months ago•95 min saved

Genetics link infant temperament to later behavior across diverse populations

This GWAS meta-analysis across European and multi-ancestry cohorts (up to ~78k infants) identifies ten loci associated with four temperament traits in the first three years: emotionality, activity, shyness, and sociability. SNP heritability ranges from ~3% to ~15%, two loci colocalize with adult cortex eQTLs (RHEBL1 and MR1), and genetic correlations link early temperament to adult neuroticism, ADHD, autism and extraversion. Findings replicate across ancestry groups, and polygenic scores explain modest variance, with within-family analyses supporting genetic influences on temperament.

via Nature|

#genetics #gwas #infancy

health3 months ago•5 min saved

Maternal heart health linked to child development; low heart health raises delay risk by 62%

A study of over 8,000 mothers finds that poorer cardiovascular health is associated with higher rates of developmental delays in children by age 4 (8.8% delays for high‑cardiovascular-health moms vs 16.8% for low‑health moms), a 62% increased risk. Delays affected communication, motor, and social skills. Experts urge improving heart health before and during pregnancy through diet (Mediterranean), regular exercise, adequate sleep, and avoiding smoking to potentially improve lifelong outcomes for both mother and child.

via nypost.com|

#child-development #health #heart-health

health-and-medicine3 months ago•5 min saved

Common plastic additive may rewire the brain, triggering lifelong anxiety in rats

A study presented at ENDO 2026 reports that early-life exposure to the plasticizer DEHP increases anxiety-like behavior in adult male rats; exposure before and after birth led to less exploration and more freezing, and these effects were reversed by GABA agonists or testosterone, suggesting potential implications for human neurodevelopment and endocrine disruption.

via ScienceDaily|

#anxiety #dehp #endocrine-disrupting-chemicals

science4 months ago•9 min saved

Early-Development ZNF804A Linked to Hyper-Excitable Neurons in Schizophrenia

A precision functional genomics study shows the schizophrenia risk gene ZNF804A is most active in glutamatergic neurons during the second trimester. Using CRISPR-Cas9 to suppress ZNF804A in developing neurons increased local protein translation at dendritic tips, raised synapse density, and heightened electrical excitability, linking this genetic risk factor to a specific neurodevelopmental mechanism that may contribute to schizophrenia.

via Neuroscience News|

#crispr #neurodevelopment #schizophrenia

science5 months ago•7 min saved

Valproic Acid Triggers Embryonic Cell Senescence, Explaining Birth Defects and Autism Risk

Researchers using mice and human organoids show valproic acid (VPA) can force developing neuroepithelial cells to enter senescence via the p19Arf pathway, shrinking the neural progenitor pool and causing defects such as microcephaly and neural tube problems; removing p19Arf in mice reduces some VPA-related effects, including autism-linked gene changes, but other abnormalities persist, indicating multiple developmental pathways are disrupted and highlighting a potential link between misregulated senescence and birth defects and autism risk.

via SciTechDaily|

#autism #birth-defects #cellular-senescence

health-and-medicine6 months ago•7 min saved

Autism traits shape brain networks shared by ASD and ADHD

A Molecular Psychiatry study shows that the severity of autism-like symptoms, not the diagnostic label, is linked to specific brain connectivity patterns and gene activity shared by autism and ADHD, suggesting a common biology and supporting a dimensional, biomarker-informed approach to neurodevelopmental conditions.

via ScienceDaily|

#adhd #autism #brain-imaging