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Micro-CT Imaging and Morphometric Analysis of Mouse Neonatal Brains
Published on: May 19, 2023
Trajectories of anatomic brain development as a phenotype
Jay N Giedd1, Rhoshel K Lenroot, Philip Shaw
1Brain Imaging Unit, Child Psychiatry Branch NIMH, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1367 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Novartis Foundation Symposium
|May 24, 2008
Summary
Tracking brain development trajectories offers a novel approach to understanding how genetics influence behavior and psychiatric disorders. This method bridges the gap between genes and observable traits, aiding in health and illness research.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral traits, along with psychiatric disorders, exhibit high heritability.
- Identifying specific genes and mechanisms underlying this heritability remains a significant challenge.
- Biological markers intermediate to gene-behavior pathways are crucial for understanding heritability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the utility of developmental trajectories of brain anatomy as intermediate phenotypes.
- To demonstrate how analyzing changes over time in brain structure can serve as a bridge between genetic factors and behavior.
- To highlight the value of dynamic, rather than static, brain measures in psychiatric research.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing longitudinal anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data.
- Examining morphometric changes in brain development over time.
- Analyzing data from studies on typical development, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and childhood-onset schizophrenia.
Main Results:
- Developmental trajectories of brain anatomy provide a valuable phenotypic measure.
- These trajectories offer insights into the genetic underpinnings of behavior and psychiatric conditions.
- The approach is applicable to both typical development and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Conclusions:
- Trajectories of brain development are powerful intermediate phenotypes for linking genes to behavior.
- This dynamic approach enhances our understanding of heritability in health and psychiatric illness.
- Longitudinal neuroimaging is key to uncovering the gene-brain-behavior relationship.
