[Intrauterine growth retardation: biochemical changes in human central nervous system (author's transl)]

The development of the central nervous system has been verified using biochemical techniques in two premature infants with intrauterine growth retardation. In both cases a retard of brain growth and maturity was detected. In the case less affected alterations consisted in a decrease in size of forebrain and cerebellum and a diminution of the DNA in cerebrum. In the other case sizes of cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem were markedly reduced. The values of DNA and RNA were also lower than in controls being cerebellum and brain stem the more altered regions. The lipid composition of cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem is also reported for both cases.