Studies of neuroregulators in the brain stem of SIDS

Some dysmaturity of neuroregulator neuronal systems may be responsible for brain stem disorders. These disorders may partly explain the mechanism of death in SIDS. The available data using microbiochemical assays, immunocytochemical techniques and autoradiographic methods seem to show anomalies of some monoaminergic and of some peptidergic systems, especially in the medulla oblongata. All these data need to be confirmed by further studies. It should be understood that one positive effect of such neuroanatomical study on SIDS is to gain 'normative' data on the human brain during development.