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Genomic imprinting in mammals.

In contrast to the biallelic expression of most genes, expression of imprinted genes is monoallelic and depends on the sex of the transmitting parents. In humans it has been implicated in some developmental failures, neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorders (such as Prader-Willi/Angelman, Silver-Russel or Beckwith-Wiedemann syndromes). The aim of this review is to present the phenomenon of parental imprinting as well as its molecular mechanism in various mammals. Several maternal and paternal imprinted genes and gene clusters are described.

Animals↗

The neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure.

During pregnancy, ingestion of alcohol, a known teratogen, can cause harm to the fetus. Prenatal alcohol exposure is one of the leading causes of birth defects, developmental disorders, and mental retardation in children. The fetal central nervous system is particularly vulnerable to alcohol; this vulnerability contributes to many of the long-term disabilities and disorders seen in individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure. Diagnoses associated with prenatal alcohol exposure include fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), partial fetal alcohol syndrome, fetal alcohol effects, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder, and alcohol-related birth defects. Once diagnosed, early intervention improves the long-term outcome of affected children. Without documentation of maternal alcohol use, a diagnosis, and consequently treatment, is often difficult to attain. It is imperative that nurses, physicians, and other healthcare providers become comfortable with obtaining a history of, and providing anticipatory guidance and counseling about, alcohol use.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

Noradrenergic function in panic disorder.

There is neuroanatomical, neurochemical, neurophysiologic, and behavioral preclinical evidence that suggests that the development of anxiety or fear relates, in part, to increased brain noradrenergic neuronal activity. In laboratory animals, uncontrollable stress has been shown to be associated with increases and altered regulation of brain noradrenergic function. Pharmacologic or electrical activation of noradrenergic neurons of the major brain noradrenergic nucleus, the locus ceruleus (LC), has anxiogenic effects in nonhuman primates. Elevated LC neuron firing is associated with anxiety or fear responses in freely moving cats. These observations are supported by clinical investigations that have demonstrated abnormal noradrenergic system regulation in panic disorder patients. From a neurodevelopmental perspective, these findings may be related to the natural course of panic disorder.

Animals↗

Neurogenesis in adult human.

This report describes neurogenesis in the adult human olfactory epithelium in vitro. Olfactory epithelium was collected at autopsy and by biopsy, and grown in serum-free medium. Basic fibroblast growth factor induced the differentiation of bipolar cells which were immunopositive for several neuronal proteins but not glial proteins. [3H]thymidine autoradiography confirmed that these neurones were born in vitro. The results demonstrate that the adult human olfactory epithelium retains the capacity for neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation, at least until the age of 72 years. It is now possible to examine neurones and neurogenesis in biopsies from patients with disorders that may involve a neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative aetiology such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and Alzheimer's disease.

Adolescent↗

Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus, age, and the neurodevelopmental model: evidence in support of the Weinberger hypothesis.

We set out to describe neurologic and psychiatric syndromes secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) in terms of age of onset and to compare such findings to those predicted by Weinberger's "windows of vulnerability" hypothesis of the neurodevelopmental pathogenesis of mental disorders. A search of the literature provided 767 NPSLE diagnoses in 511 patients. The particular NPSLE diagnoses and the age at which they occurred were compiled. We then determined ranges, medians, and means of age of onset of the various syndromes. We compared these to the ranges and means of age of onset of psychiatric disorders postulated in the "windows" model. The type of NPSLE varied with age and the most striking finding was an 11.3-year difference between the mean onset of psychosis (30.4) and depressed mood (41.1). The mean ages of onset and the ranges were similar to those proposed by Weinberger both absolutely and in temporal relation to each other. We conclude that NPSLE syndromes vary in age of onset in a manner consistent with, and in support of, the "windows of vulnerability" neurodevelopmental model of mental disorders.

Adult↗

Exome sequencing reveals neurodevelopmental genes in simplex consanguineous Iranian families with syndromic autism.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Autosomal recessive genetic disorders pose significant health challenges in regions where consanguineous marriages are prevalent. The utilization of exome sequencing as a frequently employed methodology has enabled a clear delineation of diagnostic efficacy and mode of inheritance within multiplex consanguineous families. However, these aspects remain less elucidated within simplex families. METHODS: In this study involving 12 unrelated simplex Iranian families presenting syndromic autism, we conducted singleton exome sequencing. The identified genetic variants were validated using Sanger sequencing, and for the missense variants in FOXG1 and DMD, 3D protein structure modeling was carried out to substantiate their pathogenicity. To examine the expression patterns of the candidate genes in the fetal brain, adult brain, and muscle, RT-qPCR was employed. RESULTS: In four families, we detected an autosomal dominant gene (FOXG1), an autosomal recessive gene (CHKB), and two X-linked autism genes (IQSEC2 and DMD), indicating diverse inheritance patterns. In the remaining eight families, we were unable to identify any disease-associated genes. As a result, our variant detection rate stood at 33.3% (4/12), surpassing rates reported in similar studies of smaller cohorts. Among the four newly identified coding variants, three are de novo (heterozygous variant p.Trp546Ter in IQSEC2, heterozygous variant p.Ala188Glu in FOXG1, and hemizygous variant p.Leu211Met in DMD), while the homozygous variant p.Glu128Ter in CHKB was inherited from both healthy heterozygous parents. 3D protein structure modeling was carried out for the missense variants in FOXG1 and DMD, which predicted steric hindrance and spatial inhibition, respectively, supporting the pathogenicity of these human mutants. Additionally, the nonsense variant in CHKB is anticipated to influence its dimerization - crucial for choline kinase function - and the nonsense variant in IQSEC2 is predicted to eliminate three functional domains. Consequently, these distinct variants found in four unrelated individuals with autism are likely indicative of loss-of-function mutations. CONCLUSIONS: In our two syndromic autism families, we discovered variants in two muscular dystrophy genes, DMD and CHKB. Given that DMD and CHKB are recognized for their participation in the non-cognitive manifestations of muscular dystrophy, it indicates that some genes transcend the boundary of apparently unrelated clinical categories, thereby establishing a novel connection between ASD and muscular dystrophy. Our findings also shed light on the complex inheritance patterns observed in Iranian consanguineous simplex families and emphasize the connection between autism spectrum disorder and muscular dystrophy. This underscores a likely genetic convergence between neurodevelopmental and neuromuscular disorders.

Humans↗

PHACE syndrome: a systematic literature review and illustrative case report of a patient with severe cerebrovascular and neurodevelopmental sequelae.

BACKGROUND: PHACE syndrome is a rare neurocutaneous disorder defined by the association of large segmental infantile hemangiomas of the head and neck with malformations of the posterior fossa, cerebral and cervical arteries, heart, eyes, and ventral midline structures. Although facial hemangiomas are often the presenting feature, the cerebrovascular, neurodevelopmental, and airway manifestations are responsible for the greatest long-term morbidity. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, searching PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and PsycINFO. After removal of duplicates and screening of 308 records, five studies meeting the inclusion criteria were retained for qualitative synthesis. We additionally present the case of a now 12-year-old girl with PHACE syndrome characterized by a left V1-distribution facial hemangioma, ocular abnormalities, multiple cerebrovascular venous and arterial malformations, neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage with hydrocephalus, and a subsequently diagnosed dural arteriovenous fistula requiring repeated embolization. RESULTS: The five included studies collectively describe epidemiology and early supportive care needs, long-term health outcomes and quality of life into adulthood, airway hemangioma prevalence and management, and the clinical spectrum of infantile hemangiomas with minimal or arrested growth (IH-MAG) as a cutaneous marker of PHACE syndrome. Across studies, cerebrovascular arteriopathy (72-91%) and facial hemangioma residua (> 90%) were the most consistent findings, while progressive arteriopathy, headaches, learning differences, and airway involvement emerged as the principal sources of long-term morbidity. The reported case illustrates an unusually severe cerebrovascular phenotype, including neonatal hemorrhagic hydrocephalus, dural venous sinus thrombosis, and a late dural arteriovenous fistula, culminating in ataxic cerebral palsy and mild intellectual disability. CONCLUSIONS: PHACE syndrome requires a multidisciplinary, lifelong follow-up strategy. The presented case underscores that cerebrovascular complications may evolve over years to decades after the initial diagnosis, reinforcing the need for long-term neuroradiological surveillance even after apparent clinical stability.

Humans↗

[Neurodevelopmental (fragile X syndrome) and neurodegenerative (tremor/ataxia syndrome) disorders associated to the 'growth' of a gene].

AIM: To present the latest findings on fragile X syndrome, the first genetic disorder identified to be caused by a new type of mutation called trinucleotide repeat expansion. DEVELOPMENT: Fragile X syndrome is the most common form of inherited mental retardation, is caused by hyperexpansion and hypermethylation of a CGG repeat tract in the FMR1 gene. In the first section we will discuss the various aspects of the gene mutation and the gene product, its phenotypic consequences in mutation carriers, diagnostic methodology, epidemiology, prevention, treatment and situation in Costa Rica. The second section deals with the recent findings in relation to the very recently described fragile X premutation tremor/ataxia syndrome, a neurodegenerative disorder affecting carriers of the mutation. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for the gene premutation in aged individuals who have tremor and balance problems is important, especially when accompanied by other signs such as parkinsonism, short term memory loss and dementia. Family genetic counselling can help those affected as well as future generations which may inherit fragile X syndrome.

Ataxia↗

Neurodevelopmental problems in Ghanaian children: Part I. Convulsive disorder.

Children with convulsive disorder made up 3% of new patients seen in the paediatric department over a ten year period and 51.5% of children subsequently enrolled in the paediatric neuro-developmental clinic of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. Generalised tonic-clonic seizures were the commonest type of seizure (76.5%), followed by complex seizures (14.8%) and temporal lobe seizures (3.4%). Majority of patients had no definable cause and normal neurological examination. 47.7% of electroencephalographs had diagnostic abnormalities. Most patients responded well to conventional antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) leading to discontinuation of drug therapy in 48 (7.1%) patients who remained seizure-free for two or more years. Adverse drug reactions and laboratory test abnormalities were rather uncommon. Discontinuation of antiepileptic therapy after effective long-term control is discussed.

Anticonvulsants↗

Neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental outcome of children at age 6 and 7 years who screened positive for language problems at 30 months.

We present a prospective study at school age of neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental outcome of language delay suspected at child health screening around 30 months of age. In a community sample, 25 children (21 males, 4 females) screening positive and 80 children (38 males, 42 females) screening negative for speech and language problems at age 30 months were examined in detail for language disorders at age 6 years. The screen-positive children were then followed for another year and underwent in-depth neuropsychiatric examination by assessors blind to the results of previous testing. Detailed follow-up results at age 7 years were available for 21 children. Thirteen of these 21 children (62%) had a major neuropsychiatric diagnosis (autism, atypical autism, Asperger's syndrome, attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]), or combinations of these. Two further children (10%) had borderline IQ with no other major diagnosis. We conclude that children in the general population who screen positive for speech and language problems before age 3 years appear to be at very high risk of autism spectrum disorders or ADHD, or both, at 7 years of age. Remaining language problems at age 6 years strongly predict the presence of neuropsychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders at age 7 years.

Age Factors↗

The diagnosis and prevalence of hyperactivity in Chinese schoolboys.

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to examine the validity of different diagnostic definitions of hyperactivity in a Chinese population. Estimates of the prevalence of hyperactivity were made according to these different diagnostic definitions. METHOD: In a two-stage epidemiological study of hyperactivity in Hong Kong, 3069 Chinese schoolboys were screened by questionnaires; and a stratified sample of 611 of them entered a second stage for more detailed diagnostic assessment. RESULTS: Children with hyperkinetic disorder (ICD-10) or ADDH (DSM-III) both displayed significant hyperactive symptoms, but with somewhat different external correlates; hyperkinetic disorder tended to show more neurodevelopmental impairments, ADDH more cognitive and educational difficulties. These findings raise the possibility of heterogeneity in the disorders present with hyperactivity. The DSM-III-R category of ADHD was more common, and those extra cases, that did not overlap with ADDH or hyperkinetic disorder, included children with no obvious behavioural, cognitive or neurodevelopmental impairments. Hence ADHD may be an over-inclusive category. Prevalence rates for hyperkinetic disorder, ADDH and ADHD were respectively 0.78%, 6.1% and 8.9%. CONCLUSIONS: A disorder of hyperactivity does exist in the Chinese culture, displaying the same kinds of symptomatology and external correlates as in the West. The prevalence rates of hyperkinetic disorder and ADDH in Chinese schoolboys are on the low side when compared to those reported in Western studies.

Attention↗

Density and distribution of white matter neurons in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder: no evidence for abnormalities of neuronal migration.

The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia suggests that this disorder may result from a disruption of normal brain development. While widely cited, neuropathological evidence for this is far from conclusive. Alterations in the density and position of white matter neurons have been previously described in the frontal and temporal lobes and have led to suggestions that abnormal neuronal migration may play a role in the aetiology of schizophrenia. However, these findings have not been replicated. Furthermore, developmental abnormalities may not be specific to schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to examine the density and spatial pattern distribution of white matter neurons in psychiatric and control subjects using sophisticated computerised image analysis techniques. White matter neurons immunoreactive for microtubule associated protein-2 were quantified in the frontal lobe in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and matched controls (each group n = 15). Analysis showed that the density and spatial distribution of white matter neurons did not differ significantly between the control and psychiatric groups. This study cannot replicate the earlier findings of white matter abnormalities in schizophrenia and finds no evidence for abnormal brain development in any of the disorders studied.

Adult↗

Genomic rearrangements and gene copy-number alterations as a cause of nervous system disorders.

Genomic disorders are a group of human genetic diseases caused by genomic rearrangements resulting in copy-number variation (CNV) affecting a dosage-sensitive gene or genes critical for normal development or maintenance. These disorders represent a wide range of clinically distinct entities but include many diseases affecting nervous system function. Herein, we review selected neurodevelopmental, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders either known or suggested to be caused by genomic rearrangement and CNV. Further, we emphasize the cause-and-effect relationship between gene CNV and complex disease traits. We also discuss the prevalence and heritability of CNV, the correlation between CNV and higher-order genome architecture, and the heritability of personality, behavioral, and psychiatric traits. We speculate that CNV could underlie a significant proportion of normal human variation including differences in cognitive, behavioral, and psychological features.

Animals↗

Autism and familial major mood disorder: are they related?

Family history studies of autism consistently reveal a large subgroup with a high incidence of major mood disorder in family members, suggesting the two entities are related clinically and genetically. This review examines this concept, comparing current clinlical and biological knowledge of autism and major mood disorder, and advances the hypothesis that this subgroup of autism represents an early-life phenotype of major mood disorder. If confirmed, this hypothesis would suggest that the basic biological defects determining major mood disorders may have prominent neurodevelopmental and cognitive dimensions. Testing of the hypothesis will depend on genetic studies.

Autistic Disorder↗

[French validation of a Minor Morphologic Anomalies Scale in schizophrenic patients and their parents].

UNLABELLED: Minor Physical Anomalies represent valuable indices of disturbance in early neurodevelopment. They are frequently observed in individuals with various brain disorders, including mental retardation, autism, epilepsy, hyperactivity, foetal alcohol syndrome and schizophrenia. The high prevalence of Minor Physical Anomalies in schizophrenia provides considerable support for a neurodevelopmental model in this disorder. However, studies in large sample using standardised scale are lacking. Such studies are needed in order to confirm their actual frequency and study the clinical correlates or morphological anomalies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to revise and validate a French version of a scale designed for the evaluation of Minor Physical Anomalies in adult psychiatric patients and notably in patients with schizophrenia. METHODOLOGY: The scale was revised from the Waldrop scale. The choice of items was done on the basis of frequency, reliability in the adult, reliability of rating. Some new items, related to know syndroms with comportmental symptoms were added. Both raters had previously had a short initiation to the rating of the scale. Interrater reliability between two examiners, blind with regards to the diagnosis was evaluated. RESULTS: The interrater reliability was good, with an intraclass correlation coefficient at 0.97. Patients had significantly more minor physical anomalies than comparison subjects, and also more Minor Physical Anomalies than their parents. Fathers and mothers of these schizophrenic patients had significantly more Minor Physical Anomalies than normal comparison subjects. CONCLUSION: Although the evaluation of physical anomalies relies on subjective appreciation of normal vs abnormal, the revised version of minor physical anomalies scale (French version) was found to be a reliable tool, provided that a short initiation to the rating is performed. The scale differentiated schizophrenic patients from their parents, and the latter from the normal controls. A lot of questions remains unanswered concerning the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia. This scale appeared as a useful complementary tool to help in the determination of the developmental phenotypic status of the patients enrolled in pathophysiological studies aiming the identification of developmental factors in schizophrenia.

Adult↗

Fetal antigenicity and maternal immunoreactivity. Factors in mental retardation.

The IMRT draws from a diverse array of sources to present a possible etiology for many cases of neurodevelopmental impairment. It is concerned with the problems of selective male affliction, maternal insufficiency, the structure of sex differences, and negative parity effects on intellectual development. The strongest appeal of the theory lies neither in its internal consistency nor in its success in bringing together obscure and seemingly unrelated findings, but rather in its ability to engender testable hypotheses. Many of these are affirmed in the literature or by preliminary investigations derived from existing data. The theory suggests two interesting routes for further investigation, the antecedent brother effect and the study of immunoreactive subgroups. It is strongly suggested that studies of parity effects, pre- and perinatal complications, maternal insufficiency, and family genetic background relative to intellectual development take into consideration the sex of the proband and of antecedent siblings and the family proclivity to autoimmune and to allergic disorders. If the theory were supported by research along the lines suggested above, hypotheses concerning specific immunologic mechanisms might be developed. Such research might yield strategies for the prevention of some of the neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood.

Brain↗

Rethinking schizophrenia: insights from genomics and implications for research.

Recent genomic research, considered in the wider context of knowledge from outside genomics, provides significant conceptual insights into the aetiology and pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The evidence indicates that genetic risk is expressed across the lifespan, from foetal development through to adulthood, and involves multiple neuronal types and brain regions. Schizophrenia appears to be primarily a neuronal disorder, with synaptic dysfunction playing a central role in pathogenesis both during development and in mature adult brain function, alongside earlier non-synaptic neurodevelopmental mechanisms. Importantly, non-familial genetic and environmental factors substantially influence neurodevelopmental impairment, and this is often reflected in cognitive performance falling below familial expectations. Cognitive deficits and structural brain abnormalities are weakly correlated with familial genetic risk and are better understood as markers of neurodevelopmental vulnerability rather than causal mediators. Genomic findings also position schizophrenia within a neurodevelopmental continuum, spanning childhood-onset disorders to adult-onset psychiatric conditions, and suggest heterogeneity within schizophrenia, with some cases exhibiting stronger neurodevelopmental involvement. These findings challenge notions that schizophrenia can be ascribed to, or understood by studying, dysfunction in particular neuronal types, brain regions or circuits, or to defects at a particular stage of neurodevelopment. While schizophrenia appears to be predominantly a neuronal disorder, pathophysiology appears to be manifest widely across time and space, and in different neuronal types across the adult and foetal brain. Moreover, despite schizophrenia's high heritability, there is mounting evidence that non-familial genetic and environmental factors play important roles in the neurodevelopmental processes that impact on schizophrenia risk. Finally, variation in the impact of the neurodevelopmental factors appears to be key to understanding some of the heterogeneity within schizophrenia and the relationship between schizophrenia and other conditions. These observations have profound implications for future research, particularly in clarifying pathogenic mechanisms and refining diagnostic frameworks.

Humans↗

Reduction in Reelin immunoreactivity in hippocampus of subjects with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression.

Accumulation of neurobiological knowledge points to neurodevelopmental origins for certain psychotic and mood disorders. Recent landmark postmortem reports implicate Reelin, a secretory glycoprotein responsible for normal lamination of brain, in the pathology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. We employed quantitative immunocytochemistry to measure levels of Reelin protein in various compartments of hippocampal formation in subjects diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression compared to normal controls. Significant reductions were observed in Reelin-positive adjusted cell densities in the dentate molecular layer (ANOVA, P < 0.001), CA4 area (ANOVA, P < 0.001), total hippocampal area (ANOVA, P < 0.038) and in Reelin-positive cell counts in CA4 (ANOVA, P < 0.042) of schizophrenics vs controls. Adjusted Reelin-positive cell densities were also reduced in CA4 areas of subjects with bipolar disorder (ANOVA, P < 0.001) and nonsignificantly in those with major depression. CA4 areas were also significantly reduced in schizophrenic (ANOVA, P < 0.009) patients. No significant effects of confounding variables were found. The exception was that family history of psychiatric illness correlated strongly with Reelin reductions in several areas of hippocampus (CA4, adjusted cell density, F = 13.77, P = 0.001). We present new immunocytochemical evidence showing reductions in Reelin expression in hippocampus of subjects with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression and confirm recent reports documenting a similar deficit involving Reelin expression in brains of subjects with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Adult↗