title: Molecular changes in fetal Down syndrome brain.
abstract: Trisomy of human chromosome 21 is a major cause of mental retardation and other phenotypic abnormalities collectively known as Down syndrome. Down syndrome is associated with developmental failure followed by processes of neurodegeneration that are known to supervene later in life. Despite a widespread interest in Down syndrome, the cause of developmental failure is unclear. The brain of a child with Down syndrome develops differently from that of a normal one, although characteristic morphological differences have not been noted in prenatal life. On the other hand, a review of the existing literature indicates that there are a series of biochemical alterations occurring in fetal Down syndrome brain that could serve as substrate for morphological changes. We propose that these biochemical alterations represent and/or precede morphological changes. This review attempts to dissect these molecular changes and to explain how they may lead to mental retardation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ephrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Engidawork
authors.forename: Gert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lubec
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000209:etiology; D009024:Morphogenesis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins