Brain weight differences associated with induced focal microgyria.
BACKGROUND
Disrupting neural migration with bilateral focal freezing necrosis on postnatal day 1 (P1) results in the formation of 4-layered microgyria. This developmental injury triggers a pervasive neural reorganization, which is evident at the electrophysiological, behavioral, and anatomical levels. In this experiment, we investigated changes in brain weight as an index of global disruption of neural systems caused by focal damage to the developing cortical plate.


RESULTS
We found a dramatic reduction in overall brain weight in microgyric subjects. This reduction in brain weight among animals with microgyria is reflected in decreased total brain volume, with a disproportionate decrease in neocortical volume. This effect is so robust that it is seen across varied environments, at variable ages, and across the sexes.


CONCLUSIONS
This finding supports previous work suggesting that substantial reorganization of the brain is triggered by the induction of bilateral freezing damage. These results have critical implications for the profound re-organizational effects of relatively small focal injuries early in development to distributed systems throughout the brain, and particularly in the cerebral cortex.
Peiffer
Ann M
AM
Department of Psychology; Behavioral Neuroscience Division, University of Connecticut, USA. ann.peiffer@uconn.edu
Fitch
R Holly
RH
Thomas
Jennifer J
JJ
Yurkovic
Alexandra N
AN
Rosen
Glenn D
GD
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005615:Freezing; D008297:Male; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012737:Sex Factors; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology*