title: Developmental alterations of the prefrontal cerebral cortex in sudden unexplained perinatal and infant deaths.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the developmental patterns of the human prefrontal cortex involved in breathing control in a wide cohort of fetal and infant death victims, aged from the 22(nd) gestational week to 10 months of life, and to evaluate whether morpho-functional disorders are present in this specific cortical area in victims of sudden unexplained death. A further aim was to determine whether prenatal absorption of nicotine could also affect the maturational processes of the prefrontal cortex. A pronounced radial organization of the cerebral wall was evident from the 26(th) gestational week. By 36 gestational weeks this columnar structure disappeared, coinciding with the formation of a laminar cyto-architecture. The mature cortex, observable from the 4(th) month of life, was organized horizontally into six laminae. In 33% of the sudden death victims the prefrontal cortex showed morphological alterations with anomalous laminar patterns and delayed neuronal maturation. A significant correlation with prenatal cigarette exposure was found.
authors.affiliation: Lino Rossi Research Center for the Study and Prevention of Unexpected Perinatal Death and SIDS, University of Milan, Italy. anna.lavezzi@unimi.it
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lavezzi
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mauri
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mecchia
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Matturri
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D047109:Fetal Development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012119:Respiration; D013398:Sudden Infant Death; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution