Mechanisms of stress-induced brain sparing during development

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) occurs in about 5% of pregnancies. IUGR babies are underweight but often have a normal brain size. This 'sparing' of brain size helps safeguard cognitive development but it is not always 100% efficient, sometimes leading to behavioural impairments. This project aims to identify the mechanisms underlying the poorly understood process of brain sparing. To achieve this, I will assess how various types of stem cells and neurons in the developing mouse brain are altered by IUGR. I will also use state-of-the-art methods to identify genes and metabolites that change during IUGR. The clinical potential of my findings will then be tested using human brain cells grown in a Petri dish. A better understanding of brain sparing is a much needed first step towards treating IUGR babies and it may also shed light on the fetal origins of some behavioural disorders.