Disorders of the Developing Brain
USU researchers have created a way to help guide disoriented brain cells to their intended destinations.
The brain is a complex structure. Both delicate and amazingly resilient, it has fascinated researchers for centuries. One thing we do know is that the brain's early development is critical to its later functioning. Problems with brain development are often caused by environmental insults, such as radiation or exposure to toxins.
USU researcher Sharon L. Juliano, Ph.D., is studying the deleterious effects of toxins on the developing brain. One such effect is neuronal migration disorders involving the cerebral cortex—a developmental phenomenon in which neurons have trouble migrating to their intended destinations. Such disorders can result in various problems ranging from dyslexia and mild epilepsy to severe mental retardation.
Keeping Cells on the Right Migratory Paths
In the normal developing brain, there is a balance of excitatory and inhibitory cells. Juliano and her team discovered that, in the toxin-exposed brain, this equilibrium has been disrupted. The result is that many inhibitory cells get lost or stuck along their migratory paths, and the group is examining just why this happens. The team also found that the neurons may lose their inhibitory (GABAergic) identity along the way, and they are investigating the possible effects of this identity loss.
One of the team's primary goals has been to determine whether the disoriented cells somehow can be brought back on track to reach their original destinations. To this end, they have devised a method to attract the cells to their intended locations, and initial tests have had very promising effects. Additionally, Juliano and her team have had exciting results with early-stage studies using stem cells for neural repair.