Reduced cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal brain in Down syndrome

K.B. Larsen; H. Laursen; N. Graem; G.B. Samuelsen; N. Bogdanovic; B. Pakkenberg

doi:10.1016/j.aanat.2008.05.007

Reduced cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal brain in Down syndrome

K.B. Larsen, H. Laursen, N. Graem, G.B. Samuelsen, N. Bogdanovic, B. Pakkenberg

Department of Neuroscience

43 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Mental retardation is seen in all individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and different brain abnormalities are reported. The aim of this study was to investigate if mental retardation at least in part is a result of a lower cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal forebrain. We therefore compared brains of DS fetuses aged 19 weeks of gestation with normal control brains. The cell numbers were estimated using the optical fractionator method. The total cell number in the neocortical part of four DS human fetal forebrain was found to be substantially smaller in DS compared to the normal fetus. The average total cell number of 6.85 billion was equal to a reduction by 34% compared to the 10.4 billion cells in a normal fetal brain of that age. This study indicates that the mental retardation found in DS is based on a structural deficit in the human fetal brain already present in the second trimester
Udgivelsesdato: 2008/11/20

Original language	English
Journal	Annals of Anatomy
Volume	190
Issue number	5
Pages (from-to)	421-427
Number of pages	6
ISSN	0940-9602
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aanat.2008.05.007
Publication status	Published - 2008

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10.1016/j.aanat.2008.05.007

Cite this

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title = "Reduced cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal brain in Down syndrome",

abstract = "Mental retardation is seen in all individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and different brain abnormalities are reported. The aim of this study was to investigate if mental retardation at least in part is a result of a lower cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal forebrain. We therefore compared brains of DS fetuses aged 19 weeks of gestation with normal control brains. The cell numbers were estimated using the optical fractionator method. The total cell number in the neocortical part of four DS human fetal forebrain was found to be substantially smaller in DS compared to the normal fetus. The average total cell number of 6.85 billion was equal to a reduction by 34% compared to the 10.4 billion cells in a normal fetal brain of that age. This study indicates that the mental retardation found in DS is based on a structural deficit in the human fetal brain already present in the second trimester Udgivelsesdato: 2008/11/20",

author = "K.B. Larsen and H. Laursen and N. Graem and G.B. Samuelsen and N. Bogdanovic and B. Pakkenberg",

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T1 - Reduced cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal brain in Down syndrome

AU - Larsen, K.B.

AU - Laursen, H.

AU - Graem, N.

AU - Samuelsen, G.B.

AU - Bogdanovic, N.

AU - Pakkenberg, B.

PY - 2008

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N2 - Mental retardation is seen in all individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and different brain abnormalities are reported. The aim of this study was to investigate if mental retardation at least in part is a result of a lower cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal forebrain. We therefore compared brains of DS fetuses aged 19 weeks of gestation with normal control brains. The cell numbers were estimated using the optical fractionator method. The total cell number in the neocortical part of four DS human fetal forebrain was found to be substantially smaller in DS compared to the normal fetus. The average total cell number of 6.85 billion was equal to a reduction by 34% compared to the 10.4 billion cells in a normal fetal brain of that age. This study indicates that the mental retardation found in DS is based on a structural deficit in the human fetal brain already present in the second trimester Udgivelsesdato: 2008/11/20

AB - Mental retardation is seen in all individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and different brain abnormalities are reported. The aim of this study was to investigate if mental retardation at least in part is a result of a lower cell number in the neocortical part of the human fetal forebrain. We therefore compared brains of DS fetuses aged 19 weeks of gestation with normal control brains. The cell numbers were estimated using the optical fractionator method. The total cell number in the neocortical part of four DS human fetal forebrain was found to be substantially smaller in DS compared to the normal fetus. The average total cell number of 6.85 billion was equal to a reduction by 34% compared to the 10.4 billion cells in a normal fetal brain of that age. This study indicates that the mental retardation found in DS is based on a structural deficit in the human fetal brain already present in the second trimester Udgivelsesdato: 2008/11/20

U2 - 10.1016/j.aanat.2008.05.007

DO - 10.1016/j.aanat.2008.05.007

M3 - Journal article

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