fetal development

This shows a drawing of a fetus attached to a placenta

·December 27, 2019

Placental protein makes a critical contribution to healthy fetal development

Study reveals how a protein that transports essential amino acids across the placenta plays a role in fetal development. Deficiencies of the SNAT4 protein may result in developmental abnormalities and a higher risk of miscarriage. Read More

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·October 23, 2019

Even the fetus has gut bacteria

Both human and mouse fetuses have their own microbiome, which is transmitted from the mother. Findings provide new avenues for interventions during pregnancy to stimulate the fetal microbiome when the mother shows risk of premature birth. Read More

Neuroscience

·October 15, 2019

Stress during pregnancy may affect baby’s sex and risk of preterm birth

Stress and depression during pregnancy can affect the fetus' sex and increase the risk of preterm birth. Mothers who experienced physical and psychological stress during pregnancy were less likely to have a baby boy. During pregnancy, the fetuses of stressed mothers had reduced heart rate movement coupling, indicating slower central nervous system development. Read More

Image is a diagram showing how anesthesia disrupts neurodevelopment

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 12, 2019

Anesthesia sends neurons down the wrong path in unborn rat babies

In utero exposure to anesthesia appears to disrupt the migration of neurons to developing brain areas critical to language and cognition in rats. Read More

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·November 9, 2018

Autism Associated with Zinc Deficiency in Early Development

A new study reveals a mechanistic link between zinc levels in fetal development, genes and abnormal neural connections associated with autism. Read More

Image shows a pregnant woman surrounded by smoke.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 16, 2017

Vaping While Pregnant May Cause Craniofacial Birth Defects

According to researchers, the use of e-cigarettes during pregnancy may result in facial and oral cavity defects in offspring. Read More

Featured Neuroscience

·February 3, 2017

Not So Sweet: Liquorice Consumption Has Harmful Effects on Fetal Development

Children whose mothers consumed large amounts of liquorice while pregnant performed worse than their peers in cognitive reasoning tests and expressed more ADHD-like symptoms. Additionally, females entered into puberty early than those who did not have fetal exposure to glycyrrhizin. Read More