CHDD Research Domain:
Developmental Neuroscience

Developmental neuroscience—the study of how the developing brain functions—is critical to preventing and ameliorating mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. CHDD research affiliates collaborate on investigations of the brain that range from the molecular and cellular level to the systems level, where behavioral significance can be assessed.

Key developmental processes such as the genesis of neurons and their migration and differentiation are being studied to better understand normal brain function and development and during neurodegenerative processes. This research is integrated with studies of a variety of developmental disorders such as brain trauma and injury, hypoxia and ischemia, epilepsy, HIV, tumors and autism.

Investigations of genetic factors in brain development provide insight into neuropathological processes that can occur during development and during neurodegenerative processes. Studies focused on brain cell structure and interaction are uncovering mechanisms by which cells recognize each other, establish synaptic contacts and evolve plastic synaptic function, an important aspect of understanding the immature brain's response to insult. Another area of investigation is aimed at elucidating factors that influence neuronal activity and cell death, including genetic mechanisms, behavioral experiences, glial cell functions and conditions in the extracellular environment of the brain.

State-of-the-art imaging techniques are an important part of CHDD's neuroscience research program. New techniques for cellular-level imaging permit assessment of functional changes without interference in the function of tissues being studied. At the systems level, CHDD investigators are using magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to investigate anatomical and functional changes in the brain associated with various developmental disorders, including fetal alcohol syndrome, epilepsy, hearing-impairment, autism and learning disabilities.