Extensive migration of young neurons into the infant human frontal lobe

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 354; no. 6308; p. 81
• Main Authors: Paredes, Mercedes F., James, David, Gil-Perotin, Sara, Kim, Hosung, Cotter, Jennifer A., Ng, Carissa, Sandoval, Kadellyn, Rowitch, David H., Xu, Duan, McQuillen, Patrick S., Garcia-Verdugo, Jose-Manuel, Huang, Eric J., Alvarez-Buylla, Arturo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Association for the Advancement of Science 07.10.2016; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Babies; Behavior Development; Blood vessels; Brain; Cell adhesion & migration; Cell Movement; Child psychology; Construction; Executive Function; Frontal Lobe - cytology; Frontal Lobe - growth & development; Gyrus Cinguli - cytology; Histology; Human behavior; Humans; Hypoxia; Individualized Instruction; Infant; Infants; Interneurons - cytology; Interneurons - physiology; Lateral Ventricles - cytology; Lateral Ventricles - growth & development; Lobes; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - metabolism; Migration; Neurogenesis; Neuronal Plasticity; Neurons; Neurons - cytology; Neurons - physiology; Neuropeptides - metabolism; Plasticity; Recruitment; RESEARCH ARTICLE SUMMARY; Social behavior; Translocation; Young Children
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf7073

As the brain develops, neurons migrate from zones of proliferation to their final locations, where they begin to build circuits. Paredes et al. have discovered that shortly after birth, a group of neurons that proliferates near the ventricles migrates in chains alongside circulatory vessels into the frontal lobes (see the Perspective by McKenzie and Fishell). Young neurons that migrate postnatally into the anterior cingulate cortex then develop features of inhibitory interneurons. The number of migratory cells decreases over the first 7 months of life, and by 2 years of age, migratory cells are not evident. Any damage during migration, such as hypoxia, may affect the child's subsequent physical and behavioral development. Science , this issue p. 81 ; see also p. 38 Neurons are still finding their places as inhibitory circuits are established in the developing postnatal brain. [Also see Perspective by McKenzie ] The first few months after birth, when a child begins to interact with the environment, are critical to human brain development. The human frontal lobe is important for social behavior and executive function; it has increased in size and complexity relative to other species, but the processes that have contributed to this expansion are unknown. Our studies of postmortem infant human brains revealed a collection of neurons that migrate and integrate widely into the frontal lobe during infancy. Chains of young neurons move tangentially close to the walls of the lateral ventricles and along blood vessels. These cells then individually disperse long distances to reach cortical tissue, where they differentiate and contribute to inhibitory circuits. Late-arriving interneurons could contribute to developmental plasticity, and the disruption of their postnatal migration or differentiation may underlie neurodevelopmental disorders.