Abstract
It is now quite clear that the process of normal development of the brain is vulnerable to adverse environmental influences well beyond the teratological period of classical embryogenesis in the first trimester of human gestation [l]. This Chapter will contain a general and historical analysis of that concept. It will describe how even relatively minor adversity can sometimes affect the physical growth and development of the brain in the later part of human gestation and well into the first years of postnatal life. This is altogether apart from the better known developmental neuropathologies of damage, or lesions, which can be produced by such severely noxious events as hypoxia, hypoglycaemia and intraventicular haemorrhage.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Dobbing J (1981a) Nutritional growth restriction and the nervous system. In: Thompson RHS, Davison AN (eds) The molecular basis of neuropathology. Edward Arnold, London, pp 221–232
Bourre J-M, Bonneil M, Dumont O et al. (1988) High dietary fish oil alters the brain polyunsaturated fatty acid composition. Biochim Biophys Acta 960: 458–461
Dobbing J (1985a) Infant nutrition and later achievement. Amer J Clin Nutr 41: 477–484
Dobbing J (ed) (1987) Early nutrition and later achievement. Academic Press, London
Dobbing J (1981c) The later development of the brain and its vulnerability. In: Davis JA, Dobbing J (eds) Scientific foundations of paediatrics, 2nd edn. Heinemann, London, pp 744–758
Smart JL (1987) The need for and the relevance of animal studies of early undernutrition. In: Dobbing J (ed) Early nutrition and later achievement. Academic Press, London, pp 50–85
Widdowson EM, McCance RA (1963) The effects of finite periods of undernutrition at different ages on the composition and subsequent development of the rat. Proc R Soc London Ser. B 158: 329–342
Dobbing J (1981b) Vulnerable periods in somatic growth. In: Thomson AM, Bond J, Filer L et al. (eds) Infant and Child Feeding. Academic Press, New York, pp 399–411
Sands J, Dobbing J, Gratrix CA (1979) Cell number and cell size: organ growth and development and the control of catch–up growth in rats. Lancet ii: 503–505
Smart JL, Massey RF, Nash SC, Tonkiss J (1987) Effects of early life undernutrition in artificially reared rats. Subsequent body and organ growth. Brit J Nutr 58: 245–255
Winick M, Noble A (1966) Cellular response in rats during malnutrition at various ages. J Nutr 89: 300–306
Dobbing J, Sands J (1981) Vulnerability of developing brain not explained by cell number/cell size hypothesis. Early Hum Dev 5: 227–231
Dobbing J, Sands J (1971) Vulnerability of developing brain. IX. The effect of nutritional growth retardation on the timing of the brain growth spurt. Biol Neonat 19: 363–378
Rodier PM (1980) Chronology of neuron development: animal studies and their clinical implications. Dev Med Child Neuro 122: 525–545
Dobbing J, Sands J (1973) The quantitative growth and development of the human brain. Arch Dis Child 48: 757–767
Dobbing J (1984) The pathogenesis of microcephaly with mental retardation. In: Streffner C, Patrick G (eds) Effects of prenatal irradiation with special emphasis on late effects. Commission of the European Communities, Radiation Protection, report no. EUR 8067EN
Conel JL ( 1939, 1955, 1959 ) Cited in: Thompson RHS, Davison AN (eds) The molecular basis of neuropathology. Edward Arnold, London.
Bedi KS, Thomas YM, Davis CA et al. (1980) Synapse-to-neuron ratios of the frontal and cerebellar cortex of 30-day-old and adult rats undernourished during early postnatal life. J Comp Neurol 193: 49–56
Thomas YM, Peeling A, Bedi KS et al (1980) Deficits in synapse-to-neuron ratio due to early undernutrition show evidence of catch-up in later life. Experientia 36: 556–557
Dobbing J, Sands J (1979) Comparative aspects of the brain growth spurt. Early Hum Dev 3: 79–83
Dobbing J, Sands J (1970) Growth and development of the brain and spinal cord of the guinea pig. Brain Res 17: 115–123
Dobbing J (1985b) Maternal nutrition in pregnancy and later achievement of offspring. Early Hum Dev 12: 1–8
Dobbing J (1988) Medical and scientific commentary on charges made against the food industry. In: Dobbing J (ed) Infant feeding: anatomy of a controversy 1973–1984. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 9–27
Cravioto J, de Licardie ER, Birch HG (1966) Nutrition, growth and neurointegrative development: an experimental and ecologic study. Pediatrics 38: 319–372
Galler JR (1987) The interaction of nutrition and environment in behavioural development. In: Dobbing J (ed) Early nutrition and later achievement. Academic Press, London, pp 175–207
Grantham-McGregor S (1987) Field studies in early nutrition and later achievement. In: Dobbing J (ed) Early nutrition and later achievement. Academic Press, London pp 128–174
Hertzig ME, Birch HG, Richardson SA et al. (1972) Intellectual levels of schoolchildren severely malnourished during the first two years of life. Pediatrics 49: 814–824
Widdowson EM (1951) Mental contentment and physical growth. Lancet i: 1316–1318
Lloyd-Still JD (1976) Clinical studies on the effects of malnutrition during infancy and subsequent physical and intellectual development. In: Lloyd-Still JD (ed) Malnutrition and intellectual development. MTP Press, Lancaster, pp 230–238
Katz HB, Davis CA (1983) The effects of early-life undernutrition and subsequent environment on morphological parameters of the rat brain. Behav Brain Res 5: 53–64
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1990 Springer-Verlag London
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Dobbing, J. (1990). Vulnerable Periods in Developing Brain. In: Dobbing, J. (eds) Brain, Behaviour, and Iron in the Infant Diet. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1766-7_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-1766-7_1
Publisher Name: Springer, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-1768-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-1766-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive