An evo-devo approach to thyroid hormones in cerebral and cerebellar cortical development: etiological implications for autism.

ABSTRACT: The morphological alterations of cortical lamination observed in mouse models of developmental hypothyroidism prompted the recognition that these experimental changes resembled the brain lesions of children with autism; this led to recent studies showing that maternal thyroid hormone deficiency increases fourfold the risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), offering for the first time the possibility of prevention of some forms of ASD. For ethical reasons, the role of thyroid hormones on brain development is currently studied using animal models, usually mice and rats. Although mammals have in common many basic developmental principles regulating brain development, as well as fundamental basic mechanisms that are controlled by similar metabolic pathway activated genes, there are also impor

SUBMITTER: Berbel P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4158880 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature