Chromatin accessibility during human first-trimester neurodevelopment. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38693260/)

These scientists wanted to learn more about how the human brain develops before a baby is even born. They studied how certain parts of our DNA, called chromatin, change and become accessible as the brain grows. They looked at how genes are turned on and off in different brain cells.

To do this, the scientists studied samples from the developing human brain during the first few months of pregnancy. They found 135 different groups of genes that were changing as the brain grew. They used special technology to connect these gene changes to the DNA regions that control them.

The scientists also used a special kind of computer program called a convolutional neural network to identify specific areas in the DNA that help control how brain cells develop. They even figured out how a gene called ESRRB is activated in a specific type of brain cell called Purkinje cells.

By studying how certain changes in the DNA are linked to different diseases, the scientists were able to identify which types of brain cells are most affected by certain mutations. They found that a specific type of brain cell called midbrain-derived GABAergic neurons is particularly vulnerable to mutations related to major depressive disorder.

Overall, this study gives us a better understanding of how the human brain develops in the early stages of pregnancy and provides important information for future research on brain development and diseases.

Mannens CCA., Hu L., Lonnerberg P., Schipper M., Reagor CC., Li X., He X., Barker RA., Sundstrom E., Posthuma D., Linnarsson S. Chromatin accessibility during human first-trimester neurodevelopment. Nature. 2024 May 1. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07234-1.