Development and teratology
of the nervous system
Anna Mac Gillavry Danylevska
22.5.2023
Neural tube development
T. W. Sadler, Langman‘s medical embryology, 14th edition
Neural tube development
T. W. Sadler, Langman‘s medical embryology, 14th edition
Histogenesis of the neural tube
T. W. Sadler, Langman‘s medical embryology, 14th edition
Histogenesis of the neural tube
T. W. Sadler, Langman‘s medical embryology, 14th edition
Development of the brain
mesencephalon
rhombencephalon
prosencephalon
developing
spinal cord
eye cup
developing
heart
nerves of
pharyngeal arches
diencephalon mesencephalon metencephalon
myelenencephalon
telencephalon
Development of the brain
T. W. Sadler, Langman‘s medical embryology, 14th edition
T. W. Sadler, Langman‘s medical embryology, 14th edition
Development of the spinal cord
Neural tube defects (NTDs)
- Spina bifida: spina bifida occulta – defect of vertebral arches covered
with skin and usually does not affect the neural tissue – 10 % of
population; meningocele; meningomyelocele
- Rachischisis
- Hydrocephaly due to Arnold-Chiari malformation
Neural tube defects (NTDs)
T. W. Sadler, Langman‘s medical embryology, 14th edition
Cranial defects
- Schisencephaly
- Holoprosencephaly (HPE) – 1 in 15000 (1 in 250 early miscarriage)
- Meningocele, meningoencephalocele, meningohydroencepahlocele – 1 in
12000
- Exencephaly: anencephaly (=meroencaphaly – 2-4 times more common in
female foetuses), craniorachischisis – polyhydramnios
- Hydrocephaly – in most cases due to obstruction of the aqeduct of Sylvius
(aqueductal stenosis)
- Microcephaly
The leading cause of intellectual disability is maternal alcohol abuse!