A new study, presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s (ACNP) Annual Meeting, has identified a specific gene that is necessary for the development of connections between the brain and the spinal cord. This research, conducted by Stanford University through a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), could be critical for future understanding of the development of the human brain and possibly the treatment of spinal cord injuries. During fetal development, genes “instruct” nerve cells on how and where to develop. Researchers examined the plasticity of fetal cells to better understand at what developmental period cells are specialized (i.e., limited in their ability to take on new characteristics) or undifferentiated (i.e., able to be take on new function or characteristics). In attempting to uncover key developmental moments in the brain, the team removed or “knocked out” the gene for Fezl, a DNA-binding protein, to observe its effect on brain development. Mice were used as the animal model because they serve as a powerful genetic representation of human brain circuitry. The major finding of the study was that in developing mice that lack Fezl, normal connections to the spinal cord failed to form. Instead, the brain cells that usually form the spinal cord made inappropriate connections to other parts of the brain. This result led the researchers to determine that Fezl is necessary for proper development of neural connections to the spinal cord.
