GoKawiilStudy finds human brain eliminates mutation-laden neurons around birth
A Nature study analyzing more than 2,300 neurons found that over a quarter of neurons sampled from fetal brains carried major chromosomal gains or losses, compared with only about 6% in neurons examined after birth. Researchers, led by Diane Shao of Boston Children's Hospital, say this points to a natural culling process that removes genetically abnormal neurons around the time of birth.
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The findings suggest a previously unrecognized quality-control mechanism that shapes which neurons persist into adulthood, potentially explaining how the brain regulates its final cell population. Researchers say understanding this pruning process could help explain neurological conditions like autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy that often emerge in early childhood, though the causal link remains to be established.
- Fetal brains had chromosomal abnormalities in over 25% of sampled neurons, versus 6% after birth.
- The research implies a natural elimination process removes genetically flawed neurons near birth.
- Scientists suggest this mechanism could inform research into childhood neurological disorders like autism and epilepsy.
Source: nature.com — Ledford, 2026-10-28
Published there as: “The brain liquidates billions of mutant neurons around the time we’re born”
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