“Genes are like the story, and DNA is the language that the story is written in,” American science writer Sam Kean once said. Genes house the narratives of how all forms of life develop and grow. However, it remains a mystery as to what specific genes are involved in the formation and organisation of the brain structure.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge, UK, have achieved a breakthrough in this direction.
“Understanding these genes could help explore the biology of neurodegenerative and specific mental health conditions where there are changes to the structure of the brain,” Dr Varun Warrier, assistant professor at the Department of Neurodevelopmental Research at the University of Cambridge, tells Happiest Health.
Prof Warrier and his teammates published their findings in Nature Genetics on 17 August. Researchers involved in the multinational study found that around 4,000 genes play a role in the development and formation of the brain.
Gene changes make brain changes
Genes are minute yet complex sequences of codes. Any difference in the genetic language (genetic variants) can affect the structure and function of the cell. This is especially relevant in the case of brain cells, as several neurological conditions like microcephaly show the altered volume of the brain and its components.
Prof Warrier explains that some of these differences can slow down the cell division process, resulting in smaller brains. “If genetic variants alter how a cell moves during brain development, this [affects] how a brain gets folded,” he adds.
However, the process of brain development is extremely complex, involving thousands of genes. Prof Warrier and his teammates wanted to explore this relationship.
Data from brain scans
In the current study, the researchers looked at 36,000 brain scans obtained from two datasets: the UK Biobank and the US-based Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. They specifically assessed the cerebral cortex, as this area differs from one individual to another and has several structural variations within it.
They considered 13 different physical parameters – the volume of the cortex and the pattern of folding being two — in 180 regions across the cortex.
They then correlated these structural differences to the genes from the genome library. They found that 4,349 genes govern the various structural aspects of the brain.
Prospects of therapy
Among these, the researchers saw that some genes contributing to regular neurodevelopment overlap with the genes that cause cephalic disorders (where there are changes in the brain volume).
Prof Warrier says, “These genes could be potential therapeutic targets.” Adding this new genetic data to the currently available genetic database for neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions can help identify genes that influence brain structure and clinical disorders.
Read more: Brain patterns unravel the mystery behind psychiatric conditions
