Fetal brain development

Fetal brain development is the prenatal formation and organization of the brain, from the neural tube to increasingly specialized structures and circuits. It establishes the foundations for sensation, movement, and later cognition.

Neural tube: The embryonic structure that forms the brain and spinal cord. Its closure and regional patterning establish the structure from which the fetal brain develops.
Neural stem cell: A self-renewing cell that can generate neurons and other neural cell types. These cells supply much of the developing brain's neuronal and glial population.
Prenatal diagnosis: The assessment of fetal health before birth using imaging, screening, or diagnostic tests. Ultrasound and other tests can identify some structural differences in fetal brain development.
Fetal brain imaging: The use of imaging methods to examine the brain before birth. Imaging tracks structural growth, while linking measured changes to later function remains difficult.
Postnatal brain development: The growth and reorganization of the brain from birth through childhood and later life. Birth divides prenatal formation from extensive postnatal maturation, learning, and circuit refinement.
Neurogenesis: The production of neurons from neural stem and progenitor cells. New neurons populate the developing brain before many of its circuits mature.
Neural induction: The process by which embryonic tissue is directed to form neural tissue. It initiates the sequence that produces the brain-forming neural plate and tube.
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: A range of lifelong developmental effects associated with prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol exposure can disrupt brain growth and neural development before birth.
Fetal magnetoencephalography: A noninvasive method for measuring magnetic fields produced by fetal brain activity. It offers a way to study functional brain responses before birth.
Neural plasticity: The capacity of the nervous system to change its structure or function with experience. Plasticity emphasizes experience-driven change, whereas fetal development also includes programmed construction.

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