Burst of gyrification in the human brain after birth
Gyrification, the intricate folding of the brain's cortex, begins mid-gestation and surges dramatically throughout the perinatal period. Yet, a critical factor has been largely overlooked in neurodevelopmental research: the profound impact of birth on brain structure. Leveraging the largest known perinatal MRI dataset-819 sessions spanning 21 to 45 postconceptional weeks-we reveal a burst in gyrification immediately following birth (~37 weeks post-conception), amounting to half the entire gyrification expansion occurring during the fetal period. Using state-of-the-art, homogenized imaging processing tools across varied acquisition protocols, and applying a regression discontinuity design approach that is novel to neuroimaging, we provide the first evidence of a sudden, birth-triggered shift in cortical development. Investigation of additional cortical features confirms that this effect is uniquely confined to gyrification. This finding sheds light onto the understanding of early brain development, suggesting that the neurobiological consequences of birth may hold significant behavioral and physiological relevance.
Authors
- Béatrice Desnous (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2571-8564)
- Florence Bretelle
- Nadine Girard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8639-9275)
- Julien Lefèvre (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3670-6112)
- Guillaume Auzias (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0414-5691)
- François Rousseau (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9837-7487)
- Alexandre Pron (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3948-057X)
- Christine Deruelle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9004-2452)
- Angeline Mihailov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7556-4108)
- Mathieu Milh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2454-8543)
- Aurélie Manchon
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Inserm (FR)
- Aix-Marseille Université (FR)
- Hôpital Nord (FR)
- IMT Atlantique (FR)
- Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone (FR)
- Hôpital de la Timone (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Communications Biology
- Published
- 2025-05-26
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08155-z
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Neonatal and fetal brain pathology
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 13.98
Funders
- Aix-Marseille Université
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- European Commission
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Fondation de France
- National Institutes of Health
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Centre For Medical Engineering, King’s College London
- National Institute of Mental Health