Our Hypothesis

Developmental disorders originate during fetal life and are the result of disruptions in the ongoing processes necessary for normal development of the brain. These disruptions affect the function of the brain, while the anatomy of the child appears normal. Some developmental disorders may be characterized by delayed maturation of the brain and nervous system, and could be system-wide disturbances that affect other organs in addition to the brain. Many forms of developmental disorders do not have a known genetic cause. We hypothesize that during a pregnancy that leads to a developmental disorder, gene expression is altered due to environmental factors from both within and outside the womb and that the process of altered gene expression becomes more significant in the presence of a genetic vulnerability or epigenetic influence.