2-Minute Neuroscience: Early Neural development

Neuroscientifically Challenged

7 Nov 201402:00

Summary

TLDRThis video script offers a concise overview of early neural development, starting from the formation of the neural plate in the third week of embryonic development to the emergence of the brain's primary and secondary vesicles. It details the fusion into the neural tube, which develops into the brain and spinal cord, and the subsequent growth and subdivision into distinct brain regions by the 11th week, highlighting the remarkable journey of the brain's structural formation before birth.

Takeaways

🕒 The development of the nervous system starts at the third week of embryonic development.
🌱 The ectoderm thickens to form the neural plate, which folds inward to create the neural groove.
🤝 The neural folds come together and fuse by the end of the third week, forming the neural tube by the fourth week.
🧠 The neural tube will develop into the brain and spinal cord.
📍 During the fourth week, the neural tube bulges form the primary vesicles: prosencephalon, mesencephalon, and rhombencephalon.
🧠 The prosencephalon will develop into the cerebrum, the mesencephalon into the midbrain, and the rhombencephalon into the brainstem and cerebellum.
🔍 The prosencephalon further divides into the telencephalon and diencephalon, with the telencephalon becoming the cerebral hemispheres.
🧠 The diencephalon will include structures like the thalamus and hypothalamus.
🌐 The rhombencephalon divides into the metencephalon (pons and cerebellum) and myelencephalon (medulla).
📈 The telencephalon grows rapidly, and by 11 weeks, the brain's shape is similar to that at birth.
👶 Although the brain continues to develop post-birth, its structure at birth is fundamentally complete.

Q & A

What is the '2 minute neuroscience' series about?
-The '2 minute neuroscience' series is about providing simple explanations of neuroscience topics within a short duration of 2 minutes or less.
When does the development of the nervous system begin?
-The development of the nervous system begins around the third week of embryonic development.
What is the initial formation of the nervous system called?
-The initial formation of the nervous system is called the neural plate, which is an area of the ectoderm that thickens.
What is the groove formed by the folding inward of the neural plate?
-The groove formed by the folding inward of the neural plate is called the neural groove.
What happens to the neural groove by the end of the third week of embryonic development?
-By the end of the third week, the sides of the neural groove, known as neural folds, begin to come together and start to fuse.
When are the neural folds completely fused together?
-The neural folds are completely fused together by the end of the fourth week to form the neural tube.
What will the neural tube eventually become?
-The neural tube will eventually become the brain and spinal cord.
What are the three primary vesicles that appear during the fourth week of neural tube development?
-The three primary vesicles are the prosencephalon, which forms the cerebrum; the mesencephalon, which becomes the midbrain; and the rhombencephalon, which develops into the rest of the brainstem and cerebellum.
How does the prosencephalon further subdivide during brain development?
-The prosencephalon subdivides into the telencephalon and diencephalon, with the telencephalon becoming the cerebral hemispheres and the diencephalon consisting of the thalamus, hypothalamus, and other structures.
What parts of the brain does the rhombencephalon subdivide into?
-The rhombencephalon subdivides into the metencephalon, which becomes the pons and cerebellum, and the myelencephalon, which becomes the medulla.
At what stage does the brain start to resemble its shape at birth?
-The brain starts to resemble its shape at birth by 11 weeks of development, with the telencephalon growing more rapidly than other parts of the neural tube.

Outlines

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🧠 Early Neural Development Overview

This paragraph introduces the topic of early neural development, explaining the process from the formation of the neural plate in the third week of embryonic development to the complete fusion into the neural tube by the fourth week. It details the formation of the neural groove, the neural folds, and the eventual formation of the primary vesicles, which are the prosencephalon, mesencephalon, and rhombencephalon, outlining their future roles in forming the brain and spinal cord.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Nervous System

The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and cells that transmit signals between different parts of the body. It is the main theme of the video, which discusses its early development from the embryonic stage. The script mentions the formation of the neural tube, which will eventually become the brain and spinal cord, the two main components of the nervous system.

💡Ectoderm

The ectoderm is the outermost of the three primary germ layers in an embryo. It is crucial for the development of the nervous system, as the script describes the thickening of the ectoderm to form the neural plate, marking the beginning of the nervous system's development.

💡Neural Plate

The neural plate is a thickened area of the ectoderm that forms during early embryonic development. As described in the script, it is the precursor to the neural tube and represents the initial stage of the nervous system's formation.

💡Neural Groove

The neural groove is a groove that forms as the neural plate folds inward. It is a key concept in the script, illustrating the dynamic process of neural tube formation, which is essential for the development of the brain and spinal cord.

💡Neural Folds

Neural folds are the edges of the neural groove that come together to eventually form the neural tube. The script describes their fusion as a critical step in the development of the nervous system.

💡Neural Tube

The neural tube is a hollow structure that arises from the fusion of the neural folds. It is central to the script's narrative, as it will develop into the brain and spinal cord, the primary components of the central nervous system.

💡Primary Vesicles

Primary vesicles are the three bulges that appear along the neural tube during the fourth week of embryonic development. The script identifies them as the prosencephalon, mesencephalon, and rhombencephalon, which will further develop into different parts of the brain and brainstem.

💡Prosencephalon

The prosencephalon is one of the primary vesicles that will eventually form the cerebrum, the largest part of the brain. The script uses this term to describe the early stages of cerebral development.

💡Mesencephalon

The mesencephalon is another primary vesicle that will develop into the midbrain. It is mentioned in the script as part of the early neural development process, contributing to the formation of the brain's structure.

💡Rhombencephalon

The rhombencephalon is the third primary vesicle, which will develop into the brainstem and cerebellum. The script describes its role in the further subdivision into secondary vesicles, highlighting its importance in the brain's development.

💡Secondary Vesicles

Secondary vesicles are the subdivisions of the primary vesicles, such as the telencephalon and diencephalon from the prosencephalon, and the metencephalon and myelencephalon from the rhombencephalon. The script explains their development as part of the complex process of brain formation.

💡Telencephalon

The telencephalon is a secondary vesicle that develops from the prosencephalon and will become the cerebral hemispheres. The script describes its rapid growth, indicating its significance in the brain's overall structure.

💡Diencephalon

The diencephalon is another secondary vesicle that develops from the prosencephalon and will consist of structures like the thalamus and hypothalamus. The script mentions its role in forming essential regulatory centers within the brain.

💡Metencephalon

The metencephalon is a subdivision of the rhombencephalon that will develop into the pons and cerebellum. The script describes its formation as part of the complex process of the brain's development.

💡Myelencephalon

The myelencephalon is the part of the rhombencephalon that will become the medulla. It is mentioned in the script as the final subdivision of the neural tube, completing the development of the brainstem.

Highlights

The development of the nervous system begins at the third week of embryonic development.

An area of the ectoderm thickens to form the neural plate.

The neural plate folds inward to form the neural groove.

Neural folds begin to come together by the end of the third week.

The neural folds completely fuse to form the neural tube by the end of the fourth week.

The neural tube will eventually become the brain and spinal cord.

During the fourth week, three primary vesicles appear in the neural tube.

The prosencephalon will form the cerebrum.

The mesencephalon will become the midbrain.

The rhombencephalon will become the brainstem and cerebellum.

The end of the neural tube will form the spinal cord.

The prosencephalon subdivides into the telencephalon and diencephalon.

The telencephalon will become the cerebral hemispheres.

The diencephalon will consist of the thalamus, hypothalamus, and other structures.

The mesencephalon does not subdivide further and will become the midbrain.

The rhombencephalon subdivides into the metencephalon and myelencephalon.

The metencephalon will become the pons and cerebellum.

The myelencephalon will become the medulla.

The neural tube continues to develop to resemble the brain.

The telencephalon grows rapidly, and by 11 weeks, the brain has a similar shape to what it will have at birth.

Although the brain continues to develop after birth, it is structurally similar to a fully developed brain at birth.