What shapes our brain?

该项目旨在提高我们对大脑发育过程中大脑皮层折叠的生物学机制的基本理解。皮质折叠是人类和高等哺乳动物所特有的，被认为是智力出现的基础，并有助于高级大脑功能。该项目将提高对大脑皮层如何折叠的认识，并开发分析大脑发育的新工具。该项目将提供显着的好处，包括产生的基础知识与影响未来的理解皮质折叠异常的婴儿早产，胎儿生长迟缓在子宫内，或当暴露于母亲酒精。从长远来看，该项目将有助于改善人类神经发育和大脑健康。

This project aims to improve our fundamental understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive folding of the cerebral cortex, which occurs during development of the brain. Cortical folding is unique to humans and higher mammals, and is thought to underpin the emergence of intelligence and contribute to higher-order brain functions. This project will enhance knowledge of how the cerebral cortex folds and develop novel tools for analysing brain development. The project will provide significant benefits including the generation of fundamental knowledge with implications for future understanding of cortical folding abnormalities in babies born preterm, following fetal growth retardation in utero, or when exposed to maternal alcohol. In the longer term, the project will contribute to improvements to human neurodevelopment and brain health.