Genes sow seeds of neuropsychiatric diseases before birth, in early childhood

(Yale University) From early prenatal development through childhood, the prefrontal cortex of the human brain undergoes an avalanche of developmental activity. In some cases, it also contains seeds of neuropsychiatric illnesses such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, according to a new genetic analysis led by researchers at Yale University and the University of California-San Francisco.