Brain Development and Challenges for India

Abstract

We often hear the view that how our amazing brains are made cannot be fathomed by us. While this debate rages, the advances of the post few decades have been truly incredible. We do actually know quite a bit more on bow a massively complex brain such as ours is made than we did a few years ago. Much of our understanding comes from studies on the less complex but no less interesting brains of model organisms,such as worms, flies, fish, frogs and mice. My talk will have two parts. In the first, I will review some of the exciting recent advances in the study of how the brain develops. I will then analyses the major challenges that India faces in developing a mission to save our brains: Malnutrition and disease during foetal and early development are serious threats to cognitive development. To address this challenge will require an integration of basic and applied neurology. India is well- positioned to taken this challenge, and we need to move ahead soon.