Cortical morphology at birth reflects spatio-temporal patterns of gene expression in the fetal brain

In this study, we test the hypothesis that noninvasive markers of brain development reflect the spatiotemporal patterning of genes underlying corticogenesis during gestation and the developmental staging of the neonatal brain. Additionally, we test the selective vulnerability of molecular processes underlying cortical development to disruption following preterm birth. We find that gene expression in the fetal cortex is mirrored by a principal mode of variation in the neonatal cortex. Specifically, regional variation in cortical morphology and microstructure reflect differences in developmental maturity across cortical areas, indexed by the differential timing of gene expression across multiple cell types in the fetal cortex. Further, the effects of preterm birth are temporally and spatially coincident to developmental processes involving the differentiation and specialisation of cortical oligodendrocyte populations. This work provides an experimental framework to link molecular developmental mechanisms to macroscopic measures of cortical anatomy in early life, demonstrating the relationship between fetal gene expression and neonatal brain development and highlighting the specific impact of early exposure to the extrauterine environment due to preterm birth.