Patterns of brain growth in one FGFR2 mouse model for Apert Syndrome

Abstract

Apert syndrome is a disorder associated with craniosynostosis resulting from one of two mutations in Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2 (FGFR2). Individuals with Apert syndrome demonstrate brain dysmorphology, often associated with cognitive deficits. In this study, micro magnetic resonance images of the brain of FGFR2+/P253R mice and their wildtype littermates were acquired at two ages, P0 (newborn) and P2 (two days old). Fifteen landmarks on the brain surface were collected to compare growth patterns in the morphological phenotypes of the brain.