The Placenta and Neurodisability

Ian Crocker and Martin Bax eds. The Placenta and Neurodisability (Clinics in Developmental Medicine). 2nd ed. London, UK: Mac Keith Press; 2015 (176 pages). ISBN 978–1-909962–53–8. EUR 67.50

The original concept of this book on placenta and neurodisability was developed from a meeting organized by Martin Bax and Mac Keith Press. The first edition was published in 2006 (Philip Baker and Colin Sibley, eds). This second edition is the result of a successive meeting in 2010.

This volume, coauthored by 21 authors, includes 12 chapters and covers (amongst others) placental pathology, abnormal placental phenotypes, rheology of uteroplacental and fetoplacental blood flow, aberrant placental endocrinology, aspects of inflammation and infections, cerebral ischemia and white matter injury, in utero imaging of the placenta, and a final chapter “summing-up and unsolved problems.” All chapters are extensively referenced, and most end with a “conclusion,” not surprisingly often stating a need for further studies.

“Neurodisability” is not clearly defined, and it spans from fetal growth restriction to sequelae of white matter damage and infections to mental illness (“abnormal placental function and dysregulation of fetal growth are increasingly considered in the etiology of rare neurodevelopmental disorders like schizophrenia and autism…”).

The book is a recommended reading for colleagues interested in the very complex interplay and relationships of maternal, placental, and fetal factors relevant for fetal brain development.