Brains versus brawn: an empirical test of Barker's brain sparing model.

摘要: The Barker model of the in utero origins diminished muscle mass those born small invokes adaptive “sparing” brain tissue development at expense muscle. Though compelling, to date this has not been directly tested. This article develops an allometric framework for testing principal prediction model—that among is sacrificed spare growth—then evaluates hypothesis using data from third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). results indicate clear support a negative relationship between two tissues; however, further consideration conserved mammalian fetal circulatory patterns suggests possibility that system-constrained developmental damage “bet-hedging” responses affected tissues may provide more adequate explanation results. Far signaling end studies programming, perspective open promising new avenue inquiry within fields human biology health disease. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.