Chromosomal Abnormalities
These are structural or numerical irregularities in the genetic blueprint that occur during cellular division or development.
These genetic irregularities occur when the physical structure of the DNA's primary organizational units is altered or duplicated. They typically arise during the replication process, where errors lead to an incorrect number of genetic instructions being passed to daughter cells. In the context of neurodevelopment, the brain must actively identify and eliminate these faulty cells to ensure healthy neural architecture. If this purification process fails, the accumulation of defective neurons can lead to severe developmental disorders. This differs from point mutations, which involve single-letter changes in the genetic code rather than large-scale structural shifts.