Studies metabolic and biochemical agents in the brain. Nucleic acids - DNA, RNA.
Brain content high during early phases of development, then gradually decreases.
DNA content is a reliable predictor of cell number.
Two periods of cell proliferation detected by measuring DNA: 15-20 wks gestation is neuroblast proliferation; 25 wks gestation to 2 yrs age glial cell multiplication
Lesch-Nyhan syndrome - mutation of gene affects enzyme involved in making of nucleotide bases of nucleic acids

Neurotransmitters in the brain:
dopamine, acetylcholine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, glutamate
increase in levels serve as developmental signals for neural tube formation, germinal cell proliferation, and neuronal and glial differentiation

Amino acids in the neural system:
Absorption of amino acids from blood and rates of protein synthesis higher for newborns than adults
Inborn errors of amino acid metabolism - PKU

Lipid and metabolism :
Adult pattern attained during myelination, which increase in three major lipids (cholesterol, cerebrosides, sphingomyelin)
In fetal brain, little difference found between lipids in gray and white matter.
Disorders of lipid metabolism