Developmental Neuroscience

Developmental Neuroscience is the field of study devoted to exploring the way that the nervous system develops from its embryonic origins to full formation as an integrated network necessary for cognition in adulthood. It is an interdisciplinary field that seeks to understand how the various elements of the integrated nervous system grow, interact, and evolve over the course of development. Research includes looking at the links between genetic pathways and the emergence of cognitive and behavioral functions as well as the role of environmental influences in shaping the development of the nervous system. Knowledge from developmental neuroscience plays a key role in understanding the complexities of neurological and psychiatric disorders, as well as has implications for cognitive and educational interventions. The nervous system is the biological substrate of behavior, so to understand how behavior appears and changes during development, you must understand the processes that form the nervous system as well as the mechanisms that shape its functioning. Early in development, the neural precursor cells divide and migrate to various regions of the developing embryo to form the nervous system. The timing and patterns of migration are highly regulated and depend on multiple external and internal cues. Migrating neurons are also influenced by the local environment such as hormones, physical forces, and cell adhesion molecules. After arriving at the correct neuron type and location, the neurons begin to establish connections with other neurons, and in some cases, are guided along chemo-attractive pathways to find the correct target. These connections are dynamic and often require further assistance from transcription factors, hormones, and chemicals such as neurotransmitters. Once formed, the neural network has to be fine-tuned, and this is generally accomplished through either experience-dependent or experience-independent processes. On the molecular level, multiple signaling pathways control these neuronal processes. The entire network of pathways can be thought of like a complex machinery, as multiple factors are regulated both temporally and spatially. Developmental neuroscience studies the interplay between these molecular networks and the formation of complex nervous system architectures necessary to create the behaviors we see in adults. Through the research of developmental neuroscience, we can gain a greater understanding of how the nervous system grows from its embryonic origin and how these changes give rise to the various behaviors we observe. Better understanding of the complex processes underlying nervous system development can help us to further appreciate how learning occurs and how to properly intervene in cases of neurological and psychological disorders.