About this Research Topic

Background

Building and functioning of the central nervous system (CNS) and, particularly, of the cerebral cortex, requires the precise orchestration and execution of complex molecular and cellular processes, across a multitude of cell types and over an extended period of time. Thus, our brain represents the product of a developmental and evolutionary history that propelled its progressive enlargement, specialization and cognitive functionality.

The CNS develops through a dynamic and prolonged process in which multiple cell types are generated by neural stem/progenitor cells and are assembled into an intricate neural circuitry. Understanding the molecular and cellular events underlying CNS, and particularly, cerebral cortex evolution to its present complex state is a fascinating topic for neuroscience, developmental biology, and comparative neurobiology. Actually, although the human brain is about three times as large as those of some non-human primates, increased size per se fails to explain its characteristic functionalities. The brain has also undergone circuital, structural, and molecular changes during evolution, changes likely mediated by divergent spatiotemporal gene expression. Remarkably, deviations from the normal developmental path, due to environmental or genetic insults, can lead to a variety of pathologies, including neurological and psychiatric disorders affecting some of the most distinctly human aspects of cognition and behavior.

The aim of this Research Topic is to gather contributions from specialists of a wide array of disciplines enriching the developmental and evolutionary neuroscience approach, such as stem cell biology, molecular biology, physics, and bioinformatics. In fact, the regulatory, epigenomic, and transcriptomic features of CNS development have not been yet comprehensively elucidated across time, regions, or cell complexity. This knowledge would also be relevant to human health since recent findings have pointed out the genetic and developmental origins of several neurological and psychiatric disorders.

We welcome authors to submit articles focused on the molecular, cellular, and anatomical features of cerebral cortex development. Manuscripts addressing the principles and molecular mechanisms that govern molecular-morphological changes during brain evolution are also welcome. Importantly, contributions may cover discoveries that take advantage of animal models or 2D and 3D stem cell-based systems to investigate neural development and evolution, or to model neurodevelopmental disorders.

Keywords: Neural Stem Cells, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Neocortex, Microcephaly, Neurodegeneration

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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