During development, immature neurons display unique functional features and generate particular patterns of correlated activity, often organized in local network oscillations. Considerable evidence accumulated during the last years suggests that these early neuronal activities are involved in a number of developmental processes including neuronal differentiation, migration, formation of synaptic connections and synaptic plasticity, and neuroapoptosis, and that their disturbance during disease, caused either by genetic abnormalities or as a result of adverse environmental factors may result in life long neurobehavioral deficits. This Research Topic will review the novel vistas on the cellular, synaptic and network developmental changes focusing both on the physiology of the developing brain and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying major pathologies associated with the development including, but not restricted, to epilepsy, ischemia, pain. Additionally, novel electrophysiological and imaging approaches and molecular tools to study developing neurons and neuronal networks will be discussed.
In this Topic, we encourage submissions of basic and translational studies as well as review papers that summarize current knowledge on the functional changes occurring in developing neurons and neuronal networks in health and disease.
During development, immature neurons display unique functional features and generate particular patterns of correlated activity, often organized in local network oscillations. Considerable evidence accumulated during the last years suggests that these early neuronal activities are involved in a number of developmental processes including neuronal differentiation, migration, formation of synaptic connections and synaptic plasticity, and neuroapoptosis, and that their disturbance during disease, caused either by genetic abnormalities or as a result of adverse environmental factors may result in life long neurobehavioral deficits. This Research Topic will review the novel vistas on the cellular, synaptic and network developmental changes focusing both on the physiology of the developing brain and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying major pathologies associated with the development including, but not restricted, to epilepsy, ischemia, pain. Additionally, novel electrophysiological and imaging approaches and molecular tools to study developing neurons and neuronal networks will be discussed.
In this Topic, we encourage submissions of basic and translational studies as well as review papers that summarize current knowledge on the functional changes occurring in developing neurons and neuronal networks in health and disease.