More Than a Small Brain: The Importance of Studying Neural Function during Development

Abstract

The nervous system contains complex circuits comprising thousands of cell types and trillions of connections. Here, we discuss how the field of "developmental systems neuroscience" combines the molecular and genetic perspectives of developmental neuroscience with the (typically adult-focused) functional perspective of systems neuroscience. This combination of approaches is critical to understanding how a handful of cells eventually produce the wide range of behaviors necessary for survival. Functional circuit development typically lags behind neural connectivity, leading to intermediate stages of neural activity that are either not seen in adults or, if present, are considered pathophysiological. Developmental systems neuroscience examines these intermediate stages of neural activity, mapping out the critical phases and inflection points of neural circuit function to understand how neural activity and behavior emerge across development. Beyond understanding typical development, this approach provides invaluable insight into the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders by identifying when and how functional development diverges between health and disease. We argue that developmental systems neuroscience will identify important periods of neural development, reveal novel therapeutic windows for treatment, and set the stage to answer fundamental questions about the brain in health and disease.