Connectomes arising: linking structure and function in neocortical wiring.

大脑皮层是人类认知的基础，但由于缺乏活体发育试验，它究竟是如何连接起来的还不清楚。我们克服了这一点，使用早产的有袋动物，这使得研究从胚胎样阶段的皮层发育具有显着的分辨率。该项目将研究神经活动如何随着第一个连接的形成而产生，并将功能和结构网络在体内发育过程中联系起来。活动的实验操作和计算模型将发现皮层连接精确布线的发展规则。受益包括研究皮层发育的新方法，以及概述早期哺乳动物大脑形成的电，分子和神经解剖学特征。

The cerebral cortex underpins human cognition, yet exactly how it becomes connected is unknown due to a lack of live developmental assays. We overcome this using prematurely born marsupials, which allow to study cortical development from embryo-like stages with remarkable resolution. This project will study how neural activity arises as the first connections are formed, and link functional and structural networks across development in vivo. Experimental manipulations of activity, and computational models will discover developmental rules for precise wiring of cortical connections. Benefits include new methods to study cortical development, and outlining electrical, molecular and neuroanatomical signatures of early mammalian brain formation.