Question: At what stage in human development are the first neurons formed and what mechanism guides their formation?

1. I am interested in investigating this question because I have learned a lot about neuron development and research of the subject through working in a neuroscience lab. Through much experimentation, my PI found that experiments that require observation of neuron growth in its early stages are quite difficult. This is in part because we work with C. elegans and many of their neurons are formed while it is in an egg stage, and the egg shell makes it difficult to view neuron formation through a microscope. This difficulty is what first brought the questions about human neuron development to mind.

2. If we could find out when certain neurons are first formed in the human brain, we could better investigate the mechanisms that guide their initial growth and extension. We may also be able to pinpoint the initial growth of specific neurons. Knowing more about their development may allow us to discover new cures for neurological diseases, especially since most growth and alteration of neurons occurs during brain development (the first couple years of life).