This project collates information and data gathered by students in Neurodevelopment: Bridging Science and Society, a Biology elective that is taken by advanced Biology and Neuroscience majors at Reed College. The most recent iteration of this course focused on community engagement and scientific communication around neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration.

What is Neurodevelopment?

The nervous system is comprised of all the nerves and their support cells. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system is made up of all other nerves and their supporting cells called glia. Nerve cells (called neurons) help us perceive the world around us with our senses and help us react to our surroundings. Neurodevelopment, a shorter way of saying nervous system development, encompasses the entire life span of an organism – from the earliest stages of embryonic development to the last days of life. Throughout life, our brains grow and change, as a result of individual genetic makeup and unique environmental stimuli.

Understanding nervous system development is important because it can help us make informed choices about our own behaviors and decisions about medical treatments. Moreover, it can help us understand the possibilities and limitations of our own cognitive abilities.

Nervous system development and its opposite neurodegeneration are actively studied across the globe. You can read more about the early stages of human neurodevelopment and how the environment can impact nervous system development. You can also learn about how neurons are generated, a process called neurogenesis, about some of the more common neurodegenerative diseases, and about how nervous systems evolved.

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