Evolutionary Developmental Neurobiology: Developmental Mechanisms of Evolutionary Change in Nervous Systems, Paris, France, July 9, 2010 (Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 2011)

Special Topic Issue: Brain, Behavior and Evolution 2011, Vol. 78, No. 3 Illustrating the causal links between neural development and evolution, this special topic issue offers an authoritative perspective on this young and growing field. First, the publication provides new information on the developmental basis of eye reduction in invertebrates, especially Drosophila larvae, and links it to the more general topic of nervous system miniaturization. The following papers focus on vertebrate nervous systems and the similarities and differences in forebrain development among various vertebrates, including a special focus on the amygdala and its profound evolutionary change. Recent discoveries on brain development and evolution in teleost fishes are reviewed, emphasizing the mechanisms by which some species evolved a larger telencephalon while others lost their eyes. Finally, the publication reviews developmental changes underlying brain evolution in mammals and birds, with a focus on issues surrounding developmental constraints and evolvability. Collectively, this special topic issue provides a cutting-edge panorama of how the evo-devo approach illuminates nervous system evolution.