Adult neurogenesis is distinct from embryonic forms of neurogenesis in that neuronal development underlies extrinsic regulation, from physiological to pathological. This regulation targets different stages of neuronal development, between cell cycle entry and proliferation of radial glia-like stem cells to the lasting integration of the newly generated neurons. There are obvious feedback loops in that regulation of neurogenesis might alter behavior, which in turn acts back on adult neurogenesis. But how does this all work? How does regulation occur across scales? What constitutes ‘causes’ and ‘mechanisms’ in such complex system? The 2018 Adult neurogenesis meeting uses these key questions as entry point into discussions about how activity and development are linked in adult neurogenesis.
