The differentiation of neurons and formation of connections between cells is the basis of both the adult phenotype and behaviors tied to cognition, perception, reproduction, and survival. Such behaviors are associated with local (circuits) and global (connectome) brain networks. A solid understanding of how these networks emerge is critical. This opinion piece features a guided tour of early developmental events in the emerging connectome, which is crucial to a new view on the connectogenetic process. Connectogenesis includes associating cell identities with broader functional and developmental relationships. During this process, the transition from developmental cells to terminally differentiated cells is defined by an accumulation of traits that ultimately results in neuronal-driven behavior. The well-characterized developmental and cell biology of Caenorhabditis elegans will be used to build a synthesis of developmental events that result in a functioning connectome. Specifically, our view of connectogenesis enables a first-mover model of synaptic connectivity to be demonstrated using data representing larval synaptogenesis. In a first-mover model of Stackelberg competition, potential pre- and postsynaptic relationships are shown to yield various strategies for establishing various types of synaptic connections. By comparing these results to what is known regarding principles for establishing complex network connectivity, these strategies are generalizable to other species and developmental systems. In conclusion, we will discuss the broader implications of this approach, as what is presented here informs an understanding of behavioral emergence and the ability to simulate related biological phenomena.

神经元的分化和细胞之间连接的形成是与认知、感知、繁殖和生存相关的成体表型和行为的基础。这些行为与局部（电路）和全局（连接组）大脑网络有关。深入了解这些网络是如何出现的至关重要。这篇评论文章对新兴连接组的早期发育事件进行了引导，这对于对连接发生过程的新观点至关重要。连接发生包括将细胞身份与更广泛的功能和发育关系联系起来。在此过程中，从发育细胞到终末分化细胞的转变是由最终导致神经元驱动行为的特征积累所定义的。充分表征的发育和细胞生物学秀丽隐杆线虫将用于构建发育事件的综合，从而产生功能性的连接组。具体来说，我们对连接发生的看法使得能够使用代表幼虫突触发生的数据来证明突触连接的先行者模型。在 Stackelberg 竞争的先发模型中，潜在的突触前和突触后关系被证明可以产生建立各种类型突触连接的各种策略。通过将这些结果与已知的建立复杂网络连接的原理进行比较，这些策略可以推广到其他物种和发育系统。总之，我们将讨论这种方法的更广泛的含义，因为这里介绍的内容有助于理解行为的出现和模拟相关生物现象的能力。