The forebrain is the seat of higher-order brain functions, and many human neuropsychiatric disorders are due to genetic defects affecting forebrain development, making it imperative to understand the underlying genetic circuitry. Recent progress now makes it possible to begin fully elucidating the genomic regulatory mechanisms that control forebrain gene expression. Herein, we discuss the current knowledge of how transcription factors drive gene expression programs through their interactions with cis-acting genomic elements, such as enhancers; how analyses of chromatin and DNA modifications provide insights into gene expression states; and how these approaches yield insights into the evolution of the human brain.
