●The Snail superfamily of zinc-finger transcription factors. Nieto, M. A. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology March (2002). Image by Nicola Barker, Art Controller, Nature Reviews.

●Brains out of tune. Münte, T. F. Nature 7 February (2002). In this News and Views article, the author examines new evidence that 'congenital amusia', or tone deafness, is a heritable developmental disorder.

●Mechanisms of ageing: public or private? Partridge, L. & Gems, D. Nature Reviews Genetics March (2002). This review includes a discussion of neuroendocrine systems that might act as modulators of ageing.

●Right place at the right time. Sanes, D. H. Nature Neuroscience March (2002). A News and Views article on the spatial organization of inhibitory inputs to cells that are involved in sound localization.

●Regulators of G-protein signalling as new central nervous system drug targets. Neubig, R. R. & Siderovski, D. P. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery March (2002).

●Two faces for an opioid peptide — and more receptors for pain research. Simonin, F. and Kieffer, B. L. Nature Neuroscience March (2002). A News and Views article on a new family of sensory neuron-specific G-protein-coupled receptors.

●Rewiring the Parkinsonian brain. Fricker-Gates, R. A. & Dunnett, S. B. Nature Medicine February (2002). This News and Views article discusses new data showing that in a rodent model of Parkinson's disease, transplanted embryonic stem cells can differentiate into dopaminergic neurons, leading to stable recovery of brain function.

●The art and design of genetic screens: Drosophila melanogaster. St Johnston, D. Nature Reviews Genetics March (2002). Drosophila mutant screens have provided important insights into the molecular basis of many developmental processes in the nervous system, including patterning, axon guidance and cell fate choice.

●Trust in the brain. Adolphs, R. Nature Neuroscience March (2002). A News and Views article about how the brain responds when we are asked to judge whether or not a stranger has a trustworthy face.