Focus on the neuroscience toolbox

Content

• Focus on the neuroscience toolbox

  We present a special issue on the neuroscience toolbox, highlighting recent technological advances, approaches and collaborative initiatives that are enabling new avenues of research.

  Editorial26 Aug 2016 Nature Neuroscience

• Worldwide initiatives to advance brain research

  To highlight worldwide efforts to fund neuroscience research and address the growing threat of brain disorders, Nature Neuroscience asked leaders of six global brain initiatives to write about their programs.

  • Sten Grillner
  • Nancy Ip
  • Terrence J Sejnowski

  Q&A26 Aug 2016 Nature Neuroscience

• Opportunities and challenges in modeling human brain disorders in transgenic primates

  Given recent advances in genome engineering technology like CRISPR and the difficulty of modeling human diseases in rodents, transgenic nonhuman primates may be used to develop etiologically relevant models of disease. This perspective by Guoping Feng et al. highlights the technological advances, potential challenges and opportunities these models present to furthering our understanding of disease.

  • Charles G Jennings
  • Rogier Landman
  • Guoping Feng

  Perspective26 Aug 2016 Nature Neuroscience
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  Disentangling neural cell diversity using single-cell transcriptomics

  Although single-cell gene expression profiling has been possible for the past two decades, a number of recent technological advances in microfluidic and sequencing technology have recently made the procedure much easier and less expensive. Awatramani and colleagues discuss the use of single-cell gene expression profiling for classifying neuronal cell types.

  • Jean-Francois Poulin
  • Bosiljka Tasic
  • Rajeshwar Awatramani

  Review Article26 Aug 2016 Nature Neuroscience
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  Genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity

  Genetically encoded indicators of neuronal activity have diversified and improved in performance in recent years, becoming essential tools for neuroscientists. Lin and Schnitzer review indicators for pH, neurotransmitter, voltage and calcium, with an emphasis on quantifying key indicator attributes and relating them to their applications in neuroscience.

  • Michael Z Lin
  • Mark J Schnitzer

  Review Article26 Aug 2016 Nature Neuroscience
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  Technologies for imaging neural activity in large volumes

  Ji et al. review emerging microscopy technologies that enable large-volume imaging of neural circuits. Focusing on two-photon fluorescence microscopy, they explored critical factors that limit imaging speed and restrict image volume, and also discuss three-dimensional imaging methods and their applications in rapid volume imaging of neural activity.

  • Na Ji
  • Jeremy Freeman
  • Spencer L Smith

  Review Article26 Aug 2016 Nature Neuroscience
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  Improving data quality in neuronal population recordings

  Extracellular electrophysiology and calcium imaging are powerful methods for recording neuronal populations. Yet both methods are subject to confounds that, if not accounted for, could lead to erroneous scientific conclusions. The authors discuss these confounds, strategies for identifying and ameliorating them, and potential research that could accurately calibrate population recording.

  • Kenneth D Harris
  • Rodrigo Quian Quiroga
  • Spencer L Smith

  Review Article26 Aug 2016 Nature Neuroscience
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  The Human Connectome Project's neuroimaging approach

  This paper describes an integrated approach for neuroimaging data acquisition, analysis and sharing. Building on methodological advances from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) and elsewhere, the HCP-style paradigm applies to new and existing data sets that meet core requirements and may accelerate progress in understanding the brain in health and disease.

  • Matthew F Glasser
  • Stephen M Smith
  • David C Van Essen

  Review Article26 Aug 2016 Nature Neuroscience