Nature Neuroscience 11, 535 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn.2105

Authors: Michael Okun & Ilan Lampl

Temporal and quantitative relations between excitatory and inhibitory inputs in the cortex are central to its activity, yet they remain poorly understood. In particular, a controversy exists regarding the extent of correlation between cortical excitation and inhibition. Using simultaneous intracellular recordings in pairs of nearby neurons in vivo, we found that excitatory and inhibitory inputs are continuously synchronized and correlated in strength during spontaneous and sensory-evoked activities in the rat somatosensory cortex.

Nature Neuroscience 11, 538 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn.2104

Authors: Wenbin Tan, Wiktor A Janczewski, Paul Yang, Xuesi M Shao, Edward M Callaway & Jack L Feldman

Delineating neurons that underlie complex behaviors is of fundamental interest. Using adeno-associated virus 2, we expressed the Drosophila allatostatin receptor in somatostatin (Sst)-expressing neurons in the preBötzinger Complex (preBötC). Rapid silencing of these neurons in awake rats induced a persistent apnea without any respiratory movements to rescue their breathing. We hypothesize that breathing requires preBötC Sst neurons and that their sudden depression can lead to serious, even fatal, respiratory failure.

Nature Neuroscience 11, 541 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn.2111

Authors: Masahiko Terao, Junji Watanabe, Akihiro Yagi & Shin'ya Nishida

The neural mechanisms underlying visual estimation of subsecond durations remain unknown, but perisaccadic underestimation of interflash intervals may provide a clue as to the nature of these mechanisms. Here we found that simply reducing the flash visibility, particularly the visibility of transient signals, induced similar time underestimation by human observers. Our results suggest that weak transient responses fail to trigger the proper detection of temporal asynchrony, leading to increased perception of simultaneity and apparent time compression.

Nature Neuroscience 11, 543 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn.2112

Authors: Chun Siong Soon, Marcel Brass, Hans-Jochen Heinze & John-Dylan Haynes

There has been a long controversy as to whether subjectively 'free' decisions are determined by brain activity ahead of time. We found that the outcome of a decision can be encoded in brain activity of prefrontal and parietal cortex up to 10 s before it enters awareness. This delay presumably reflects the operation of a network of high-level control areas that begin to prepare an upcoming decision long before it enters awareness.

Nature Neuroscience 11, 521 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn0508-521

The first issue of Nature Neuroscience appeared a decade ago. We look back on the history of the journal and the field.

Nature Neuroscience 11, 527 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn0508-527

Authors: Carlos Balet Sindreu & Daniel R Storm

Many kinases have been implicated in memory formation, but a new study suggests that a phosphatase, calcineurin, is important for the long-lasting nature of emotional memories by making them resistant to extinction.

Nature Neuroscience 11, 528 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn0508-528

Authors: Diana Bautista & David Julius

The capsaicin receptor TRPV1 is important in pain sensation. A new study suggests that this nonselective cation channel shows dynamic alterations in ion permeability, which may contribute to mechanisms of pain hypersensitivity.

Nature Neuroscience 11, 530 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn0508-530

Authors: Christian J Sumner, Alan R Palmer & David R Moore

'What' and 'where' pathways are recognized in the visual system, but do they exist in auditory cortex? A new study uses reversible inactivation to demonstrate a double dissociation between two cortical regions in two tasks.

Nature Neuroscience 11, 531 (2008). doi:10.1038/nn0508-531

Author: Ben W Strowbridge

Animals can discriminate between olfactory stimuli, but they perceive different concentrations of a chemical as one stimulus. A recent study suggests how this happens and reveals a neural circuit that mediates olfactory gain control.