Nature Neuroscience - CURRENT ISSUE : July 2008 - Vol 11 No 7
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Preventing epilepsy
Article by Bertaso and colleaguesMice without the metabotropic glutamate receptor are prone to seizures. New work shows that interfering with the interaction between mGluR7 and the intracellular adaptor protein PICK1 causes a phenotype in mice and rats that is reminiscent of human absence epilepsy.
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Smelling a mouse
Article by Serguera and colleaguesThe smell of a new male's urine results in abortions in female mice, but only in the first three days after insemination. Now a study finds that a post-copulation dopamine surge in the female main olfactory bulb, peaking after the first three days, impairs social-odor perception of male urine.
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Chemosensing in action
Article by Miyamoto and AmreinChemosensory cues are crucial during Drosophila courtship. This study reveals that disrupting the expression of a gustatory receptor (Gr32a) cause flies to exhibit enhanced courtship behavior towards males and equivalent reactions to mated or virgin females, establishing Gr32a as a receptor for inhibitory courtship pheremones.
CURRENT ISSUE
Expressions modulate sensory acquisition
Article by Susskind and colleaguesSubjects posing expressions of fear have changes in eye movements and breathing-in which may facilitate sensory acquisition, finds a behavioral study. Disgust expressions, which are objectively opposite to fear, produced opposite results. Emotional facial expressions may therefore modify preparedness for perception and action.