Life experiences affect behavior, in part by altering DNA via epigenetic modifications. These epigenetic changes include histone or chromatin modifications and can silence genes or make them easier to read. Recently, neuroscientists have also begun to explore epigenetic mechanisms to help explain the influence of experiences on not only long-term behavior, but also on neural development and function. Nature Neuroscience presents a special focus on this growing field of neural epigenetics consisting of commentaries, perspectives and reviews. These articles highlight the latest advances in our understanding of these epigenetic mechanisms, their regulation and their role in the nervous system.