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Acute inflammatory pain can result in long-lasting central sensitization of spinal nociceptive pathways that is masked by upregulation of endogenous opioid signalling via the μ-opioid receptor.
The coordinated action of oxytocin and serotonin systems in the nucleus accumbens encodes social reward, shedding new light on the mechanisms underlying social dysfunction.
Immunoglobulin-like receptor PIRB and its human homologue LILRB2 are high-affinity receptors for amyloid-β oligomers, and PIRB–amyloid-β interactions regulate synaptic plasticity.
The idea that learned associations are encoded within neuronal ensembles has so far mainly been based on correlational data. This Progress article describes recently developed approaches that can selectively target and study activated neuronal ensembles in models of addiction and relapse and in conditioned fear.
Understanding how each of the many diverse subtypes of neurons that make up the cortex are specified during development presents a continuing challenge for developmental neurobiologists. Macklis and colleagues describe recent advances in our understanding of the specification of cortical projection neuron subtype and area identity.
Local field potentials (LFPs) provide a wealth of information about synaptic processing in cortical populations but are difficult to interpret. Einevoll and colleagues consider the neural origin of cortical LFPs and discuss LFP modelling and analysis methods that can improve the interpretation of LFP data.
Children with conduct disorder show persistent aggressive or antisocial behaviour and, in some cases, psychopathic traits. In this Review, Blair describes the neural and cognitive mechanisms — and their interaction with environmental factors — that underlie psychopathic behaviour.
Brain imaging techniques have recently been able to reveal awareness and even allow rudimentary communication in some patients who have been diagnosed as being in the vegetative state. In this Perspective, Fernández-Espejo and Owen discuss these developments and consider their diagnostic, judicial and ethical implications.
The classification of psychiatric disorders in the DSM has been influential in neuroscience research but has also been subject to criticism. In this Viewpoint, six leaders in the field discuss whether the latest version, DSM-5, as well as the dimensional approach provided by the RDoC, will move psychiatry research forward.
