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Species-dependent regulation of plexin A1 signalling may underlie the elimination and retention of cortico–motor neuronal contacts in developing mice and in developing primates, respectively.
The likelihood of winning a bout of competitive behaviour is increased by past wins, and the neural circuitry underlying this crucial determinant of social rank in a group of mice is identified as a projection from the mediodorsal thalamus to the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex.
Two major components of depression-like behaviour in mice — social avoidance and helplessness — are mediated by distinct circuits that include parvalbumin-expressing neurons in the ventral pallidum.
The aggregation of α-synuclein in neurons is characteristic of Parkinson disease. Koprich, Kalia and Brotchie provide a critical overview of preclinical, mammalian models of α-synucleinopathy and their merits and limitations in drug development for Parkinson disease, and suggest a combination of different models for optimal proof-of-principle investigation of novel therapeutics.
Attempts to group the cells of the nervous system into classes or types face technical and conceptual barriers. Zeng and Sanes consider the current approaches to classification and propose a strategy and set of principles to guide future classification efforts.
The prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus have distinct and complementary roles in episodic memory, and their interactions are also crucial for memory. Eichenbaum describes the pathways and mechanisms mediating these interactions and suggests a model of how these regions communicate to retrieve cued memories.
The idea that specialized cognitive processes or brain regions are devoted to particular cognitive functions — known as domain specificity — remains an area of substantial debate. Adolphs and Spunt outline the challenges in defining and assessing domain specificity and use social neuroscience findings to suggest a new approach.
