Volume 7 Issue 2, February 2006

Notch signalling has a key role in many aspects of vertebrate nervous system development. Louvi and Artavanis-Tsakonas review the pleiotropic activity of Notch signalling and discuss challenges in defining the complex genetic circuitry into which Notch is integrated.

Lupo and colleagues review the crucial molecular pathways that regulate ventral patterning of the telencephalon, eye and spinal cord, and show that ventral patterning can be explained by a few basic molecular mechanisms that are conserved along the anterioposterior axis.

Calcium signals have profound and varied effects on growth cone motility and growth. Gomez and Zheng review recent evidence on intracellular calcium signalling pathways, providing fresh insight into how this 'simple' ion can have diverse effects on growth cone behaviours.

Ludwig and Leng review evidence that dendrites are a major source of peptides released in the brain, and that dendritically released peptides can act at distant targets to functionally reorganize neuronal networks, providing a substrate for long-lasting behaviours.

All antidepressants in use today act via the monoamine neurotransmitters. However, only ∼50% of individuals with depression show full remission. Berton and Nestler review recent development of alternative, non-monoamine-based antidepressants, highlighting the obstacles and some of the most promising strategies.

Markram describes the impressive aims of the Blue Brain Project, in which the enormous computing power of IBM's Blue Gene supercomputer is being harnessed to build biologically accurate models of the neocortical column and, ultimately, the whole brain.

The left hemisphere is traditionally thought to be dominant for motor control. However, Serrien and colleagues highlight specialized functions for the right hemisphere and dynamic cross-hemispheric interactions in action processing, particularly emphasizing task- and performer-related demands and time scales.