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Recent evidence suggests that the primate cerebellum contributes not only to motor control, but also to higher cognitive function. Ramnani suggests that the uniform cellular organization of the cerebellum enables established models for motor information processing to be extended to information processing of a far more abstract nature.
To understand and decode human consciousness is the holy grail in cognitive neuroscience. Haynes and Rees review emerging approaches to reconstruct mental states from non-invasive measurements of brain activity in humans, and discuss the practical and ethical implications.
Itch and pain are distinct sensations processed by different but overlapping neural pathways. Ikomaet al. review recent evidence on the molecular mechanisms that underlie itch sensation, highlighting the complex interaction with pain processing, and discuss the therapeutic implications.
The appropriate targeting of voltage-gated ion channels is essential for the normal functioning of neurons. Lai and Jan review the mechanisms involved in the trafficking and retention of these channels, and discuss how their localization affects neuronal activity.
Many neuronal and network behaviours are surprisingly stable in the face of ongoing fluctuations in channels and receptors. The authors discuss issues relevant to the homeostatic regulation of synaptic and intrinsic currents necessary for stable neuronal and network activity.
Long-term memory formation is associated with bidirectional changes in synaptic strength that require enhanced protein synthesis. Govindarajan, Kelleher and Tonegawa describe a model by which translation-dependent plasticity at synapses that are clustered in a dendritic branch facilitates the formation of long-term memory engrams.
In mental health, the perennial debate about nature versus nurture is giving way to an appreciation that nature and nurture work together. Caspi and Moffitt discuss the opportunities and challenges in the collaboration between psychiatry, epidemiology and neuroscience, and our understanding of gene-environment interactions.
