Volume 14 Issue 7, July 2013

The balance between the aggregation and dissociation of presynaptic proteins during their trafficking regulates presynaptic patterning.

Chuiet al. reveal a novel mechanism by which activity-evoked calcium transients in dendritic spines are regulated in a highly compartmentalized manner by somatostatin-expressing interneurons.

Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons and a subtype of somatostatin-expressing interneurons in the anterior cingulate cortex have different network effects and behavioural correlates.

A histone deacetylase inhibitor triggers pair-bonding in female prairie voles in the absence of mating.

A new study shows that temporal coding is involved in the transmission of information from the olfactory bulb to the cortex.

Increased levels of Down syndrome cell adhesion protein, a common feature in Down syndrome and fragile X syndrome, cause synaptic targeting errors and impaired perception of mechanical stimuli in flies.

Paternal exposure to stress influences offspring stress responsiveness, probably through changes in the microRNA content of sperm.

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) have been implicated in pain, and neurological and psychiatric disease. Wemmieet al. provide an update on the roles of ASICs in health and disease, and consider the implications for therapy and future lines of research.

The histaminergic neuromodulatory system has important roles in in the regulation of cognition, sleep and wakefulness, and feeding and energy balance. In this Review, Panula and Nuutinen briefly explore histamine's physiological functions before focusing on its roles in various brain disorders.

In order to anticipate and prepare effectively for future experiences, the brain must cope with the inherent uncertainty of future events. In this Review, Grupe and Nitschke show how alterations in the processes by which the brain deals with future uncertainty may contribute to the development of pathological anxiety.

Chronic pain is associated with changes in brain structure and function resulting in altered cognition and affect. Bushnellet al. examine the mechanisms underlying the psychological modulation of pain and the potential of mind–body therapies to alleviate chronic pain.

The changes that occur in the brain during adolescence have been a topic of increasing interest in the past decade. Steinberg discusses how progress in adolescent brain research has influenced US Supreme Court decisions in three landmark cases about the criminal culpability of adolescents.