Peripheral nervous system articles from across Nature Portfolio

Previous work has shown that natural cardiac rhythms modulate the perception and reaction to sensory cues through changes in associated neural signals. Here, the authors show that sensitivity to prediction errors during reward learning is related to the phase of the cardiac cycle.

The identity of receptors sensing cold temperatures in peripheral somatosensory neurons remains obscure. Cai et al. report that GluK2, a kainate receptor mediating synaptic transmission in the brain, is co-opted as a cold sensor in the periphery.

A specific neural reflex of the vagus nerve is identified that induces gasping in response to airway closure.

Mechanoneural interfaces combine surgically modified soft tissues and artificial components to enhance peripheral neural signalling for the reconstruction of bionic limbs. This Review discusses different mechanoneural interface architectures and presents preclinical and clinical evidence of their afferent and efferent properties.

Cold sensor identities in peripheral somatosensory neurons remain obscure. We show that GluK2, a kainate-type glutamate-sensing chemoreceptor that mediates synaptic transmission in the brain, mediates the sensing of cold but not cool temperatures in mouse dorsal root ganglia neurons in the periphery. Thus, we identify GluK2 as a cold-sensing thermoreceptor.

A study in mice identifies formin 2 as a regulator of axon regeneration and a potential target for promoting nerve repair after peripheral nerve injury.

Enteric nervous system function is essential for survival. Studies published in 2023 have provided important novel insights into the mechanisms that regulate its development and maintenance, and demonstrate how it can be restored when these mechanisms fail.