●A matter of balance. Goulding, M. Nature 3 June (2004) This News and Views article discusses new data that challenge the concept of the invariable nature of a neuron's repertoire of chemical signals.

●Neuregulin 1–erbB signaling and the molecular/cellular basis of schizophrenia. Corfas, G., Roy, K. & Buxbaum, J. D. Nature Neuroscience June (2004)

●Dopamine dysfunction in borderline personality disorder: a hypothesis. Friedel, R. O. Neuropsychopharmacology June (2004) This review of literature published in the past 30 years indicates that perturbation of the dopamine system contributes to the emotional dysregulation, impulsivity and cognitive–perceptual impairment that are features of borderline personality disorder.

●Shocking degeneration. Benndorf, R. & Welsh, M. J. Nature Genetics June (2004) Two new studies identify associations between mutations in two heat-shock proteins, HSP22 and HSP27, with human neuromuscular disorders.

●Huntingtin aggregates ask to be eaten. Thoreen, C. C. & Sabatini, D. M. Nature Genetics June (2004)

●Mind the gap. Papineau, D. Nature 3 June (2004) David Papineau reviews the English translation of The Physiology of Truth: Neuroscience and Human Knowledge by Jean-Pierre Changeux.

●Embryos, cells and God. Frazzetto, G. EMBO Reports June (2004) Religious leaders have taken a strong interest in the debate that surrounds cloning and stem cell research, but there is little consensus between the main faiths.

●The state of GPCR research in 2004. The GPCR Questionnaire Participants Nature Reviews Drug Discovery July (2004) Twenty leaders of G-protein-coupled receptor research respond to twenty questions, providing a unique insight into the present and future of this important field.

●Excessive trust in authorities and its influence on experimental design. Sun, T.-T. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology July (2004) Does misplaced trust in more experienced investigators contribute to the experimental failures of young researchers? This opinion article outlines how problems with predictability and reproducibility that are a result of this phenomenon can be overcome.

●Genetic insights into the morphogenesis of inner ear hair cells. Frolenkov, G. I. et al. Nature Reviews Genetics July (2004) Our understanding of the development of neurosensory hair cells, and how hearing loss associated with their degeneration might be treated, has been advanced by the cloning of genes that underlie hereditary deafness.