Interleukin-12 (IL-12) can have anti-inflammatory properties; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, the authors show that IL-12-sensing neurons mediate IL-12-induced neuroprotective tissue adaptation in autoimmune conditions of the CNS.

The sleep drive builds with time spent awake. Tossell et al. show in mice that tiredness triggers neurons in the prefrontal cortex to instruct the hypothalamus to initiate nesting and then sleep itself, ensuring that sleep occurs in a safe place.

Su et al. show that loss of GluN2A in adult mice is sufficient to elicit antidepressant-like responses without evoking psychomimetic effects, and that GluN2A is necessary for ketamine and MK-801 to induce rapid antidepressant-like effects.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions are initiated by the infiltration of T cells to the CNS. Here, Kendirli et al. use a genome-wide CRISPR screen in an MS model to define the molecules that regulate T cell entry to the CNS.

A single cell type in the Drosophila visual system implements motion-opponent inhibition at multiple consecutive circuit levels. This neural architecture enables high stimulus selectivity without compromising sensitivity under noisy conditions.

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) can have anti-inflammatory properties; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, the authors show that IL-12-sensing neurons mediate IL-12-induced neuroprotective tissue adaptation in autoimmune conditions of the CNS.

The sleep drive builds with time spent awake. Tossell et al. show in mice that tiredness triggers neurons in the prefrontal cortex to instruct the hypothalamus to initiate nesting and then sleep itself, ensuring that sleep occurs in a safe place.

Hong et al. show that activation of the medial prefrontal cortex induces REM sleep via its projections to the lateral hypothalamus, thus demonstrating a critical role of the cortex in the regulation of REM sleep.

Release of glutamate at high frequency involves a distinct subset of synaptic vesicles made by adaptor protein AP-3. Sorting of the phospholipid flippase ATP8A1 by AP-3 confers release at high frequency by recruiting synapsin to synaptic vesicles.

Su et al. show that loss of GluN2A in adult mice is sufficient to elicit antidepressant-like responses without evoking psychomimetic effects, and that GluN2A is necessary for ketamine and MK-801 to induce rapid antidepressant-like effects.

Bud Craig, an outstanding neuroscientist, died on 15 July 2023 at age 71. Bud made unique contributions to the fields of pain and interoception, challenging major dogmas and offering powerful explanations for various phenomena including central pain and the subjective awareness of feelings, with great implications for our understanding of consciousness.

As Nature Neuroscience celebrates its 25th anniversary, we are having conversations with both established leaders in the field and those earlier in their careers to discuss how neuroscience has evolved and where it is heading. This month, we are talking to Theanne Griffith, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology and Membrane Biology at the University of California, Davis. We spoke about how she discovered her passion for biophysics and her work as an author of children’s books about science.

As Nature Neuroscience celebrates its 25th anniversary, we are having conversations with both established leaders in the field and those earlier in their careers to discuss how the field has evolved and where it is heading. This month we are talking to Freda Miller, Deputy Director and Professor of Developmental Neurobiology at University of British Columbia. She is known for her work on neuronal and mesenchymal stem and precursor cells and how they can promote tissue repair and regeneration. Here we talk about science and how to make your mark.