Chen et al. describe a new subtype of reactive astrocyte formed by APOE-mediated lipid accumulation in individuals with epilepsy and mouse models. These reactive astrocytes aggravate seizure symptoms and could serve as new therapeutic targets for epilepsy.

The mechanisms of remyelination are unclear. Here, the authors develop and use two-photon apoptotic targeted ablation and show a form of rapid synchronous remyelination mediated by a distinct subset of OPCs that can occur in adult mice but not in aging.

The authors compare three classes of models—acoustic, semantic and sound-to-event deep neural network—to determine which can best link specific features of auditory stimuli to predicted functional magnetic resonance imaging responses in auditory cortical regions.

This study mapped the developmental trajectory of transmission speed in the human brain by using electrical pulses and intracranial recordings. The authors found that these pulses travel with increasing speeds up to at least the age of 30.

Zhu et al. found that cholinergic signals from the basal forebrain relay auditory information to the auditory cortex. These signals are modulated by brain and behavioral states and provide repeated auditory representations across the cortical tonotopy.

Sydnor et al. provide evidence that human neurodevelopment unfolds along a hierarchical cortical axis from childhood to adolescence and demonstrate how environmental influences on the maturing brain are shaped by this developmental program.

This study reveals a common mechanism for active reboot of consciousness from anesthesia. Ubiquitination degradation of KCC2 in the ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) leads to GABA_A receptor-mediated disinhibition, triggering and accelerating recovery of VPM neuron activity and consciousness.

The authors pooled resources to identify best practices and develop a new standardized protocol for estimating functional connectivity in rats with magnetic resonance imaging.

The statistics of natural scenes are not uniform—their structure varies dramatically from ground to sky. A combination of theory and experiments revealed that the visual system has adapted to these inhomogeneities to increase coding efficiency.

Knowing one’s own behavioral state is important to contextualize sensory cues and identify appropriate future actions. Here the authors show how neurons ascending from the fly motor system convey behavioral state signals to specific brain regions.

The neuroscience of hormonal contraceptives is a vital but relatively new field. Existing studies are limited in size and scope, but they nonetheless highlight that the effects of hormonal contraceptives on the nervous system are complex and can vary because of individual differences, contraceptive type and formulation, and timing of use, among other factors. Neuroscientists can empower individuals with information about the biopsychological effects of hormonal contraceptives by delving more deeply into these effects in rigorous randomized controlled trials, large-scale studies that examine population-level trends, and dense imaging or intensive longitudinal studies that examine individual-level effects.