News & Comment

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 Nii Addy, the Albert E. Kent Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, and the inaugural Director of Scientist Diversity and Inclusion at Yale School of Medicine. Dr Addy studies dopamine, motivation, and addiction, and spoke with me about promoting diversity, how to be a good mentor, and communicating with the public via his popular podcast.

To mark the 25th anniversary of Nature Neuroscience, Shari Wiseman spoke with each of the past Chief Editors of the journal: Charles Jennings (1998–2003), Sandra Aamodt (2003–2008), Kalyani Narasimhan (2008–2014), Meredith LeMasurier (2014–2016), and Kevin Da Silva (2016–2021). They shared their memories and insights about the journal’s early days, scientific publishing, and the field of neuroscience.

There is disagreement on how best to define and investigate fear. Nature Neuroscience asked Dean Mobbs to lead experts from the fields of human and animal affective neuroscience to discuss their viewpoints on how to define fear and how to move forward with the study of fear.

The hippocampus serves a critical function in memory, navigation, and cognition. Nature Neuroscience asked John Lisman to lead a group of researchers in a dialog on shared and distinct viewpoints on the hippocampus.

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex is attributed with various functions during valuation, affect regulation and social cognition. Nature Neuroscience asked a moderator to lead researchers in a dialogue on shared and distinct viewpoints of this region's roles.

To highlight worldwide efforts to fund neuroscience research and address the growing threat of brain disorders, Nature Neuroscience asked leaders of six global brain initiatives to write about their programs.

On the anniversary of the Boyden et al. (2005) paper that introduced the use of channelrhodopsin in neurons, Nature Neuroscience asks selected members of the community to comment on the utility, impact and future of this important technique.