In this Review, Panzeri, Moroni, Safaai and Harvey explain how the levels and structures of correlations among the activity of neurons in a population shape information encoding, transmission and readout, and describe how future research could determine how the structures of correlations are optimized.

A population of fever-generating neurons in the hypothalamus coordinates diverse sickness behaviours in mice.

Comparisons of real networks with null models enable researchers to test how statistically unexpected a particular network feature is. In this Review, Váša and Mišić describe different null-model approaches and instantiations, as well as their emerging uses and limitations.

Hippocampal inhibitory interneurons shape memory formation and storage through cell type-specific mechanisms. In this review, Topolnik and Tamboli discuss how soma-targeting, dendrite-targeting and interneuron-targeting interneurons may specialize in supporting hippocampal oscillations, synaptic plasticity and memory processes.

A population of fever-generating neurons in the hypothalamus coordinates diverse sickness behaviours in mice.

In mice, infusions of young cerebrospinal fluid into the brains of aged animals promote oligodendrogenesis and improve memory.

A population of spinal interneurons that express prokineticin receptor 2 is needed in mice for the rewarding, antistress and prosocial effects of pleasant touch.

Neuronal activity in a key region of the mouse hypothalamus modulates adult hippocampal neurogenesis, promoting the formation of adult-born neurons that support cognition and affective function.

In rodents, absence seizures — a prominent manifestation of generalized epilepsy — drive activity-dependent myelination in the corpus callosum, increase interhemispheric synchrony and drive increases in seizure burden over time.

In this Comment, Linzie Taylor and Karen Rommelfanger argue that white Western individualist bias is impeding progress in neuroscience and present a relational rubric of principles to mitigate this bias.