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Semantic memory is thought to be structured as a widely distributed brain network that contains information regarding modality-specific features. Here, Patterson and colleagues discuss the idea, based on neuropsychological and neuroimaging data and connectionist modelling, that conceptual knowledge also requires an amodal hub.
Darwin saw the evolution of the vertebrate eye as one of the biggest challenges for his theory. Lamb and colleagues integrate molecular and morphological evidence across different taxa and propose a sequence of evolutionary steps through which the vertebrate eye might have emerged.
It has become apparent that, in addition to removing excess extracellular glutamate, glutamate transporters can help to shape synaptic events. Tzingounis and Wadiche review the structural properties and regulation of glutamate transporters, highlighting their diverse roles in key brain regions.
Post-translational protein modification can modulate neuronal activity and function. Here, Henley and colleagues discuss the emerging data on the roles of protein SUMOylation in various aspects of nervous-system function and in the pathology of several neurological disorders.
For millennia, cannabis has been used for its relaxing and medicinal properties. Murray and colleagues shed light on recent findings concerning the potential adverse effects of cannabis use and discuss some societal issues that might benefit from research into the effects of cannabis on the brain.