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The brain encodes representations of smells through the synthesis of different olfactory inputs into a unified whole. Jay Gottfried discusses the central mechanisms of perception of these 'odour objects' and describes the role of the piriform cortex in this process.
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) proteins and their upstream and downstream regulators have key roles in neurodevelopmental processes. Hur and Zhou review the mechanisms that regulate GSK3 activity and discuss how GSK3 controls neurogenesis, neuronal polarization and axon growth.
All retinal neurons are generated from multipotent progenitor cells through a step-wise process that increasingly restricts lineage choices. Swaroop and colleagues discuss our current understanding of the transcription factors and gene-regulatory networks involved in photoreceptor subtype specification and photoreceptor development.
In this Perspective, Kraus and Chandrasekaran show that changes in the nervous system that are induced by music training enhance auditory processing, not only of music but also of speech and language. They argue that music training should be provided in schools to benefit children throughout society.
Circadian cycling of biological processes is widely conserved across phylogeny. Gerstner and Yin discuss how regulators of circadian rhythms — including clock genes, melatonin and the suprachiasmatic nucleus — affect synaptic plasticity and memory formation.
The interrelationship between circadian and sleep rhythm abnormalities and neurological disease has long been recognized. Foster and colleagues now provide a conceptual framework regarding common mechanisms of neurological disease and circadian and sleep physiology, and propose new approaches for the treatment of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases.
Polarity is an essential requirement for neuronal function. Matthew Rasband describes the role of the axon initial segment in the development and maintenance of neuronal polarity and discusses how its disruption can lead to disorders of the nervous system.