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Acute activity-induced cleavage of neuroligin 1 acts as a local homeostatic mechanism to regulate structural and functional synaptic plasticity at individual synapses.
Dopamine release in the hippocampus has been shown to be essential for memory consolidation in rodents. Similarly, Chowdhuryet al. now demonstrate that, in humans, the persistence of episodic memory is enhanced following pharmacological increase in hippocampal dopamine.
In the human brain, parts of the fusiform gyrus respond selectively to images of faces. Parviziet al. show that electrical perturbation of these areas causes the perception of faces to become distorted.
Dopaminergic midbrain neurons that project to the striatum can also inhibit striatal output by releasing GABA, which is packaged into vesicles by the vesicular monoamine transmitter VMAT2.
Two new studies reveal the existence of an oxytocin–vasopressin-related signalling system inCaenorhabditis elegansthat modulates certain worm behaviours.
Despite their structural similarities and seemingly coordinated expression patterns, oligodendrocyte transcription factor 1 (OLIG1) and OLIG2 have largely non-overlapping roles in CNS development, brain diseases and neural repair. Here, the authors review the molecular factors that may account for the divergent functions of these proteins.
Many animals, from worms to humans, show structural and functional asymmetries in their nervous systems. Concha, Bianco and Wilson describe two fundamental types of nervous system asymmetry and discuss how they emerge during development and influence behaviour.
Down syndrome is the most common genetic form of intellectual disability. In this Review, Mara Dierssen examines the underlying mechanisms that give rise to brain dysfunction in Down syndrome and discusses therapeutic approaches that are under investigation to combat cognitive deficits associated with this condition.
Chronic pain is more prevalent in women than in men. In this Perspective, Jeffrey Mogil argues that this sex bias in clinical pain is due to a sex difference in pain sensitivity and discusses various underlying mechanisms that might account for this difference.
All cells are influenced by mechanical forces, but the effects of mechanical energy in the brain have received relatively little attention. William Tyler summarizes the main mechanical events that take place in neurons and their effects on neuronal function, and argues for an increased consideration of mechanobiology in neuroscience.
