Volume 13 Issue 3, March 2012

This study uses a cell reprogramming approach to investigate mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease.

GABA neurons encode the value of the expected reward — information that dopamine neurons need to compute prediction errors.

Complexin is involved in postsynaptic AMPA receptor exocytosis in long-term potentiation.

Two new studies highlight the contribution of dendrite–substrate interactions to dendritic morphogenesis inDrosophila melanogastersensory neurons.

The structural complexity of the ER restricts the diffusion of nascent proteins and influences the spatial scales of cargo transport to the dendritic membrane.

Primed microglia are associated with accelerated decline in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, and a new study indicates that the dysregulation of certain proteins of the alternative complement pathway might trigger the priming process.

A new 'bedside' method that detects effective connectivity can discriminate between the vegetative state and the minimally conscious state.

An acute high dose of an opioid agonist may be able to reverse the synaptic plasticity associated with chronic pain.

There is increasing evidence of widespread Ca²⁺waves and localized spark-like events in neurons, particularly in dendrites; however, their origin and function is still poorly understood. This article reviews emerging data on the nature of these signals, their spatial distribution and potential roles.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) describes the long-lasting increase in the strength of synaptic transmission between two neurons, a process that may be integral to learning and memory. In this Review, Lisman and colleagues examine the central role that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has in this form of synaptic plasticity. Focusing on postsynaptic mechanisms, the authors discuss CaMKII in the context of both the early and late stages of LTP.

Adult mammalian CNS axons show little regenerative capacity following injury, in part because they fail to assemble functional growth cones at their tips. However, axons from the mammalian peripheral nervous system and non-mammalian species show more regenerative potential. Here, Bradkeet al. examine the process of growth cone assembly after axonal injury. Understanding why this process does not always succeed may facilitate the development of treatments for CNS-damage-related disability.

Processing within neural circuits in the retina extracts information about the direction of motion of images projected onto the retina. Vaney and colleagues describe the cellular components of this circuitry and outline our current understanding of the mechanisms that are involved in generating direction-selective responses in the retina.

Maintaining cognitive function and reducing the risk of cognitive decline is a major concern in ageing populations. In this Perspective, the authors discuss the determinants of healthy and pathological brain ageing, and provide insights into how these processes are accelerated and might be prevented.