Trends in Neurosciences最新文献

Rhythmic neural activity is considered essential for adaptively modulating responses in the visual system. In this opinion article we posit that visual brain rhythms also serve a key function in the representation and communication of visual contents. Collating a set of recent studies that used multivariate decoding methods on rhythmic brain signals, we highlight such rhythmic content representations in visual perception, imagery, and prediction. We argue that characterizing representations across frequency bands allows researchers to elegantly disentangle content transfer in feedforward and feedback directions. We further propose that alpha dynamics are central to content-specific feedback propagation in the visual system. We conclude that considering rhythmic content codes is pivotal for understanding information coding in vision and beyond.

Neuronal hyperexcitability in the cortex and hippocampus represents an early event in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In a recent study, Blankenship and colleagues reported that in a mouse of AD, ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons are also hyperexcitable, and this hyperexcitability is due to casein kinase 2 (CK2)-dependent SK channel dysfunction, adding new insights into the underlying mechanisms of aberrant neuronal properties in AD.

Developing effective treatments for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been hindered by both the complexity of the disease and decentralized research efforts. By fostering collaboration, standardization, and inclusivity, the Accelerating Medicines Partnership® (AMP®) ALS initiative aims to lay the foundation for future discoveries in ALS biomarkers and treatments.

A recent study by Kaneko and colleagues provides evidence that developing cranial motor neurons in larval zebrafish refine their input specificity over time, using an activity-dependent mechanism that may depend, in part, on adaptive dendrite extension. These findings illuminate the mechanism by which spatially overlapping motor pools are recruited into distinct motor circuits.

The dorsal striatum is instrumental in regulating motor control and goal-directed behaviors. The classical description of the two output pathways of the dorsal striatum highlights their antagonistic control over actions. However, recent experimental evidence implicates both pathways and their coordinated activities during actions. In this review, we examine the different models proposed for striatal encoding of actions during self-paced behaviors and how they can account for evidence harvested during goal-directed behaviors. We also discuss how the activation of striatal ensembles can be reshaped and reorganized to support the formation of instrumental learning and behavioral flexibility. Future work integrating these considerations may resolve controversies regarding the control of actions by striatal networks.

The success of our actions often depends on what others are doing. How does the brain discern predictions of others' actions when situations are ambiguous? Recent work by Ma and colleagues suggests that the brain solves this problem by entertaining multiple predictions of others' actions, ranked by their likelihood.

The lateral thalamus (LT) receives input from primary sensory nuclei and responds to multimodal stimuli. The LT is also involved in regulating innate and social behaviors through its projections to cortical and limbic networks. However, the importance of multisensory processing within the LT in modulating behavioral output has not been explicitly addressed. Here, we discuss recent findings primarily from rodent studies that extend the classical view of the LT as a passive relay, by underscoring its involvement in associating multimodal features and encoding the salience, valence, and social relevance of sensory signals. We propose that the primary function of the LT is to integrate sensory and non-sensory aspects of multisensory input to gate naturalistic behaviors.

Across studied vertebrates, the medial amygdala (MeA) is a central hub for relaying sensory information with social and/or survival relevance to downstream nuclei such as the bed nucleus of stria terminalis (BNST) and the hypothalamus. MeA-driven behaviors, such as mating, aggression, parenting, and predator avoidance are processed by different molecularly defined inhibitory and excitatory neuronal output populations. Work over the past two decades has deciphered how diverse MeA neurons arise from embryonic development, revealing contributions from multiple telencephalic and diencephalic progenitor domains. Here, we first provide a brief overview of current findings regarding the role of the MeA in social behaviors, followed by a deeper dive into current knowledge of how this complex structure is specified during development. We outline a conceptual model of MeA formation that has emerged based on these findings. We further postulate how embryonic developmental programming of the MeA may inform later emergence of stereotypical circuitry governing hardwired behaviors.

Neurodegenerative disorders represent a leading cause of disability among the elderly population, and Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent. Emerging evidence suggests a frequent co-occurrence of circadian disruption and PD. However, the nature of this relationship remains unclear: is circadian disruption a cause, consequence, or a parallel feature of the disease that shares the same root cause? This review seeks to address this question by highlighting and discussing clinical evidence and findings from experiments using vertebrate and invertebrate animal models. While research on causality is still in its early stages, the available data suggest reciprocal interactions between PD progression and circadian disruption.