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Microglia constantly extend and retract processes to survey the brain parenchyma. Merlini, Rafalski and colleagues report the role of dynamic microglial brain surveillance in the prevention of brain network hyperexcitability. The cover art illustrates microglia processes contacting neuronal somata to reduce excessive neuronal activity and prevent neuronal hypersynchrony and seizures.
A new study proposes an exciting new model of neuronal diversification in the developing enteric nervous system (ENS) and establishes a detailed molecular taxonomy for enteric neurons. Their findings open new horizons for ENS research and for developing cell-based therapies for ENS disorders.
One of the mechanisms driving aging and neurodegenerative diseases is the accumulation of senescent cells, while their elimination mitigates age-related decline. A new report details how, with aging, changes in the dentate gyrus microenvironment lead to natural-killer-cell-mediated clearance of neurogenic senescent cells, resulting in cognitive decline.
Gangopadhyay, Chawla et al. examine the neural bases of social decision-making at different processing stages and across humans, non-human primates and rodents. These examinations underscore the importance of the medial prefrontal–amygdala pathways.
Merlini, Rafalski et al. show that dynamic microglial brain surveillance prevents hyperexcitability and seizures by Gi-dependent microglia–neuron interactions in response to evoked neuronal activity to maintain physiological network synchronization.
A transcriptome-wide characterization of the molecular pathology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) postmortem brains provides a comprehensive resource for mechanistic insight and therapeutic development.
Imaging and transcriptomic approaches to investigate mouse enteric nervous system diversity and development reveal a new classification of intestinal myenteric neurons and a novel principle of neuronal diversification by postmitotic transitions.
Efficient repair of demyelinated CNS lesions involves the resolution of inflammation and induction of remyelination. Berghoff et al. show that sterol synthesis in microglia is key to both processes, which can be supported by squalene therapy.
Jin et al. discover the accumulation of natural killer (NK) cells in the aged brains of humans and mice. Neuroblast senescence in the dentate gyrus augments NK cell cytotoxicity that impairs neurogenesis and cognition during normal brain aging.
Schwaller et al. show that the USH2A protein, present in Meissner’s corpuscles, is necessary in humans and mice to perceive tiny vibrations. USH2A may facilitate force transfer to mechanoreceptors as the fingertip probes rough surfaces.
Mederos et al. show that GABAB receptor signaling in astrocytes regulates prefrontal cortex activity to impact goal-directed behaviors. Thus, the coordinated activity of GABAergic neurons and astrocytes helps decision-making.
Pacheco et al. present new methods for the unbiased recording and cataloging of sensory activity throughout the Drosophila brain and across trials and individuals. They find auditory activity is temporally diverse but present in neurons throughout nearly all central brain regions.
Cooler and Schwartz describe a retinal ganglion cell type with receptive field properties generated by asymmetric morphology and an electrical connection, via gap junctions, to a different type of retinal ganglion cell.
Ong et al. analyzed behavior, gaze patterns and neuronal activity of monkeys playing the game ‘chicken’. Monkeys seemed to develop models of the behavior of the partner, and neurons in the mSTS and the ACCg signaled strategic information to guide their decisions.
By analyzing computational models and neural data from the primate prefrontal cortex, the authors show that inhibitory-to-inhibitory signaling is critical for the stable temporal dynamics required for performing working memory tasks.