Neuroscience

Sexual coordination in a whole-brain map of prairie vole pair bonding

1. Morgan L Gustison
2. Rodrigo Muñoz-Castañeda
3. Pavel Osten
4. Steven M Phelps

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This is an important study using 3D mapping of neuronal activation throughout the brain after pair-bonding in the monogamous vole, which can be broadly applied to other species and behaviors. The authors provide compelling evidence that there is some synchrony between male and female partners that have formed a pair bond, the strength of which is based on the number of ejaculations received by the female. Same-sex pairs also form a pair bond and were found to have activation in the same brain regions as mixed sex couples. An overall low level of sex differences in the degree and location of brain activation was observed, which was unexpected. This work will be of interest to those interested in social behavior and its neural mechanisms, or brain systems or behavior more broadly.

Reviewed by eLife

14-3-3 protein augments the protein stability of phosphorylated spastin and promotes the recovery of spinal cord injury through its agonist intervention

1. Qiuling Liu
2. Hua Yang
3. Jianxian Luo
4. Cheng Peng
5. Ke Wang
6. Guowei Zhang
7. Hongsheng Lin
8. Zhisheng Ji

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  The finding that Fusicoccin (FC-A) promotes locomotor recovery after spinal cord injury is supported by solid data, and the idea of harnessing small molecules that may affect protein-protein interactions to promote axon regeneration is valuable. The evidence showing that 14-3-3 and spastin interact and that 14-3-3 enhances spastin function and stability in cells is also solid.

Reviewed by eLife

Mechanical activation of TWIK-related potassium channel by nanoscopic movement and rapid second messenger signaling

1. E Nicholas Petersen
2. Mahmud Arif Pavel
3. Samuel S Hansen
4. Manasa Gudheti
5. Hao Wang
6. Zixuan Yuan
7. Keith R Murphy
8. William Ja
9. Heather A Ferris
10. Erik Jorgensen
11. Scott B Hansen

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important study poses a provocative mechanism of channel activation of the mechanically activated ion channel TREK-1. The data provide solid evidence that the application of shear to cells causes a redistribution of both TREK-1 and an associated enzyme, PhospholipaseD2 in the membrane that increases the enzyme activity. The work offers a new mechanism, but note that this is only one possible method of channel activation, and mechanisms independent of PLD2 are also probable.

Reviewed by eLife

Engram reactivation mimics cellular signatures of fear

1. Rebecca L. Suthard
2. Ryan A. Senne
3. Michelle D. Buzharsky
4. Anh H. Diep
5. Angela Y. Pyo
6. Steve Ramirez

Reviewed by Arcadia Science

A generative model of electrophysiological brain responses to stimulation

1. Diego Vidaurre

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This study presents a valuable finding on developing a state-of-the-art generative model of brain electrophysiological signals to explain temporal decoding matrices widely used in cognitive neuroscience. The evidence supporting the authors' claims is convincing. The results will be strengthened by providing more clear mappings between neurobiological mechanisms and signal generators in the model. The work will be of interest to cognitive neuroscientists using electrophysiological recordings.

Reviewed by eLife

Cell type-specific contributions to a persistent aggressive internal state in female Drosophila

1. Hui Chiu
2. Alice A Robie
3. Kristin Branson
4. Tanvi Vippa
5. Samantha Epstein
6. Gerald M Rubin
7. David J Anderson
8. Catherine E Schretter

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This study by Chiu and colleagues is a valuable contribution to the study of the circuitry of aggressive behaviours and of mechanisms that generate persistent behavioural states. The authors find that activation of two interconnected sets of neurons results in an increase in female aggression. The data ruling out recurrent connectivity between these clusters underlying this persistent state are convincing.

Reviewed by eLife

Experience shapes chandelier cell function and structure in the visual cortex

1. Koen Seignette
2. Nora Jamann
3. Paolo Papale
4. Huub Terra
5. Ralph O Porneso
6. Leander de Kraker
7. Chris van der Togt
8. Maaike van der Aa
9. Paul Neering
10. Emma Ruimschotel
11. Pieter R Roelfsema
12. Jorrit S Montijn
13. Matthew W Self
14. Maarten HP Kole
15. Christiaan N Levelt

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important work shows compelling evidence that Chandelier cells in the visual cortex receive inputs most prominently from local layer 5 pyramidal neurons, only mildly inhibit L2/3 pyramidal neurons, and respond massively to visuomotor mismatch. It also indicates that visual experience in the virtual tunnel activates a plasticity mechanism in Chandelier cells which could be due to the particular visuo-motor coupling experienced in this setting, although a specific control is lacking for this conclusion. This study will be of interest to neuroscientists involved in cortical circuits, visual processing, and predictive coding research.

Reviewed by eLife

Behavioral discrimination and olfactory bulb encoding of odor plume intermittency

1. Ankita Gumaste
2. Keeley L Baker
3. Michelle Izydorczak
4. Aaron C True
5. Ganesh Vasan
6. John P Crimaldi
7. Justus Verhagen

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This important work addresses an interesting question for the vertebrate olfactory community of whether mice can discriminate odorant intermittency to help them navigate the environment. The data were collected and analyzed using solid methodology, however, the paper seems to fall short in demonstrating that animal is actually sensitive to intermittency but not other flow parameters. The work will be of interest to researchers working on sensory neurobiology and animal behavior.

Reviewed by eLife

High-throughput mapping of single-neuron projection and molecular features by retrograde barcoded labeling

1. Peibo Xu
2. Jian Peng
3. Tingli Yuan
4. Zhaoqin Chen
5. Hui He
6. Ziyan Wu
7. Ting Li
8. Xiaodong Li
9. Luyue Wang
10. Le Gao
11. Jun Yan
12. Wu Wei
13. Chengyu T Li
14. Zhen-Ge Luo
15. Yuejun Chen

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This manuscript describes a valuable new circuit mapping and profiling technique called Multiplexed projEction neuRons retrograde barcodE (MERGEseq) that combines transcriptome and projectome data at a single-cell resolution. The authors provide solid evidence that MERGEseq can be used to identify projection targets and cell type/layer/transcriptome differences of projection neurons in the mouse prefrontal cortex, and validation experiments are rigorous. While this report is a proof-of-principle that MERGEseq is useful for circuit mapping and profiling and many potential details will influence conclusions, this technique could easily be adapted to other regions with known projection targets and adds to a growing arsenal of combinatorial circuit mapping and profiling tools.

Reviewed by eLife

Ketamine induces multiple individually distinct whole-brain functional connectivity signatures

1. Flora Moujaes
2. Jie Lisa Ji
3. Masih Rahmati
4. Joshua B Burt
5. Charles Schleifer
6. Brendan D Adkinson
7. Aleksandar Savic
8. Nicole Santamauro
9. Zailyn Tamayo
10. Caroline Diehl
11. Antonija Kolobaric
12. Morgan Flynn
13. Nathalie Rieser
14. Clara Fonteneau
15. Terry Camarro
16. Junqian Xu
17. Youngsun Cho
18. Grega Repovs
19. Sarah K Fineberg
20. Peter T Morgan
21. Erich Seifritz
22. Franz X Vollenweider
23. John H Krystal
24. John D Murray
25. Katrin H Preller
26. Alan Anticevic

• Curated by eLife

  eLife assessment

  This study presents valuable findings regarding inter-individual variability in the neural and behavioral effects of ketamine. The methodological approach used to characterize this variability is compelling, but the evidence to support the specificity of the changes and their genetic correlates is incomplete. The study would benefit from a more thorough examination of the specificity of the pharmacological and genetic results.

Reviewed by eLife