Neuroscience

eLife Assessment

This valuable study combines sub-millimeter 7T fMRI, EEG, representational similarity analysis, and deep neural network modeling to investigate layer-specific spatiotemporal dynamics underlying human object processing in early visual cortex and lateral occipital cortex; the authors report temporally distinct signatures in superficial layers of LOC that are interpreted as reflecting sequential feedforward and feedback processing during visual recognition. The multimodal methodological approach and empirical dataset are substantial and will be of broad interest to researchers in visual neuroscience, layer-fMRI methodology, and computational vision. However, the evidence supporting the central interpretation of interareal feedback remains incomplete, as the observed dynamics could also be explained by alternative mechanisms such as within-area recurrent processing, and there are additional concerns regarding several methodological and modeling choices underlying claims about increasing representational complexity at later time points. Overall, the study provides solid evidence for layer- and time-specific neural dynamics during object processing, while the interpretation of these signals as feedback-related remains provisional.

eLife Assessment

Huang and colleagues examined neural responses in mouse anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during a discrimination-avoidance task. The authors present valuable findings that ACC neurons encode primarily "action content" over extended periods. The methodological approach is sound and the evidence in support of action state encoding is solid, though it is not conclusive to what extent ACC primarily encodes post-action events.

eLife Assessment

This study presents valuable findings on the neuromodulatory underpinnings of adaptive learning in dynamic, probabilistic environments. Solid evidence for these claims comes from showing spatial correlations between model-derived fMRI responses and PET-based receptor density maps. The work will be of interest to cognitive and systems neuroscientists working on decision-making.

eLife Assessment

This useful study combines behavioral reports, EEG decoding, and computational modeling to address an interesting question: how delay-period distractors bias working-memory representations, and how these effects depend on target relevance, distractor location, and the strength of memory maintenance and distractor encoding. However, the supporting evidence is incomplete, as several key claims require clearer statistical tests, better integration of the behavioral and neural results, and more careful consideration of alternative explanations. Stronger engagement with prior literature would also substantially strengthen the manuscript and increase its potential interest to researchers in systems, cognitive, and computational neuroscience.

eLife Assessment

Du et al. present a valuable study examining neural activation in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) subpopulations projecting to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) during behavioral tasks assessing anxiety, social preference, and social dominance. The strength of the evidence linking in vivo neural physiology to behavioral outcomes was considered solid. Overall, the reviewers felt that the revised work provides insight into how distinct mPFC→BLA and mPFC→NAc pathways influence anxiety, exploration, and social behaviors.

eLife Assessment

This study used pupillometry to provide an objective assessment of a form of synesthesia in which people see additional color when reading numbers. It provides convincing evidence that subjective color ratings are matched by changes in pupil size that recapitulate brightness-mediated changes when exposed to the real color. The work provides a valuable contribution to the literature on both synesthetic perception and the use of pupillometry to probe perception and related psychological processes.

eLife Assessment

This fundamental work demonstrates that ABHD6 regulates AMPAR gating kinetics in a TARP γ-2-dependent manner. The evidence in this study is compelling. This study will be of interest to readers in the field of synaptic transmission.

eLife Assessment

This valuable study advances our understanding of best practices for analyzing population-level data using advanced functional alignment methods. It provides convincing evidence that demographic-specific functional templates improve functional neuroimaging studies that use hyperalignment. This study will be of interest to cognitive neuroscientists, neuroimaging methodologists, and computational researchers with an interest in the human brain.

eLife Assessment

Using fMRI-based pRF mapping, this important study presents a novel method for estimating visual field (VF) loss and potential restoration by analyzing contrast-sensitivity patterns in early visual cortex. The evidence supporting the main claims is convincing. This work will be of broad interest to researchers in vision and clinical vision, neuroscience, and brain imaging.

eLife Assessment

This important study establishes the first vertebrate models of DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome, revealing conserved craniofacial and social and behavioral phenotypes across mouse and zebrafish that mirror key clinical features. The convincing evidence is supported by behavioral, anatomical, and molecular analyses of Wac animal mutants. This study sets a baseline for future mechanistic studies and reports a platform to test approaches to reverse phenotypes.