Neuroscience

Evaluation Summary:

This paper employs innovative approaches to elegantly tackle the question of how we are able to learn an object category with just a single example, and what features we use to distinguish that category. Through a collection of rigorous experiments and analytical methods, the paper demonstrates people's impressive abilities at rapid category learning and highlights the important role of distinctive features for determining category membership. This paper and its approach will be of interest to those who study learning, memory, and perception, while also contributing to a growing field which uses naturalistic drawing as a window into high-level cognition.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

Evaluation Summary:

The authors report a preregistered study which tests the effects of targeted memory reactivation (TMR), which is typically studied in the context of declarative memory, on motor memory consolidation during sleep. In a nap study, the authors use a standard TMR paradigm. Their results suggest a key role of oscillatory activity for motor memory consolidation, where distinct features of the slow oscillation spindle interaction mediate memory formation. Overall, this is a timely interesting. It is scientifically rigorous and transparently reported. The claims are well supported by the data.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #3 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

Evaluation Summary:

In this manuscript, the authors discovered a new function of Rai14, an F-actin binding protein, in dendritic spine dynamics. They showed that Rai14 is localized at the spine neck and regulate spine density and function. Heterozygous Rai14 knockout mice showed impaired learning and memory and depressive-like behavior. Overall, this study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying spine dynamics and depressive-like behavior. The main conclusions are supported by the data.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

Evaluation Summary:

This paper will be of interest to researchers studying how spoken language is processed in the brain. The results add to our understanding of how brain oscillations track language information at the syllable, word, and sentence level. The analyses are thoughtful and the key claims of the manuscript are largely supported by the data, although some conclusions may require additional support.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

Evaluation Summary:

The paper is of interest to scientists who study neuroanatomy or the many behavioural phenotypes that have been proposed to be associated with left-right asymmetry of the human brain. The authors' new tool appears to provide clues to identify individuals based on shape asymmetry.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

eLife assessment

This is an exciting and important study that constitutes a major advance in the molecular understanding of resurgent Na current. Reproducing resurgent current by expression of two proteins has never been done. Here, the authors have for the first time molecularly reconstituted Na channels that produce resurgent Na current. Not only do these experiments satisfactorily and convincingly address a long-standing question in the field, but they also open the door to molecular manipulation of this current, potentially of significant practical use given the proposed role of the current in several disorders and disease states, including pain. The work will be of interest to many neuroscientists.

Evaluation Summary:

The paper addresses the highly timely questions of how to quantify aperiodic and periodic neural activity. This was done by extending previous work by embracing time-resolved parametrization of both simulated, noninvasive EEG and intracranial data. The new approach is termed Spectral Parametrization Resolved in Time (SPRiNT) and the paper shows that the slope of aperiodic activity is linked with both behaviour and age. The method thus demonstrates the importance of evaluating the state-dependence of aperiodic activity and dynamic properties of oscillatory components in a time-resolved manner.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 and Reviewer #3 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

Evaluation Summary:

Synaptotagmins are Ca2+ sensors for synchronous neurotransmitter release. However, despite intense study it remains unclear exactly how the binding of 5 Ca2+ ions to Synaptotagmin's two C2 domains leads to the observed Ca2+ dependence of vesicle fusion. This study puts forward a novel mechanistic model of neurotransmitter vesicle fusion (vesicle exocytosis) which is relatively simple but significantly more detailed than the widely used phenomenological models of calcium-dependent fast exocytosis.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #1 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

Evaluation Summary:

The observations from high quality in vivo and in vitro recordings of tagged CHR neurons are supported by a computational model that suggests feedback inhibition may regulate the activity patterns of CRH neurons in distinct states, and represent an important contribution. The authors also present an unexpected observation that uncovers interesting neural dynamics that will provide the impetus for new studies exploring firing characteristics in discrete physiological and emotional states. Previous work reaching an opposite conclusion and likely effects of urethane on in vivo recordings are not discussed.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #2 and Reviewer #3 agreed to share their name with the authors.)

Evaluation Summary:

The authors describe a new tool to completely block both evoked and spontaneous release in a selective manner using the GAL4 system in Drosophila. Surprisingly, they see no effects on either pre or postsynaptic development when both evoked and spontaneous release are blocked, in contrast to prior studies in the field. Overall, the results are provocative and will be of interest to the field. The study contradicts a number of published works, so it is important for the field to see the data and be able to evaluate it themselves.

(This preprint has been reviewed by eLife. We include the public reviews from the reviewers here; the authors also receive private feedback with suggested changes to the manuscript. Reviewer #1 and Reviewer #2 agreed to share their name with the authors.)