Neuroscience

Improved inference of latent neural states from calcium imaging data

1. Stephen Keeley
2. David Zoltowski
3. Adam Charles
4. Jonathan Pillow

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This valuable study provides a practical computational framework for inferring latent neural states directly from calcium fluorescence recordings, bypassing the traditional need for a separate spike deconvolution step. The evidence supporting the method is solid, featuring rigorous validation across multiple latent variable model families (including HMM, GPFA, and LFADS) using both simulated and experimental data. However, the assessment of the method's generality would be further strengthened by application to a broader range of experimental datasets, such as recordings from different brain regions or using different calcium indicators.

Reviewed by eLife

Distinct goal location beta frequency dynamics in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex across learning

1. Glingna Wang
2. Nan Zhou
3. Zachary M Leveroni
4. Jai Y Yu

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This paper represents a valuable contribution to our understanding of how LFP oscillations and beta band coordination between the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of rats may relate to learning. Enthusiasm for the reported results was moderated by the concern that some key analyses need to be done, and highly relevant details about task, data, and statistics were missing. Consequently, the reviewers considered the evidence to be incomplete in this version of the manuscript.

Reviewed by eLife

Trisomy 21 Impairs Synchronized Activity in Human Down Syndrome Cortical Excitatory Neuron Networks

1. Manuel Peter
2. Raquel Real
3. Alessio Strano
4. Hugh P. C. Robinson
5. Mark A. Smith
6. Samuel J. Barnes
7. Tania Dutta
8. Vincenzo De Paola
9. Frederick J. Livesey

Reviewed by Review Commons

Disruption of theta-timescale spiking impairs learning but spares hippocampal replay

1. Abhilasha Joshi
2. Alison E Comrie
3. Samuel Bray
4. Abhijith Mankili
5. Jennifer A Guidera
6. Rhino Nevers
7. Xulu Sun
8. Emily Monroe
9. Viktor Kharazia
10. Ryan Ly
11. Daniela Astudillo Maya
12. Denisse Morales-Rodriguez
13. Jai Yu
14. Anna Kiseleva
15. Victor Perez
16. Loren M Frank

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important study employs a closed-loop, theta-phase-specific optogenetic manipulation of medial septal parvalbumin-expressing neurons in rats and reports that disrupting theta-timescale coordination impairs performance of challenging aspects of spatial behaviors, while sparing hippocampal replay and spatial coding in hippocampal place cells. The findings are expected to advance theoretical understanding of learning and memory operations and to provide practical implications for the application of similar optogenetic approaches. The experiments were viewed as technically rigorous, but the strength of evidence provided in the current version of the manuscript was viewed as incomplete, mostly due to limited analyses and the descriptions of some of the experimental protocols.

Reviewed by eLife

Large-scale bidirectional arrayed genetic screens identify OXR1 and EMC4 as modifiers of α-synuclein aggregation

1. Sandesh Neupane
2. Lea Nikolić
3. Lorenzo Maraio
4. Thomas Goiran
5. Nathan Karpilovsky
6. Stefano Sellitto
7. Vangelis Bouris
8. Jiang-An Yin
9. Ronald Melki
10. Edward A. Fon
11. Elena De Cecco
12. Adriano Aguzzi

Reviewed by Review Commons

Comparative developmental transcriptomics of Drosophila mushroom body neurons highlights the mevalonate pathway as a regulator of axon growth

1. Lora Fahdan
2. Hagar Meltzer
3. Noa Wigoda
4. Ron Rotkopf
5. Oren Schuldiner

• Curated by eLife

  eLife Assessment

  This important work contributes a transcriptional dataset that identifies potential genes involved in axon initial growth and axon regrowth, followed by a characterization of axon phenotypes after knockdown of a subset of these genes. Focused experiments on a single gene, Pmvk, highlight the potential role of the mevalonate pathway in axon regrowth. The methods are convincing, though partially incomplete. The data establish a basis for further studies on axonal development and will be of interest to both developmental neurobiologists and those seeking to develop molecular tools to target, monitor, and manipulate axon morphology and function.

Reviewed by eLife