Neuroscience

eLife Assessment

This work, combining behavioural genetics and calcium imaging, provides evidence for a form of learning in Drosophila that derives solely from direct or (optogenetically induced) phantom experience of punishment or reward. Flies that experience foot-shock alone show a subsequent decrease in avoidance to all odorants, together with increased odor-evoked activation of reward-encoding dopaminergic neurons that innervate the mushroom body. Phantom reward, delivered via optogenetic activation of reward-encoding dopaminergic neurons, increases subsequent odour-avoidance. While the findings are valuable to the field, there are aspects of the work that are incomplete, and some of the conclusions and terminology are also not completely justified; three major issues include : (a) the use of the term "priming" to describe this form of learning seems inappropriate and inconsistent with the accepted definition of this term; (b) a key 1998 publication with an initial description of this behavioural phenomenon needs to be cited and presented as context; and (c) the work on reward induced increase in odor-aversion seems relatively preliminary.

eLife Assessment

This important study shows how hunger alters avoidance of harmful heat in C. elegans by reconfiguring the activity of key sensory neurons. The evidence is convincing, with well-designed behavioural, genetic, and imaging experiments that support the main conclusions. The work will be of interest to neuroscientists studying how internal states shape sensory processing and behaviour across species.

eLife Assessment

In this manuscript, the authors investigate the migration of human cortical interneurons under hypoxic conditions using forebrain assembloids and developing human brain tissue, and probe the underlying mechanisms. The study provides the first direct evidence that hypoxia delays interneuron migration and identifies adrenomedullin (ADM) as a potential therapeutic intervention. The findings are important, and the conclusions are convincingly supported by experimental evidence.

eLife Assessment

This study presents a new toolbox for Representational Similarity Analysis, representing a valuable contribution to the neuroscience community. The authors offer a well-integrated platform that brings together a range of state-of-the-art methodological advances within a convincing framework, with strong potential to enable more rigorous and insightful analyses of neural data across multiple subfields.

eLife Assessment

This study provides novel and fundamental insights into the long-term use of DREADDs to modulate neuronal activity in nonhuman primates. The exceptional evidence demonstrates the peak dynamics and the subsequent stability of chemogenetic effects for 1.5 years, informing the experimental designs and the interpretation of highly impactful chemogenetic studies in macaques. The protocols, data, and outcomes can serve as guidelines for future experiments. Therefore, the findings will be of significant interest to the field of chemogenetics and may also be of broader interest to researchers and clinicians who seek to utilize viral vectors and/or related genetic technologies.