Neuroscience

eLife assessment

This useful study reports the behavioural and physiological effects of the longitudinal activation of neurons associated with negative experiences. The main claims of the paper are supported by solid experimental evidence, although the specificity of the long-term manipulation could have benefitted from additional validation. This study will be of interest to neuroscientists working on memory.

eLife assessment

This fundamental work proposes a novel mechanism for memory consolidation where short-term memory provides a gating signal for memories to be consolidated into long-term storage. The work combines extensive analytical and numerical work applied to three different scenarios and provides a convincing analysis of the benefits of the proposed model, although some of the analyses are limited to the type of memory consolidation the authors consider (and don't consider), which limits the impact. The work will be of interest to neuroscientists and many other researchers interested in the mechanistic underpinnings of memory.

eLife assessment

This study provides insights into the mechanism of axonal directional changes, utilizing the pacemaker neurons of the circadian clock, the sLNVs, as a model system. The data were collected and analysed using solid methodology, resulting in valuable data on the interplay of signalling pathways and the growth of the axon. The study holds potential interest for neurobiologists focusing on axonal growth and development.

eLife assessment

This useful modeling study explores how the biophysical properties of interneuron subtypes in the basolateral amygdala enable them to produce nested oscillations whose interactions facilitate functions such as spike-timing-dependent plasticity. The strength of evidence is currently viewed as incomplete because of insufficient grounding in prior experimental results and insufficient consideration of alternative explanations. This work will be of interest to investigators studying circuit mechanisms of fear conditioning as well as rhythms in the basolateral amygdala. (The authors explain why they disagree with this assessment in their author response.)

eLife assessment

Schafer et al. investigate the extremely interesting and important claim that the human hippocampus represents the interactions with multiple social interaction partners on two relatively abstract social dimensions – and that this ability correlates with the social network size of the participant. This research potentially demonstrates the intricate role of the hippocampus in navigating our social world. While some results are tantalizing, the empirical evidence for the main claims is currently incomplete and requires clarifications and substantial revisions.

eLife assessment

The study presents a valuable finding in advancing our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the switching of the migration mode from parallel to radial in cerebellar granule cell development. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is solid and supports the main conclusion; the highlight was the imaging system's visualization of the cell-recognition event associated with neuronal migration, which established a new standard for the field. This study would be of interest to cell biologists and neurodevelopmental biologists working on cell-cell interaction and neuronal migration.

eLife assessment

This is an important and timely study that advances our understanding of the role of lateral hypothalamic orexin/hypocretin neurons in appetitive approach and consummatory behaviors. Specifically, using fiber photometry, the authors provide solid and convincing evidence that orexin neurons are primarily active during approach and not consummatory behavior, in a manner that is dependent on metabolic state. Further, using optogenetics and cell type-specific electrophysiology, they show that inputs from the ventral pallidum and lateral nucleus accumbens shell to orexin/hypocretin neurons in the lateral hypothalamus are predominantly inhibitory.

eLife assessment

This useful study aimed to examine the relationship of spatial frequency selectivity of single macaque inferotemporal (IT) neurons to category selectivity. There are some interesting findings in this report but some of these findings were difficult to evaluate because several critical details of the analysis are incomplete. The conclusion that single-unit spatial frequency selectivity can predict object coding needs further evidence to confirm.

eLife assessment

These are important findings that support a link between low-dimensional brain network organisation, patterns of ongoing thought, and trait-level personality factors, making it relevant for researchers in the field of spontaneous cognition, personality, and neuropsychiatry. While this link is not entirely new, the paper brings to bear a rich dataset and a well-conducted study, to approach this question in a novel way. The evidence in support of the findings is convincing.

eLife assessment

This study presents valuable findings as it shows that sleep rhythm formation and memory capabilities depend on a balanced and rich diet in fly larvae. The evidence supporting the claims of the authors is convincing with rigorous behavioral assays and state-of-the-art genetic manipulations. The work will be of interest to researchers working on sleep and memory.