Reviews & Analysis

In animal models, transient high-frequency oscillations in synchronized neural activity, known as ripples, have been linked to memory. Reithler et al. assess the current evidence for a contribution of ripples to human memory processes and suggest that examining the underlying spike content of ripples could enable researchers to decipher their functions.

As an animal moves within its environment, self-motion signals are generated by the inner ear vestibular organs and the retina and transmitted to the CNS. In this Review, Mao and Gu describe how these multisensory signals are processed and integrated by the brain to enable self-motion perception and aid navigation.

Endocannabinoids are key mediators of affective behaviour, but the neural mechanisms that underlie these effects are only beginning to be elucidated. Here, Loomba and Patel review advances in understanding of the cellular and circuit-level mechanisms underlying endocannabinoid control of anxiety-like behaviour and stress adaptation and provide perspectives on unifying models and the therapeutic implications of endocannabinoid signalling.

Long non-coding RNAs are abundant in the brain, where they are proposed to regulate numerous processes. In this Review, Mattick and colleagues describe our current understanding of their mechanisms of action, focusing on their contributions to enhancer function and the organization of specialized intracellular domains, and consider their roles in brain function and dysfunction.

Growing evidence suggests that reduced cerebral blood flow contributes to cognitive decline in ageing and dementia. Attwell and colleagues discuss the underlying mechanisms and functional consequences of vascular dysfunction in ageing, Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia, and consider the implications for therapeutic interventions.

The use of transcriptomic technologies has led to advances in our understanding of thalamocortical targeting during development. In this Review, Guillamón-Vivancos et al. discuss these advances in the context of how transcriptomic changes and neuronal activity work in concert to drive sensory modality specificity during the development of thalamic sensory nuclei.

Adverse experiences in early life affect brain development across species. In this Review, Nelson, Sullivan and Valdes discuss neuroimaging evidence for how these adversity-induced changes to human brain architecture alter developmental trajectories that may underpin adult psychopathology.

The autonomic nervous system has long been viewed as a simple motor system in brain-to-body signalling. In this review, Wang and colleagues highlight diversity within autonomic neurons and their dynamic roles across physiological systems and disease contexts.

Optical microscopy allows neural cells to be studied in the intact brain, but imaging deep neural tissue presents substantial challenges. Prevedel and colleagues outline the principles of three-photon microscopy, highlighting its advantages for deep tissue imaging and its applications in neuroscience.

Recent years have seen a growth in our understanding of the biological drivers of eating disorders and their interactions with environmental and psychosocial factors. Foldi and Griffiths consider how interdisciplinary research, dimensional diagnostic approaches and improved animal models may enable the development of more effective treatments for these disorders.

The cerebellum helps ensure the speed and accuracy of movements, but its precise contributions to movement control are unclear. Nguyen and Person here evaluate evidence for and against feedforward motor control by the cerebellum in light of its well-defined role in a model of associative learning, and reconcile this with theories of internal model-based control.

Consciousness may be inferred in others through observable behaviours such as facial expressions and vocalizations. However, such overt reporting has limitations, leading to research on physiological signals that disclose consciousness without relying on overt behaviour. In this Review, Kronemer, Bandettini and Gonzalez-Castillo explore such covert measures of consciousness in humans.

The visual systems of vertebrates and insects exhibit considerable similarities. In this Review, Tanaka and Portugues discuss these similarities, focusing primarily on recent works in larval zebrafish and fruitflies and expanding the scope of the comparison from past examinations of this area.

The brain’s high lipid content, iron levels and oxygen metabolism uniquely predispose it to ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death. In this Review, Lei et al. discuss brain-specific vulnerabilities and the physiological and pathological implications of neuroferroptosis.

The capacity to prevent unwanted thoughts is important for cognitive function and mental health. Anderson et al. describe insights into the neural mechanisms of the inhibitory control of thought that have been gained from studies of retrieval stopping and discuss how this knowledge informs our understanding of psychiatric disorders associated with intrusive thinking.

Mutations in the gene encoding the methyl-DNA-binding protein MECP2 cause Rett syndrome. Jaenisch and colleagues here provide an overview of our current understanding of the mechanisms by which MECP2 interacts with DNA and its diverse roles in gene regulation, and consider the implications of these insights for future therapeutic interventions.

The functional roles of the striatal indirect pathway remain unclear. In this Perspective, Lee and Sabatini propose that a three-factor learning rule governs the activity of indirect striatal projection neurons, contributing to the learnt avoidance of actions with negative outcomes and the transition to alternative actions.

Epilepsy is often associated with cognitive comorbidities that lack effective treatment options. In this Review, Gelinas and Khodagholy discuss how physiological neural networks involved in cognition are dysregulated in epilepsy and the therapeutic potential of network-level interventions.

Several space agencies are planning crewed, long-duration missions beyond low-Earth orbit, introducing various health risks and challenges to astronauts. In this Review, Durante and colleagues discuss the effects of two key stressors associated with space flight — microgravity and cosmic radiation — on the CNS.

Synchrony between neuronal activity and the respiratory cycle has been observed in numerous brain regions and across many species. Tort et al. discuss the mechanisms by which brain activity is modulated by breathing and describe the functional impact of this synchrony on perception and cognition.