Volume 27
-
No. 8 August 2024
Special issue on gliaCommunication between glial cells has a profound effect on the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease. Huang et al. report that reactive astrocytes impose cell distancing in peri-plaque glial nets via the guidance receptor Plexin-B1, which affects microglial access and compaction of amyloid plaques. The cover art depicts a fishing net catching fish, which symbolizes glial nets surrounding amyloid deposits in Alzheimer’s disease.
See Huang et al.
-
No. 7 July 2024
AAV-based intersectional targetingOur growing understanding of cell diversity generates an increasing need for molecular tools that selectively target cells on the basis of multiple features. Hughes et al. present an AAV-based toolkit that uses hammerhead ribozymes to achieve intersectional transgene expression. In the cover image, overlapping vinyl records form an abstract representation of Venn diagrams that highlight the intersectionality of complex features.
See Hughes et al.
-
No. 6 June 2024
Brain genomics in Black AmericansRacial health disparities are shaped by complex interactions among genetics and the environment . Benjamin et al. investigate differential brain gene expression and epigenetic modifications linked to ancestry variation among Black Americans, and how these relate to risks for various brain illnesses and traits.
See Benjamin et al.
-
No. 5 May 2024
Common chemicals harm oligodendrocytes.Chemicals in household products may affect brain development through direct toxic effects on oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells in the central nervous system. These chemicals can be found in many consumer products, including hair conditioners, disinfecting wipes, and mouthwash. Because oligodendrocytes can develop and myelinate throughout childhood, the chemicals may pose a significant health risk to children. This image depicts a setting in which a child may be exposed to the identified chemicals. In this image, a myelinated neuron and oligodendrocytes float in the water of a bathtub, where they are covered in quaternary compounds.
See Cohn et al.
-
No. 4 April 2024
GluK2 detects coldThe molecular identity of cold sensors in peripheral somatosensory neurons remains unclear. Cai et al. report that GluK2, a kainate-type glutamate receptor that mediates synaptic transmission in the brain, is co-opted as a cold sensor in the periphery. The cover art depicts snow and ice adhering to the ends of branches, symbolizing the role of peripheral sensory nerve endings, distant from the soma (shown in the background), as the primary detectors of cold.
See Cai et al.
-
No. 3 March 2024
Mapping circuits for DBSWithin the enigmatic depths of an aquatic universe, divers use flashlights to reveal the hidden contours of an uncharted seabed that teems with wondrous vegetation. In an analogous exploration, Hollunder et al. describe how invasive brain stimulation delivered to deep-seated brain nuclei may act as a beacon. Using deep brain stimulation (DBS), they show that the frontal cortex can be segregated into distinct circuits that become dysfunctional in four different brain disorders. Their topographical map may shed light on more-precise brain-circuit therapeutics.
See Hollunder, et al.
-
No. 2 February 2024
Mothers’ neuroplasticity at peripartum and childbirth.During gestation, childbirth, and the postpartum period, dynamic cortical plasticity occurs in mothers’ brains. Paternina-Die, Martínez-García et al. show decreased cortical thickness during pregnancy, which attenuates after birth. In the cover image, the mantle enveloping the mother with child symbolizes the cortical mantle, and the shape of the woman’s brain resembles a baby, serving as a metaphor for the maternal brain. The pixelation overlaying the baby and the background recreates the MRI voxels. The central figure in the image portrays Dr Paternina-Die, who herself became a first-time mother during the completion of this study.
See Paternina-Die, Martínez-García, et al.
-
No. 1 January 2024
AgRP neurons encode circadian mealtimesTo maximize fitness, most animals adopt an optimal foraging strategy to procure the highest energy at the lowest cost. For example, nighttime is likely to be preferred by nocturnal animals owing to its relative safety from predators and the ease of food availability. In an environment with such periodic food availability, AgRP neurons are entrained by past successful feeding experiences and use this circadian information to promote foraging at similar time windows on subsequent days to maximize the chance of feeding.
See Sayar-Atasoy et al.