Maintaining Your Youthful Spontaneity: Microcircuit Homeostasis in the Embryonic Spinal Cord

Many developing networks generate spontaneous network activity (SNA) that plays an important role in setting up functional circuitry, but how the proper level and pattern of SNA is itself maintained has not been clear. In this issue of Neuron, Gonzalez-Islas and Wenner show that SNA in the intact embryo regulates itself through a set of adaptive homeostatic plasticity mechanisms

Reading out population codes with a matched filter

We study the optimal way to decode information present in a population code. Using a matched filter, the performance in Gaussian additive noise is as good as the theoretical maximum. The scheme can be applied when correlations among the neurons in the population are present. We show how the read out of the matched filter can be implemented in a neurophysiological realistic manner. The method seems advantageous for computations in layered networks

Integrating Hebbian and homeostatic plasticity: the current state of the field and future research directions

We summarize here the results presented and subsequent discussion from the meeting on Integrating Hebbian and Homeostatic Plasticity at the Royal Society in April 2016. We first outline the major themes and results presented at the meeting. We next provide a synopsis of the outstanding questions that emerged from the discussion at the end of the meeting and finally suggest potential directions of research that we believe are most promising to develop an understanding of how these two forms of plasticity interact to facilitate functional changes in the brain.This article is part of the themed issue 'Integrating Hebbian and homeostatic plasticity'

Nanotools for Neuroscience and Brain Activity Mapping

Neuroscience is at a crossroads. Great effort is being invested into deciphering specific neural interactions and circuits. At the same time, there exist few general theories or principles that explain brain function. We attribute this disparity, in part, to limitations in current methodologies. Traditional neurophysiological approaches record the activities of one neuron or a few neurons at a time. Neurochemical approaches focus on single neurotransmitters. Yet, there is an increasing realization that neural circuits operate at emergent levels, where the interactions between hundreds or thousands of neurons, utilizing multiple chemical transmitters, generate functional states. Brains function at the nanoscale, so tools to study brains must ultimately operate at this scale, as well. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are poised to provide a rich toolkit of novel methods to explore brain function by enabling simultaneous measurement and manipulation of activity of thousands or even millions of neurons. We and others refer to this goal as the Brain Activity Mapping Project. In this Nano Focus, we discuss how recent developments in nanoscale analysis tools and in the design and synthesis of nanomaterials have generated optical, electrical, and chemical methods that can readily be adapted for use in neuroscience. These approaches represent exciting areas of technical development and research. Moreover, unique opportunities exist for nanoscientists, nanotechnologists, and other physical scientists and engineers to contribute to tackling the challenging problems involved in understanding the fundamentals of brain function

Recall this Book 2: Addiction with Gina Turrigiano

In this episode, John and Elizabeth speak with Gina Turrigiano, a neuroscientist at Brandeis, about a number of different facets of addiction. What makes an addiction to a morning constitutional different from-or similar to-an addiction to Fentanyl? What are the biological and social factors to consider? Should the addict be thought of in binary terms, or addiction as a state that people move into and out of? They contemplate these questions through biological, anthropological, and literary lenses, drawing on Marc Lewis, Angela Garcia, and Thomas de Quincey. Late in the episode, there's also a Sprockets joke. Then, in Recallable Books, Gina recommends David Linden's The Compass of Pleasure, Elizabeth recommends When I Wear My Alligator Boots by Shaylih Muehlmann, and John recommends Sam Quinones's Dreamland