Review Articles

High-resolution maps of biological annotations in the brain are increasingly generated and shared. In this Review, Bazinet and colleagues discuss how brain connectomes can be enriched with biological annotations to address new questions about brain network organization.

Synaptic or neuronal activity can trigger transcriptional changes in the nucleus that are important for learning and memory. Tsien, Ma and co-workers here provide a comprehensive review of the complex signalling pathways involved in this excitation–transcription coupling.

Research has often considered defensive behaviour as entirely mediated by the brain processing threat-related information. In this Review, Tseng et al. elucidate the interconnected network between the brain and body that facilitates defensive responses to threats varying in imminence.

Stress modulates immune system function and systemic inflammation is linked to stress-related disorders, including depression. Russo and colleagues outline the neural circuits through which the CNS regulates immune cell function in peripheral tissues in response to stress and consider how these responses contribute to stress-related pathophysiology.

Motherhood in humans is associated with numerous neurobiological adaptations. In this Review, Servin-Barthet et al. focus on the interplay among pregnancy-related hormones, brain plasticity and maternal behaviour and aim to provide a roadmap for future investigations.

Ciliated neurons sited at the interface between the CNS and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are present in many species; however, it is only in recent years that these ‘CSF-contacting neurons’ have been investigated in detail. Wyart et al. here discuss the features of these neurons and our current understanding of their varied contributions to CNS function.

Through the study of animal models, translational research aims to uncover mechanisms that may underlie phenomena observed in humans. In this Review, Brynildsen et al. explore the contributions of network science approaches to cross-species translational research in neuroscience.

In addition to its well known role in fast inhibitory synaptic transmission, GABA mediates the tonic inhibition of neuronal activity over slower timescales. Lee, Cheong and colleagues provide an overview of the mechanisms that regulate GABA tone in the brain and the contribution of tonic GABA currents to cognitive function.

Developments in connectomics and network neuroscience over the past 20 years have led to new ways of investigating communication in complex brain networks. In this Review, Seguin, Sporns and Zalesky discuss the current landscape of models of brain network communication.

The contribution of visual information to the representation of space in the brain is well known and recent research in rodents has indicated that spatial signals can also influence visual processing. In this Review, Saleem and Busse describe what is known about these bidirectional interactions and their importance in the control of visuo-spatial behaviour.

Alternative splicing dysregulation contributes to the molecular pathology of a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases. In this Review, Nikom and Zheng discuss the latest advances in RNA-based therapeutic strategies developed to target the underlying splicing mechanisms.

Microglia are detected in active lesions in multiple sclerosis (MS) and research in animal models has suggested diverse roles for these cells in neural damage and repair. Gosselin and colleagues discuss the mechanisms through which microglia contribute to neuropathology and the molecular mechanisms that regulate their function in demyelinating conditions.

Oligodendrocytes secrete extracellular vesicles, which deliver cargo to axons where they regulate key cellular processes. In this Review, Krämer-Albers and Werner discuss the mechanisms by which extracellular vesicles promote neuronal health and their potential to be utilized therapeutically.

The pathogenesis of multiple system atrophy, a rapidly progressing oligodendroglial α-synucleinopathy, is not well understood. In this Review, Stefanova and Wenning discuss how converging findings from genetic and neuropathological studies and experimental models have revealed a complex cascade of mechanisms that underlie the disorder.

Clarification of mechanisms underlying inflammation and neural repair after ischaemic stroke could lead to improved prognosis. In this Review, Shichita et al. discuss the biphasic nature of the post-stroke inflammatory response and the key molecules and cells involved.

The CNS critically relies on an extensive and complex vasculature to function properly. In this Review, Wälchli and colleagues examine the general and CNS-specific mechanisms that underlie angiogenesis in brain development, brain vascular malformations and brain tumours.

Through their widespread connectivity, cholinergic projection neurons in the basal forebrain can modulate diverse cognitive functions. In this Review, Ananth and colleagues provide a comprehensive overview of the development, organization and function of different populations of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons.

The advanced cognitive capacities of humans are linked to the evolution of a number of species-specific cortical features. In this Review, Pierre Vanderhaeghen and Franck Polleux discuss the genomic modifications and changes in neurodevelopmental mechanisms that underpin the human brain’s unique complexity and function.

Primates can quickly detect situations in which their performance deviates from the intended goal by the process of error monitoring. In this Review, Rutishauser and colleagues discuss the neuronal mechanisms that underlie such monitoring in macaques and humans.

Spectrins are abundant cytoskeletal proteins with multifaceted roles in the nervous system whose dysfunction leads to neurological syndromes. In this review, Lorenzo et al. provide an update on the neurobiology of spectrins and the genetics of neuronal spectrinopathies, together with insights into the pathophysiology of these disorders.