Axons

Recent articles

Research image of developing axons in the fly brain.

How developing neurons simplify their search for a synaptic mate

Streamlining the problem from 3D to 1D eases the expedition—a strategy the study investigators deployed to rewire an olfactory circuit in flies.

By Calli McMurray
6 June 2025 | 7 min listen
Illustration of synapse-like threads connecting in various ways.

Learning in living mice defies classic synaptic plasticity rule

Donald Hebb’s theory—memorably summarized as “cells that fire together, wire together”—does not explain the shifting hippocampal connections in mice learning to navigate a virtual environment, according to a new study.

By Sydney Wyatt
28 May 2025 | 6 min listen
Detailed image of neurons in the mouse visual cortex.

Inhibitory cells work in concert to orchestrate neuronal activity in mouse brain

A cubic millimeter of brain tissue, meticulously sectioned, stained and scrutinized over the past seven years, reveals in stunning detail the role of inhibitory interneurons in brain structure and function.

By Katie Moisse
9 April 2025 | 6 min listen
A research image of a mouse hippocampus

Some social issues in DYRK1A model mice stem from faulty inhibitory circuits

Alterations in inhibitory circuits and difficulties in social recognition characterize mice missing one copy of DYRK1A, a gene linked to autism.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
11 October 2023 | 4 min read
Research image of presynapses on sensory neurons in fruit flies.

UBE3A’s link to synaptic pruning bolstered by fly study

Increasing or reducing the levels of the UBE3A gene, which is associated with autism and autism-related syndromes, results in altered patterns of synaptic pruning — a process that snips away brain cell connections.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
28 September 2023 | 5 min read

Repurposed electronics lens spies neurons across entire mouse brain

When combined with tissue-inflation methods, the microscope can image axons without the need for tissue slicing, the researchers say.

By Holly Barker
14 July 2023 | 5 min listen

Autism’s ties to the cell skeleton

Many genes related to the condition play a role in the internal scaffolding of cells, and cytoskeletal disruptions can affect neurodevelopment and behavior.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
22 June 2023 | 7 min read
A hand lifts a line graph off of a page and into the air.

Nerve regeneration paper retracted over faked data

The paper marks the second retraction for one of the co-authors.

By Brendan Borrell
24 May 2023 | 4 min read

Wiring map reveals how larval fruit fly brain converts sensory signals to movement

The map diagrams more than half a million neuronal connections in the first complete connectome of Drosophila and holds clues about which brain architectures best support learning.

By Laura Dattaro
9 March 2023 | 5 min listen
Research image showing the presence of several proteins in neurons.

Protein networks identified in autism-linked genetic deletion

The OTUD7A gene, which may account for some traits in people missing a segment of chromosome 15, appears to interact with several known autism-linked genes.

By Jef Akst
28 February 2023 | 6 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

Sounding the alarm on pseudoreplication: Q&A with Constantinos Eleftheriou and Peter Kind

Most studies of neurological disorders in mice erroneously treat multiple samples from a single animal as independent replicates, according to a new analysis. But scientists and journals can take steps to curb this practice.

By Lauren Schenkman
12 June 2025 | 6 min read

Psychedelics meta-analysis retracted after authors request ‘significant changes’

While working on a similar analysis last year, an independent researcher spotted inconsistencies in the now-retracted paper.

By Marta Hill
11 June 2025 | 2 min read
Research image of mouse brain slices.

Some dopamine neurons signal default behaviors to reinforce habits

Movement-sensing neurons that target the striatum influence a mouse’s choice of action by favoring routine.

By Holly Barker
11 June 2025 | 5 min listen