Julie Rovner
From this contributor
U.S. Senate budget deal boosts spending for health programs
In a rare show of bipartisanship, Republican and Democratic Senate leaders announced a two-year budget deal that would increase federal spending for defense as well as key domestic priorities, including many health programs.

U.S. Senate budget deal boosts spending for health programs
Children’s health program renewed as U.S. federal government reopens
The U.S. Senate and House approved legislation that would keep federal dollars flowing until 8 February, as well as fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for the next six years.

Children’s health program renewed as U.S. federal government reopens
U.S. tax bill includes sweeping changes to healthcare
Having failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, Congress is now working on a tax overhaul for the United States -- which could also have major effects on health policy.

U.S. tax bill includes sweeping changes to healthcare
Five things to watch as ‘Trumpcare’ bill heads to Senate
After weeks of will-they-or-won’t-they tensions, the House managed to pass its Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act yesterday by a razor-thin margin.

Five things to watch as ‘Trumpcare’ bill heads to Senate
New health secretary could dramatically change U.S. health policy
The new Health and Human Services secretary could quickly change the course of health policy in the United States, affecting everything from women's healthcare to tobacco regulation.

New health secretary could dramatically change U.S. health policy
Explore more from The Transmitter
Worms help untangle brain structure/function mystery
The synaptic connectome of most animals bears little resemblance to functional brain maps, but it can still predict neuronal activity, according to two preprints that tackle the puzzle in C. elegans.

Worms help untangle brain structure/function mystery
The synaptic connectome of most animals bears little resemblance to functional brain maps, but it can still predict neuronal activity, according to two preprints that tackle the puzzle in C. elegans.
Microglia nurture young interneurons
The immune cells secrete a growth factor that “sets the supply of GABAergic interneurons in the developing brain.”

Microglia nurture young interneurons
The immune cells secrete a growth factor that “sets the supply of GABAergic interneurons in the developing brain.”
Xaq Pitkow shares his principles for studying cognition in our imperfect brains and bodies
Pitkow discusses how evolution's messy constraints shape optimal brain algorithms, from Bayesian inference to ecological affordances.
Xaq Pitkow shares his principles for studying cognition in our imperfect brains and bodies
Pitkow discusses how evolution's messy constraints shape optimal brain algorithms, from Bayesian inference to ecological affordances.