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Recent articles
Basic pain research ‘is not working’: Q&A with Steven Prescott and Stéphanie Ratté
Prescott and Ratté critique the clinical relevance of preclinical studies in the field and highlight areas for improvement.

Basic pain research ‘is not working’: Q&A with Steven Prescott and Stéphanie Ratté
Prescott and Ratté critique the clinical relevance of preclinical studies in the field and highlight areas for improvement.
Smell studies often use unnaturally high odor concentrations, analysis reveals
It’s time to fashion olfactory neuroscience stimuli based on odor concentrations in the wild, say study investigators Elizabeth Hong and Matt Wachowiak.

Smell studies often use unnaturally high odor concentrations, analysis reveals
It’s time to fashion olfactory neuroscience stimuli based on odor concentrations in the wild, say study investigators Elizabeth Hong and Matt Wachowiak.
New tool may help untangle downstream effects of autism-linked genes
The statistical approach helps scientists better control for both measured and unmeasured confounders in gene-expression data, revealing causal relationships between autism-linked genetic variants and downstream cellular effects, such as impaired neuron development.

New tool may help untangle downstream effects of autism-linked genes
The statistical approach helps scientists better control for both measured and unmeasured confounders in gene-expression data, revealing causal relationships between autism-linked genetic variants and downstream cellular effects, such as impaired neuron development.
Accepting “the bitter lesson” and embracing the brain’s complexity
To gain insight into complex neural data, we must move toward a data-driven regime, training large models on vast amounts of information. We asked nine experts on computational neuroscience and neural data analysis to weigh in.

Accepting “the bitter lesson” and embracing the brain’s complexity
To gain insight into complex neural data, we must move toward a data-driven regime, training large models on vast amounts of information. We asked nine experts on computational neuroscience and neural data analysis to weigh in.
Bespoke photometry system captures variety of dopamine signals in mice
The tool tracks the excitation of an engineered protein that senses dopamine’s absolute levels, including fast and slow fluctuations in real time, and offers new insights into how the signals change across the brain.

Bespoke photometry system captures variety of dopamine signals in mice
The tool tracks the excitation of an engineered protein that senses dopamine’s absolute levels, including fast and slow fluctuations in real time, and offers new insights into how the signals change across the brain.
How tiny tardigrades could help tackle systems neuroscience questions
The eight-legged, millimeter-long animals reveal how small nervous systems produce complex behaviors and perceptual abilities, a preprint suggests.

How tiny tardigrades could help tackle systems neuroscience questions
The eight-legged, millimeter-long animals reveal how small nervous systems produce complex behaviors and perceptual abilities, a preprint suggests.
The limits of neuroscience
Truly understanding the brain requires a set of conditions we’re unlikely to meet: that knowledge about the brain is finite, and that we have both access to that knowledge and the means to understand it.

The limits of neuroscience
Truly understanding the brain requires a set of conditions we’re unlikely to meet: that knowledge about the brain is finite, and that we have both access to that knowledge and the means to understand it.
Breaking the barrier between theorists and experimentalists
Many neuroscience students are steeped in an experiment-first style of thinking that leads to “random walk science.” Let’s not forget how theory can guide experiments toward deeper insights.

Breaking the barrier between theorists and experimentalists
Many neuroscience students are steeped in an experiment-first style of thinking that leads to “random walk science.” Let’s not forget how theory can guide experiments toward deeper insights.
Claims of necessity and sufficiency are not well suited for the study of complex systems
The earliest studies on necessary and sufficient neural populations were performed on simple invertebrate circuits. Does this logic still serve us as we tackle more sophisticated outputs?

Claims of necessity and sufficiency are not well suited for the study of complex systems
The earliest studies on necessary and sufficient neural populations were performed on simple invertebrate circuits. Does this logic still serve us as we tackle more sophisticated outputs?
Plaque levels differ in popular Alzheimer’s mouse model depending on which parent’s variants are passed down
5XFAD model mice that inherit two disease-related genes from their fathers have double the plaques seen in those with maternal inheritance, a new study shows.
Plaque levels differ in popular Alzheimer’s mouse model depending on which parent’s variants are passed down
5XFAD model mice that inherit two disease-related genes from their fathers have double the plaques seen in those with maternal inheritance, a new study shows.
Explore more from The Transmitter
Sleep doesn’t just consolidate memories; it actively shapes them
The rapid eye movement (REM) phase preserves newly acquired memories, but deeper non-REM sleep helps to adapt and update them, according to “heroic” day-long electrode recordings in rats.

Sleep doesn’t just consolidate memories; it actively shapes them
The rapid eye movement (REM) phase preserves newly acquired memories, but deeper non-REM sleep helps to adapt and update them, according to “heroic” day-long electrode recordings in rats.
Altered translation in SYNGAP1-deficient mice; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 5 May.

Altered translation in SYNGAP1-deficient mice; and more
Here is a roundup of autism-related news and research spotted around the web for the week of 5 May.
Thinking about thinking: AI offers theoretical insights into human memory
We need a new conceptual framework for understanding cognitive functions—particularly how globally distributed brain states are formed and maintained for hours.

Thinking about thinking: AI offers theoretical insights into human memory
We need a new conceptual framework for understanding cognitive functions—particularly how globally distributed brain states are formed and maintained for hours.