SFN 2017

Recent articles

Abnormalities in proteins at synapses are implicated in autism.

Billions of neuronal junctions make up new ‘synaptome’ map

Researchers have charted billions of synapses in the mouse brain and sorted them by type.

By Hannah Furfaro
20 September 2018 | 4 min read
eight brains with various sections highlighted

Chromosome 16 deletion miswires brain in people, mice

Mice and people missing a copy of a chromosomal region called 16p11.2 show similar patterns of weak brain connections.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
12 June 2018 | 4 min read
Blood vessels seen at magnification.

Human ‘mini-brains’ make themselves at home in mice

Spheres of brain cells derived from people and implanted into mouse brains recruit blood vessels and integrate with mouse neurons.

By Katie Moisse
23 May 2018 | 4 min read
Capitol building with reflections Washingtom DC, USA

Takeaways from SfN 2017

After five days and more than 13,000 abstracts, the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C., has drawn to a close.

By Claire Cameron
16 November 2017 | 3 min read
monkeys hugging

Social hormones alter monkey behavior in sex-specific ways

The hormones oxytocin and vasopressin promote social interactions in male monkeys but make female monkeys more aggressive than usual.

By Nicholette Zeliadt
15 November 2017 | 4 min read
jumping mouse in the wild

Drug cocktail curbs repetitive jumping in mice

A trio of drugs eases repetitive behaviors in mice by activating a brain region involved in motor control.

By Katie Moisse
15 November 2017 | 3 min read
child sticking tongue out and making a face while holding chopsticks

In autism, food quirks show up in social brain areas

Young adults with autism who have intense sensitivity to taste show increased activation in social areas of the brain when they taste something sweet.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
15 November 2017 | 3 min read
Creating clear images of neurons in living animals may require clever chemistry.

Compound lets scientists see deep inside brains of living mice

A chemical that doctors use to create contrast on X-rays also yields clear images of neurons in the brains of living mice.

By Hannah Furfaro
15 November 2017 | 3 min read
child with headphones listening to a woman on television with doctor watching

Lab tests may pick up sensory sensitivity in autism

A person's ability to distinguish similar syllables by sight and sound correlates with how sensitive she is to sensory stimuli.

By Sarah DeWeerdt
15 November 2017 | 3 min read
Mapping the connections between brain regions in mice can reveal which ones are strengthened by a drug.

Mouse imaging study hints at how fragile X drug trial went wrong

The drug mavoglurant has no effect on a brain circuit involved in social behavior in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome. That may explain its poor performance in people with the condition.

By Katie Moisse
15 November 2017 | 3 min read

Explore more from The Transmitter

‘Digital humans’ in a virtual world

By combining large language models with modular cognitive control architecture, Robert Yang and his collaborators have built agents that are capable of grounded reasoning at a linguistic level. Striking collective behaviors have emerged.

By Kevin Mitchell
10 February 2025 | 4 min read
Research image of brain glucose levels in mice.

Food for thought: Neuronal fuel source more flexible than previously recognized

The cells primarily rely on glucose—rather than lactate from astrocytes—to generate energy, according to recent findings in mice.

By Giorgia Guglielmi
7 February 2025 | 6 min read
Abstract illustration of overlapping lines.

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?

By Grace Lindsay
7 February 2025 | 6 min read