Neural computational accounts of reward-learning have been dominated by the hypothesis that dopamine neurons behave like a reward-prediction error and thus facilitate reinforcement-learning in striatal target neurons. While this framework is consistent with a lot of behavioral and neural evidence, this theory fails to account for a number of behavioral and neurobiological observations. In …
What are the precise molecular and cellular mechanisms that the human brain exploits to encode consciousness, identity and thought? This remains undoubtedly one of the greatest scientific challenges facing mankind. This Special Issue addresses with eminent precision the rules that dictate the structural and functional diversity of neurons as well as the molecular principles that …
Guest Editors: L. Bonfanti and G Zupanc Despite the considerable enthusiasm for research on adult neurogenesis, there are a strikingly low number of comparative studies in this field. However knowledge from comparative studies may provide clues about the biological function of adult neurogenesis, which remains largely elusive in the intact mammalian brain. This Special Issue …
One of the most important functions of the brain is to guide our behavior through an ever-changing environment. Circuitries executing and modulating saccadic eye movements represent an elegant model system for investigating how sensory information and goal-related information interact to control and coordinate behavior.
The (re-)discovery that new neurons are generated in the adult mammalian brain has opened new perspectives on the regenerative capacity of the central nervous system, fueling hopes of rapid development of neuronal replacement therapies. This Special Issue of EJN encompasses a wide spectrum of views and opinions by leaders in the field, allowing any interested …
Guest Editors: Vincent Prévot This Special Issue presents current views on the mechanisms of neuronal, glial, and hormonal plasticity in the vertebrate hypothalamus and pituitary, focusing on ontogenic development and reversible changes during circadian, reproductive, and seasonal rhythms. These reviews outline fundamental principles of brain adaptation to constraints of the environment and of the “milieu …
Guest Editor:Didier Pinault This Special Feature of EJN presents ten reviews by world experts conducting basic and clinical research on Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) to address the mechanisms of action of DBS underlying its effects on the brain and its therapeutic potential for chronic neurological and psychiatric diseases. Read more…
Guest Editor: Peter Scheiffele and Michizuke Yuzaki This Special Issue discusses key advances in our current understanding of mechanisms of synapse assembly, synaptic plasticity associated with learning, and the alteration of glutamatergic synapses in disease states. Read more…
This Special Issue presents a showcase of reviews and original articles by long-time supporters of EJN illustrating the breath and quality of research published by EJN. Read more…
This special issue outlines that the question of when and where cortical multisensory integration first occurs remains a topic of considerable interest. Read more…