Nature Reviews Neuroscience contents March 2012 Volume 13 Number 3 pp 147-216

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
March 2012 Volume 13 Number 3
Impact Factor 29.51 *	In this issue Research Highlights Reviews Perspectives Also this month Artcile series: Brain ageing  Featured article: Understanding calcium waves and sparks in central neurons William N. Ross
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In This Issue p147 | doi:10.1038/nrn3193 PDF
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Top Neurodegenerative disease: Dishing up Alzheimer's disease p149 | doi:10.1038/nrn3201 This study uses a cell reprogramming approach to investigate mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease. PDF Reward: High expectations for GABA p150 | doi:10.1038/nrn3194 GABA neurons encode the value of the expected reward — information that dopamine neurons need to compute prediction errors. PDF IN THE NEWS Turning neural activity into words p150 | doi:10.1038/nrn3206 PDF Synaptic plasticity: Adding a piece to the LTP jigsaw p150 | doi:10.1038/nrn3207 Complexin is involved in postsynaptic AMPA receptor exocytosis in long-term potentiation. PDF Dendrites: Ensuring appropriate coverage p152 | doi:10.1038/nrn3191 Two new studies highlight the contribution of dendrite–substrate interactions to dendritic morphogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster sensory neurons. PDF Cellular neurophysiology: ER cargo confinement influences dendritic plasticity p152 | doi:10.1038/nrn3195 The structural complexity of the ER restricts the diffusion of nascent proteins and influences the spatial scales of cargo transport to the dendritic membrane. PDF Neurodegenerative disorders: Microglia get ready, set... p154 | doi:10.1038/nrn3189 Primed microglia are associated with accelerated decline in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, and a new study indicates that the dysregulation of certain proteins of the alternative complement pathway might trigger the priming process. PDF Pain: A new trick for opioids? p154 | doi:10.1038/nrn3190 An acute high dose of an opioid agonist may be able to reverse the synaptic plasticity associated with chronic pain. PDF Consciousness: Effective detection p155 | doi:10.1038/nrn3188 A new 'bedside' method that detects effective connectivity can discriminate between the vegetative state and the minimally conscious state. PDF IN BRIEF Addiction: Curtailing reward | Cerebral cortex: Whisking up a change in state | Neurodegeneration: Alternative neuronal loss | Gene expression: Transcriptional mapping | Addiction: Brain changes in siblings of addicted individuals | Neuroimmunology: Neural activity regulates T cell entry | Protein metabolism: No turnover for brain nuclear pore proteins | Techniques: Nanoscale imaging of dendritic spines PDF Neuroscience JOBS of the week Postdoctoral Scientist Claudio Cuello, McGill University Faculty Position The University of Alabama Postdoctoral Researcher Fellow Cedars Sinai Medical Center Professor (W3) for Neuroanatomy Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen Cognitive Neuroscience Research Assistant Stanford University More Science jobs from Neuroscience EVENT FENS Forum of Neuroscience 14.-17.07.12 Barcelona, Spain More science events from
REVIEWS		Top
Understanding calcium waves and sparks in central neurons William N. Ross p157 | doi:10.1038/nrn3168 There is increasing evidence of widespread Ca2+ waves and localized spark-like events in neurons, particularly in dendrites; however, their origin and function is still poorly understood. This article reviews emerging data on the nature of these signals, their spatial distribution and potential roles. Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary information
Mechanisms of CaMKII action in long-term potentiation John Lisman, Ryohei Yasuda & Sridhar Raghavachari p169 | doi:10.1038/nrn3192 Long-term potentiation (LTP) describes the long-lasting increase in the strength of synaptic transmission between two neurons, a process that may be integral to learning and memory. In this Review, Lisman and colleagues examine the central role that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has in this form of synaptic plasticity. Focusing on postsynaptic mechanisms, the authors discuss CaMKII in the context of both the early and late stages of LTP. Abstract | Full Text | PDF
Assembly of a new growth cone after axotomy: the precursor to axon regeneration Frank Bradke, James W. Fawcett & Micha E. Spira p183 | doi:10.1038/nrn3176 Adult mammalian CNS axons show little regenerative capacity following injury, in part because they fail to assemble functional growth cones at their tips. However, axons from the mammalian peripheral nervous system and non-mammalian species show more regenerative potential. Here, Bradke et al. examine the process of growth cone assembly after axonal injury. Understanding why this process does not always succeed may facilitate the development of treatments for CNS-damage-related disability. Abstract | Full Text | PDF | Supplementary information
Direction selectivity in the retina: symmetry and asymmetry in structure and function David I. Vaney, Benjamin Sivyer & W. Rowland Taylor p194 | doi:10.1038/nrn3165 Processing within neural circuits in the retina extracts information about the direction of motion of images projected onto the retina. Vaney and colleagues describe the cellular components of this circuitry and outline our current understanding of the mechanisms that are involved in generating direction-selective responses in the retina. Abstract | Full Text | PDF
PERSPECTIVES		Top
SCIENCE AND SOCIETY Article series: Brain ageing Recruiting adaptive cellular stress responses for successful brain ageing Alexis M. Stranahan & Mark P. Mattson p209 | doi:10.1038/nrn3151 Maintaining cognitive function and reducing the risk of cognitive decline is a major concern in ageing populations. In this Perspective, the authors discuss the determinants of healthy and pathological brain ageing, and provide insights into how these processes are accelerated and might be prevented. Abstract | Full Text | PDF
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