Some visual neurons in the dragonfly ( Hemicordulia tau ) optic lobe respond to small, moving targets, likely underlying their fast pursuit of prey and conspecifics. In response to repetitive targets presented at short intervals, the spiking activity of these ‘small target motion detector’ (STMD) neurons diminishes over time. Previous experiments limited this adaptation by including inter-trial rest periods of varying durations. However, the characteristics of this effect have never been quantified. Here, using extracellular recording techniques lasting for several hours, we quantified both the spatial and temporal properties of STMD adaptation. We found that the time course of adaptation was variable across STMD units. In any one STMD, a repeated series led to more rapid adaptation, a minor accumulative effect more akin to habituation. Following an adapting stimulus, responses recovered quickly, though the rate of recovery decreased nonlinearly over time. We found that the region of adaptation is highly ...

A goal of connectomics is to reveal the links between neural circuits and behavior. Larvae of the primitive chordate Ciona are well-suited to make contributions in this area. In addition to having a described connectome, Ciona larvae have a range of readily-quantified behaviors. Moreover, the small number of neurons in the larval CNS (∼180) holds the promise of a comprehensive characterization of individual neurons. We present single-neuron predictions for glutamate receptor (GlutR) expression based on in situ hybridization. Included are both ionotropic receptors (AMPA, NMDA, and Kainate), and metabotropic receptors. The predicted glutamate receptor expression dataset is discussed in the context of known circuits driving behaviors such as phototaxis, mechanosensation, and looming shadow response. The predicted expression of AMPA and NMDA receptors may help to resolve issues regarding the co-production of GABA and glutamate by a subset of photoreceptors. The targets of these photoreceptors in the midbrain a...

Spike-and-wave discharges (SWDs) and sleep spindles are characteristic electroencephalographic (EEG) hallmarks of absence seizures and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, respectively. They are commonly generated by the cortico-thalamo-cortical (CTC) network including the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN). It has been reported that SWD development is accompanied by a decrease in sleep spindle density in absence seizure patients and animal models. However, whether the decrease in sleep spindle density precedes, coincides with, or follows, the SWD development remains unknown. To clarify this, we exploited Pvalb -tetracycline transactivator (tTA)::tetO-ArchT (PV-ArchT) double-transgenic mouse, which can induce an absence seizure phenotype in a time-controllable manner by expressing ArchT in PV neurons of the TRN. In these mice, EEG recordings demonstrated that a decrease in sleep spindle density occurred 1 week before the onset of typical SWDs, with the expression of ArchT. To confirm such temporal relationsh...

The FENS-SfN Summer School on Neurodevelopmental Psychiatric Disorders took place June 22-28, 2014, in Bertinoro, Italy. Dr. Beatriz Rico from the Institute of Neuroscience in Alicante gives a talk on GABAergic circuitry assembly and schizophrenia.

Mary Morrison, assistant professor at Lycoming College, and Jill Becker, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, talk about how to support students from diverse backgrounds in academia

As the knowledge base in neuroscience continues to expand, educators need timely resources to engage their students. Educational Resources in Neuroscience (ERIN), a web portal developed by the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), is an invaluable tool to help undergraduate, graduate, and clinical education professors find state-of-the art resources.

Many students want to find a non-academic career after graduation. Preparing for these paths takes a different set of skills than academia. Andrew Bean discusses this reality, and the variety of career options that are available for neuroscientists.

The qualities of a good protégé include effective communication, trust, flexibility, patience, openness, optimism, and persistence.

When thinking of a career in science editing and publishing, most people assume it means working for a peer-reviewed journal, like The Journal of Neuroscience.

It may not be the most obvious career path, but working in the government can utilize scientific skills and knowledge developed during your PhD training.