brain

The mutation prevents certain amino acids from entering neurons, causing the cells to die early in development.

The changes may help explain the link between maternal infection and autism, though more research is needed.

The effect appears to be mediated by a gut-secreted peptide that signals to neurons in the brain that modulate the response to mechanical vibrations.

The Lundbeck Foundation announces an international cohort of neuroscientists have collectively won the €1.3 million Brain Prize.

A wiring map diagrams more than half a million neuronal connections in the first complete connectome of Drosophila and holds clues about which brain architectures best support learning.

A hormone naturally induced by alcohol consumption accelerates the recovery of mice after binge drinking by activating neurons involved in arousal and alertness.

Researchers find that an increased heart rate can induce anxiety in mice, given the right context.

A study finds roflumilast can reverse sleep deprivation–induced amnesia in mice, hinting at pathways to treating memory loss in people.

Data from postmortem brain tissues adds to the evidence that inflammation is associated with autism.

In Chapter 1, “Why Is God Two-Faced?,” author John Wathey argues that the answer to this question is the key to an ethological understanding of religion.

If we ask the right questions, modern tools could help researchers solve mysteries such as why many people believe in a God that both provides unconditional love and levies eternal damnation.

Inactive synapses—found on tiny neuronal projections called filopodia—are abundant in the adult brain, a mouse study suggests.

See some of the coolest images recently featured by The Scientist.