The Transmitter

Gerry Fischbach pioneered the use of nerve-muscle cell cultures, enabling the exploration of the neuromuscular junction and the identification and study of proteins in the neuregulin family. He passed away on Sunday at the age of 87. By @claulopezneuro

The platform, called WILD, integrates neuronal recording, behavioral measures, onboard signal processing and machine-learning algorithms, along with optogenetic stimulation, enabling closed-loop control. By Simon Makin

In this episode of #TheoreticalNeurosciencePodcast @GauteEinevoll talks with Michael Reimann about how the shape of neurons puts strong constraints on how they are wired in a network.

Assemblies form the building blocks of perception and memory, but how they form in real brains has long been a mystery. By @natmesanash

RT @The_EARA: #Monkeys are essential in key areas of #neuroscience. A new article by @_thetransmitter, based on #interviews with 17 #neuroscientists, explains why #NonHumanPrimates remain key. Learn more: 🔗 #AnimalResearch #Monkeys

Evolutionary neuroscientist Barbara Finlay proposed that the timing of neurogenesis dictates the size of each brain region, a concept she developed into a model predicting when key developmental events occur in mammals. By @callimcflurry

Neurons in the crow’s nidopallium caudolaterale predict the decision the bird will make just 70 milliseconds after a stimulus. By Sarah Thau

Two new studies, including the first lipid atlas of the mouse brain, reveal key roles in both pregnancy and aging for lipids, previously understudied in the brain. By @laschenk

Computational neuroscientist @SussilloDavid maps the divergent paths of AI and neuroscience, and where they might still meet. By @emilysinger

RT @Renatocfduarte: I'm happy to share my first contribution to The Transmitter. From its inception, AI has borrowed ideas and concepts from the brain's operations and mechanisms. The two field have a lot to gain from each other and we should work to make the bridge wider and stronger.

A citation analysis reveals that the connection between the two fields is real and gaining momentum. But it’s also narrow and tool-heavy; we need to find ways to widen it, writes @Renatocfduarte.

An alternative, albeit less quantitative, way to trace this history is through the people who carried ideas between the fields, writes @TonyZador. Read his commentary on Duarte’s essay:

Many of the design choices present in the current generation of AI tools parallel purported properties of the brain, writes @neurokim. Read Stachenfeld’s analysis of Duarte’s essay:

Barbara Finlay, who died on 12 September, championed the idea that developmental constraints dictate how evolution sculpts brains, which she used to model the timing of hundreds of events and align them across mammalian species. By @callimcflurry

Crows have brains “in the fast lane,” according to Andreas Nieder, who showed in a new study that they make perceptual decisions twice as fast as primates. By Sarah Thau

“What is considered profound autism for one person might not be considered profound autism for another person.” —Joshua Anbar, clinical assistant professor of healthcare administration and policy, Arizona State University By @Brabbott42

On this episode of Brain Inspired, Andrea Hiott explains her navigational approach to the mind, and why now is the time to embrace seemingly paradoxical findings in neuroscience.

Almost 15 years after their debut, organoids have become a main player for studying human brain development. But their immaturity and lack of vasculature limits their ability to replace animal-based methods more broadly. By @claulopezneuro

“When autistic kids grow up” has won Silver and has been named the Listener’s Choice in the Health and Wellness category of the @signalawards! Listen now to all episodes of the limited series:

In her new book, Susana Carmona writes about her life’s work studying pregnant women’s brains. She discusses the book and some questions the field still needs to address in a Q&A with associate editor @FrankieRivera25.