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Top 7 in neuroscience

A snapshot of the highest-F1000-ranked articles in neuroscience and related areas

Written byJef Akst
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linkurl:1. Clock calibrated by temp;http://f1000.com/5742957?key=9h4fl7rt1z53ybs
Mouse cingulated cortex neurons
Image: Wikimedia commons, Shushruth
The suprachiasmatic nucleus, a tiny area in the middle of the brain responsible for controlling circadian rhythms, uses small fluctuations in the body temperatures of mammals to coordinate the daily rhythms of tissues throughout the body. E.D. Buhr ED, et al., "Temperature as a universal resetting cue for mammalian circadian oscillators," linkurl:Science,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20947768?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000%2Cf1000m 330:79-85, 2010. Evaluated by Jean Clairambault, INRIA; Patrick Fuller and Clifford Saper, Beth Israel Deaconess Med Cen, Harvard Med School; Ralph Mistlberger, Simon Fraser Univ; Stacey Harmer, UC Davis. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/5742957?key=9h4fl7rt1z53ybs linkurl:2. Prozac transforms neurons;http://f1000.com/5217963?key=847b301wb7l7ln4 In Prozac-treated mice, increased levels of the microRNA miR-16 reduces the expression of the serotonin transporter (SERT) in serotonergic neurons, while decreased miR-16 levels in noradrenergic neurons turns on the expression of serotonergic functions, suggesting that antidepressants can modify the neuronal phenotype.A. Baudry, et al. "miR-16 targets the serotonin transporter: a new facet for adaptive responses to antidepressants, " linkurl:Science,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20847275?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000%2Cf1000m 329:1537-41, 2010. Evaluated by Mark Millan, Centre de Recherches de Croissy; Zachary Weil and Randy Nelson, Ohio State Univ College of Med; Irwin Lucki, Univ of Pennsylvania; Bryan Roth, Univ of North Carolina. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/5217963?key=847b301wb7l7ln4 linkurl:3. Flies have "eyes" on their backs;http://f1000.com/6200957?key=d3fsj545j7wvpg7 Drosophila larvae can sense ultraviolet, violet and blue light via a special class of neurons that line their body wall. This novel and unexpected photosensory system appears to mediate light avoidance in the well-studied model organism, enabling larvae to detect light over their entire bodies and move away from danger.Y. Xiang, et al., "Light-avoidance-mediating photoreceptors tile the Drosophila larval body wall," linkurl:Nature,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/21068723?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000%2Cf1000m 468:921-6, 2010. Evaluated by Steven Reppert, Univ of Mass Med School; Gray Lyons and Chay T Kuo, Duke Univ Med Cen. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/6200957?key=d3fsj545j7wvpg7 linkurl:4. Dopamine does and doesn't help learning;http://f1000.com/7085958?key=nh6h6jpvy1x0htl In contrast to the dominant hypothesis about Pavlovian conditioning -- such as associating a cue with a food reward -- dopamine signaling is not required for learning in rats that approach a food reward when a cue is presented. It is, however, a key component of learning in rats that approach the cue itself, possibly providing insight into the neurobiology of impulse control disorders.S.B. Flagel, et al., "A selective role for dopamine in stimulus-reward learning," linkurl:Nature,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/21150898?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000%2Cf1000m 469:53-7, 2010. Evaluated by Björn Brembs Freie Univ Berlin; Xiaoxi Zhuang, Univ of Chicago. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/7085958?key=nh6h6jpvy1x0htl linkurl:5. Shuffling neurons aids spatial memory;http://f1000.com/4375956?key=nqxqjgllylz89qz Certain regions in the rat hippocampus are reorganized upon learning novel locations of food rewards, and reactivating those new arrangements is critical to the long-term memory of the food locations.D. Dupret, et al., "The reorganization and reactivation of hippocampal maps predict spatial memory performance," linkurl:Nat Neurosci,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/20639874?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000%2Cf1000m 13:995-1002, 2010. Evaluated by Lisa Giocomo and Edvard I Moser, Norwegian Univ of Sci and Tech; Howard Eichenbaum, Boston Univ. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/4375956?key=nqxqjgllylz89qz linkurl:6. Fear fighting neurons;http://f1000.com/7152956?key=631rprmn8vjdnzj Researchers reveal the molecular-level anatomical details of the amygdala's control over fear responses, identifying an inhibitory subset of neurons responsible for controlling fear, which may provide clues for the treatment of fear-related disorders.W. Haubensak, et al., "Genetic dissection of an amygdala microcircuit that gates conditioned fear," linkurl:Nature,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/21068836?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000%2Cf1000m 468:270-6, 2010. Evaluated by Kerry Ressler, Yerkes National Primate Res Cen; Matt E Carter and Luis de Lecea, Stanford Univ. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/7152956?key=631rprmn8vjdnzj linkurl:7. Lungs can taste;http://f1000.com/1163731?key=4g03cyytr4wcnjz The cilia lining the human airway, responsible for ejecting harmful inhaled material, express bitter taste receptors, beating more in response to noxious substances, possibly as a defensive mechanism to prevent harmful compounds from reaching the lungs.A.S. Shah, et al., "Motile cilia of human airway epithelia are chemosensory," linkurl:Science,;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez/19628819?dopt=Abstract&holding=f1000%2Cf1000m 325:1131-4, 2009. Evaluated by Stephen Roper, Univ of Miami School of Med; Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, Univ of Calif; Sue Kinnamon, Colorado State Univ. linkurl:Free F1000 Evaluation;http://f1000.com/1163731?key=4g03cyytr4wcnjz The F1000 Top 7 is a snapshot of the highest ranked articles from a 30-day period on Faculty of 1000 Neuroscience, as calculated on January 20, 2011. Faculty Members evaluate and rate the most important papers in their field. To see the latest rankings, search the database, and read daily evaluations, visit linkurl:http://f1000.com.;http://f1000.com
**__Related stories:__***linkurl:Top 7 papers in neuroscience;http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/57800/
[9th November 2010]*linkurl:Top 7 papers in neuroscience;http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/57742/
[12th October 2010]*linkurl:Top 7 papers in neuroscience;http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/57662/
[31st August 2010]
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Meet the Author

  • Jef Akst

    Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.

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