The cover photo shows the developing zebrafish nervous system at 5 days post-fertilization. Axon tracts are labeled with an anti-acetylated alpha tubulin antibody. The image, which was acquired on a Zeiss LSM 880 confocal microscope, is a maximum intensity projection of a z-stack that has been color-coded for depth. Major brain regions such as the olfactory bulb, forebrain, habenula, optic tectum, cerebellum, hindbrain, and eye are identifiable. This image is part of a study (Plavicki Lab, Brown University) focused on understanding the impact of toxicant exposures on brain development and activity with the goal of identifyingenvironmental factors that contribute to the etiology of neurodevelopmental disorders.

The efficacy of circadian manipulation on affective and socio-cognitive functions were studied in ventral subicular lesioned (VSL) rat model of cognitive impairment. Bilateral VSL resulted in anxiety, depression, and impaired social behavior. Further, these VSL-induced behavioral deficits were ameliorated by exposure to short photoperiod (06/18 hr light-dark cycle) for 21 days.

Mindfulness-based therapy reduces depression in adults with autism and increases middle cingulate cortex activation during self-reflection. Greater reductions in depression were associated with greater increases in middle cingulate activation, suggesting a potential therapeutic mechanism of mindfulness.

Chronic reduction in luteinizing hormone and testosterone (gonadotropin deficiency and hypogonadism). Neuroendocrine dysfunction and mild traumatic brain injury associated with mental health disorder (MHD) diagnosis. Long-term neuroendocrine dysregulation in a deployed, chronically stressed military population associated with MHDs.

Potential molecular mechanism by which pfn1 regulates microglia polarization and hypoxia/ischemia injuries.

Tomosyn inhibits RhoA activity via WD40 motif to regulate dendritic stability. Silence or autism spectrum disorder-associated variants of tomosyn result in reduced dendritic complexity and surface expression of AMPA receptors.

Electrical synapses in animals can display considerable variability in their permeability and conductances. This study documents how adenosine triphosphate exposure can significantly increase both of these measures in the nervous system of the medicinal leech. These findings highlight a robust mechanism for modifying neuronal circuits and which allows the rapid recruitment of neurons into active networks and promotes the entrainment of synchronized bursting activity.