Involvement of spindles in memory consolidation is slow wave sleep-specific [BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS]

Cholinergic modulation during acquisition of olfactory fear conditioning alters learning and stimulus generalization in mice [BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS]

We investigated the role of cholinergic neurotransmission in olfactory fear learning. Mice receiving pairings of odor and foot shock displayed fear to the trained odor the following day. Pretraining injections of the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine had no effect on subsequent freezing, w ... more

Effects of aversive stimuli beyond defensive neural circuits: Reduced excitability in an identified neuron critical for feeding in Aplysia [BRIEF COMMUNICATIONS]

In Aplysia, repeated trials of aversive stimuli produce long-term sensitization (LTS) of defensive reflexes and suppression of feeding. Whereas the cellular underpinnings of LTS have been characterized, the mechanisms of feeding suppression remained unknown. Here, we report that LTS traini ... more

The E3 ligase APC/C-Cdh1 is required for associative fear memory and long-term potentiation in the amygdala of adult mice [RESEARCH]

The anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is an E3 ligase regulated by Cdh1. Beyond its role in controlling cell cycle progression, APC/C–Cdh1 has been detected in neurons and plays a role in long-lasting synaptic plasticity and long-term memory. Herein, we further examined the role ... more

In the bacterial world of your mouth, nurture wins out over nature

The human mouth is home to a teeming community of microbes, yet still relatively little is known about what determines the specific types of microorganisms that live there.  Is it your genes that decide who lives in the microbial village, or is it your environment?  In a study published in ... more

Differences between human twins at birth highlight importance of intrauterine environment

Your genes determine much about you, but environment can have a strong influence on your genes even before birth, with consequences that can last a lifetime.  In a study published in Genome Research, researchers have for the first time shown that the environment experienced in the womb defi ... more

Gut microbes battle a common set of viruses shared by global populations

The human gut is home to a teeming ecosystem of microbes that is intimately involved in both human health and disease.  But while the gut microbiota is interacting with our body, they are also under constant attack from viruses.  In a study published in Genome Research, researchers have ana ... more