Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-02-27DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.009
Chunhao Qu, Xiao Yu
{"title":"From illness to rest: neural circuits linking sickness and sleep.","authors":"Chunhao Qu, Xiao Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In a recent study, Darmohray et al. identified a brainstem pathway underlying sickness-induced sleep in mice. The authors demonstrated that immune-activated circuits in the nucleus of the solitary tract suppress wake-promoting norepinephrine signaling to promote nonrapid eye movement sleep. These findings help elucidate the neural mechanisms of sickness-induced sleep and provide new insights into sleep-immune interactions.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"155-156"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147318401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-03-02DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.002
Andrew D Gaudet, Laura K Fonken
{"title":"Phagocytosis and neuroinflammation: orchestrating central nervous system homeostasis, repair, and the resolution of inflammation.","authors":"Andrew D Gaudet, Laura K Fonken","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The ingestion of foreign material-phagocytosis-is a fundamental feature shared across phyla, from single-celled ameba to more complex mammalian cells. Phagocytosis is a crucial process for maintaining homeostasis in body systems, including in the central nervous system (CNS). In this review, we first explore how phagocytic cells maintain CNS homeostasis by removing excess synapses, apoptotic cells, and debris. Next, we discuss the dual role of phagocytosis in CNS pathologies, including multiple sclerosis, aging, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic CNS injury, and ischemic stroke. During CNS pathology, phagocytosis aids debris removal and tissue repair, yet also contributes to damage through the engulfment of viable synapses and cells and via the release of cytotoxic mediators. Finally, we highlight current clinically relevant approaches and consider future directions for leveraging phagocytosis to enhance CNS repair and improve neurologic outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"198-216"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12959354/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147345238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-03-01Epub Date: 2026-03-02DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.008
Din Selmanovic, Joseph D Dougherty
{"title":"Challenges and opportunities in adapting high-throughput functional assays for in vivo neuroscience.","authors":"Din Selmanovic, Joseph D Dougherty","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High-throughput functional assays, including CRISPR perturbations with single-cell readouts and massively parallel reporter assays, are redefining studies of gene regulation and function. These assays are effective in homogeneous cultured cells, where libraries can be efficiently scaled, delivered, and recovered. The brain, however, imposes steeper barriers. Viral packaging limits, sparse recovery, and restricted expression constrain throughput, while cellular heterogeneity, spatial architecture, and activity-dependent dynamics demand greater resolution. We review these challenges and emerging strategies for adapting high-throughput functional assays to in vivo functional genomics in neuroscience. We outline advances, obstacles, and a framework organized around two central challenges: (1) library delivery and signal recovery, and (2) cellular complexity. Overcoming these barriers is essential to unlocking how gene regulation shapes brain function and disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"217-232"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147345178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-02-05DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.003
Madeleine R Di Natale, Lincon A Stamp, Marlene M Hao
{"title":"Enteric neuroscience on the move: recording from the gut in vivo.","authors":"Madeleine R Di Natale, Lincon A Stamp, Marlene M Hao","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2026.01.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Investigating the electrophysiological activity of the enteric nervous system in vivo has been an immense challenge for researchers. In a recent study, Boys, Güemes et al. developed a novel device for recording neuronal activity from the gut in live, freely moving rodents.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"80-81"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146133177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-02-04DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.006
Benjamin Chun-Kit Tong, Francesco Gubinelli, Lena F Burbulla, Angelika B Harbauer
{"title":"Mitochondrial specialization and signaling shape neuronal function.","authors":"Benjamin Chun-Kit Tong, Francesco Gubinelli, Lena F Burbulla, Angelika B Harbauer","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neurons are specialized cells designed to process information and transmit it, often across long distances. In many neurons, the axonal volume far exceeds the somato-dendritic volume, creating a need for long-range transport and local polarization mechanisms. In addition, action potential firing and restoration of ionic gradients, as well as dynamic changes in synaptic plasticity, further increase the energetic demands of neurons. In this review, we highlight the roles mitochondria play in vertebrate neuronal biology and how mitochondrial functionality is tuned to support the unique demands of neurons. We cover the influence of mitochondrial positioning, ATP generation and Ca<sup>2+</sup> buffering on neuronal function, and explore the role of mitochondria in neurotransmitter metabolism and local protein translation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"141-154"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-02-04DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.005
Bettina Schnell
{"title":"Flexible circuits for visually guided flight control in Drosophila.","authors":"Bettina Schnell","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Flight maneuvers in the fruit fly Drosophila have long served as a model for studying principles underlying visual information processing. Advances in genetic targeting of individual types of neurons for manipulation and recording, as well as the publication of the complete connectome, have greatly expanded our knowledge of how behavior is controlled by the fly's nervous system. In this review, I summarize recent findings on how visual information relevant to flight is transformed into a behavioral output, ranging from fast stabilizing reflex-like responses to longer-lasting goal-directed behaviors. I argue that flexibility in the processing of visual information and a hierarchical recruitment of different behavioral modules enable the control of this complex behavior with a comparatively small number of neurons.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"98-110"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146126948","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-21DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.004
Anastasia Klimovich-Gray, Mirjana Bozic, Nicola Molinaro, Marie Lallier
{"title":"Dyslexia: a window into the cortical mechanisms of adaptive speech analysis.","authors":"Anastasia Klimovich-Gray, Mirjana Bozic, Nicola Molinaro, Marie Lallier","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Atypical phonological processing is at the core of developmental dyslexia and is linked to aberrant tracking and analysis of auditory information in the cortex. Despite the importance of these mechanisms for speech processing and linguistic development, oral language comprehension in dyslexia remains largely intact. Recent findings suggest that dyslexia-linked atypical cortical processing patterns reflect both underlying deficits and compensatory strategies. This review synthesizes recent evidence linking atypical cortical tracking of auditory information in dyslexia, language development, and neurocognitive mechanisms of adaptive and resilient speech comprehension. We propose hemispheric rebalancing of linguistic analysis as a key compensatory mechanism in dyslexia, supported by interhemispheric connectivity within the distributed bilateral language network and greater reliance on lexico-semantic features during speech processing.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"111-124"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146031008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-02-04DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.007
Soraia Barão, Ulrich Müller
{"title":"Basal progenitors as drivers of neocortical expansion.","authors":"Soraia Barão, Ulrich Müller","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The diversification and expansion of distinct progenitor cell subtypes during embryogenesis are essential to form the sophisticated brain structures present in vertebrates. In particular, the emergence of highly proliferative basal progenitors contributed to the evolutionary enlargement of the mammalian neocortex. Basal progenitors are at the center of indirect neurogenesis and can be divided into two main subtypes: the classical TBR2-positive intermediate progenitor cells and the outer radial glial cells, which are especially abundant in gyrencephalic species. While the function of some transcriptomic regulators is conserved across the mammalian clade, recent studies have identified human-specific genes and enhancers that uniquely affect progenitor biology, possibly driving the increased neocortical complexity and disease-susceptibility of the human brain. Here, we review the evolution of basal progenitors, highlighting species-specific traits, molecular drivers of proliferation, and how imbalances in neurogenesis contribute to human brain disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"82-97"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.003
Benedict J Kolber, Volker Neugebauer, Catherine A Thorn, Robert Froemke, Georgy Bakalkin
{"title":"Neuropeptides in control of left-right neural circuits.","authors":"Benedict J Kolber, Volker Neugebauer, Catherine A Thorn, Robert Froemke, Georgy Bakalkin","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.003","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite extensive research on hemispheric asymmetries, the mechanisms regulating lateralized brain functions are incompletely understood. Growing evidence suggests that lateralized neural circuits are side-specifically controlled, in part, by neuropeptides acting as neuromodulators, paracrine factors, and neurohormones. This review highlights evidence supporting this concept in the contexts of lateralized pain processing in the amygdala, control of auditory signaling, lateralized interoceptive signaling, and side-specific endocrine regulation. Our focus is primarily on rodent studies, with supporting data from humans and nonmammalian species, including turtles and nematodes. Left-right side-specific control may be rooted in a bipartite, lateralized organization of neuropeptide systems. Neuropeptides with asymmetric actions may act locally within specific brain regions or be coordinated across the neuraxis. These findings converge on a model in which neuropeptides enable lateralized control through interconnected mechanisms spanning gene expression, neural circuits, and behavioral outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"125-140"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12795313/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145949005","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Trends in NeurosciencesPub Date : 2026-02-01Epub Date: 2026-02-03DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.008
Andrew J Miller-Hansen, Talia N Lerner
{"title":"Dopamine's secret agent: serotonin.","authors":"Andrew J Miller-Hansen, Talia N Lerner","doi":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tins.2025.12.008","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dopamine suppresses GABA release from striatal terminals in the substantia nigra pars reticulata. Molinari et al. recently demonstrated that this suppression is frequency-dependent-instituting a high-pass filter on striatal 'direct pathway' transmission-and does not require dopamine receptors. Rather, dopamine upregulates serotonin, activating presynaptic 5HT<sub>1B</sub> receptors to exert its effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":23325,"journal":{"name":"Trends in Neurosciences","volume":" ","pages":"77-79"},"PeriodicalIF":15.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12880613/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146120413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}