synaptic-biology

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 19 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02339-4 Simultaneous voltage imaging of soma and dendrites in layer 2/3 cortical neurons in live mice reveals rich dynamics of spike back-propagation, with amplitude shaped by spiking history, dendrite location and behavioral state.

Liafensine is a triple reuptake inhibitor targeting transporters for serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). It did not exhibit efficacy in non-biomarker-selected TRD patients in two Phase 2b studies. We utilized the blood samples from the patients enrolled in these two studies and extracted genomic DNA to conduct a genome‑wide association study aiming to…

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 16 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02325-w The authors develop red fluorescent GRAB acetylcholine (ACh) sensors and highlight rACh1h as a robust tool for multiplex recording together with various green sensors. Using fiber photometry, mesoscopic imaging and two-photon imaging, rACh1h is shown to reliably report ACh dynamics in vivo.

They weren’t just tuning the strength of the incoming signals (the synapses); they were actually training the neuron on *where* those signals should land on its branchy “tree” to get the best results. Cortical pyramidal neurons possess elaborate dendritic trees with diverse nonlinear membrane conductances and thousands of plastic synapses, suggesting substantial computational capabilities at [&#8…

Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41583-026-01055-z AMPA receptors (AMPARs) mediate fast excitatory neurotransmission in the brain. Derek Bowie and colleagues describe recent advances in our understanding of the regulatory layers that operate across the lifespan of an AMPAR to govern its assembly, structure and function.

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, Published online: 12 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41401-026-01808-7 Amyloid-beta fibrils as active contributors to synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease

Synaptic failure is one of the earliest and most significant contributors to the cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), preceding extensive neuronal loss. Although amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of tau protein characterize the disease, memory impairment primarily results from the gradual deterioration of synaptic communications. This decline is caused by a co…

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 08 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02337-6 Stereotyped positioning of olfactory receptors

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 08 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02336-7 Flexibility begins in the dendrites

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises diverse neurodevelopmental trajectories in which altered circuit dynamics converge on a disturbance of excitation–inhibition balance. Genetic, postmortem, neuroimaging, and model-system evidence implicates γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors as a major molecular node within this imbalance. ASD has been associated with changes in GABAA receptor sub…

Abstract Background Intravenous self-administration (IVSA) of opioids by rats has been shown frequently to exhibit no sex differences, in many cases a higher intake of females, and only rarely higher rates in males. A diversity of methodological parameters (opioid identity, training doses, rat strain, session duration) makes it difficult to identify consistent contributions to these outcomes. Obj…

Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02316-x By combining single-cell sequencing and morphogen screening, researchers map how signaling cues shape cell identity in mid-hindbrain organoids and identify conditions that generate novel posterior brain neuron types.

Abstract Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in both younger and older adults. However, the current treatments for anxiety were developed based on younger adults and are not as effective in older adults. Therefore, investigating anxiety disorders in older adults would greatly benefit the mental well-being of the rapidly growing aged populations. This study finds that basal anxi…

IntroductionNeuronal firing patterns emerge from complex interactions between intrinsic membrane properties and synaptic receptor dynamics. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors critically shape calcium influx and synaptic plasticity through their voltage-dependent Mg2+ block and prolonged activation kinetics, yet how their closing kinetics interact with glutamatergic drive and GABAergic modulati…