Journal of Neurophysiology

Synchronous spiking associated with prefrontal high gamma oscillations evokes a 5 Hz-rhythmic modulation of spiking in locus coeruleus - In this episode Editor in Chief Prof. Ramirez is joined by Prof Stroh of the University of Mainz and Prof. Totah of the University of Helsinki to discus the manuscript titled "Synchronous spiking associated with prefrontal high gamma oscillations evokes a 5 Hz-rhythmic modulation of spiking in locus coeruleus." Prof. Nelson Totah highlights the main conceptual advances in their paper and talks about what motivated them to focus on top down control exerted by PFC on LC. Read the article: 10.1152/jn.00677.2020

Development and plasticity of complex movement representations - In this podcast the author discuses in detail the emergence and topography of complex movement representation, as well as their plasticity during development. Read the article: 10.1152/jn.00531.2020

The execution of movement - a spinal affair - What does it take to recover walking after a spinal cord injury? If you could replicate this supraspinal control – what aspects would you need? In this podcast Prof Sten Grillner talks about the spinal mechanisms that coordinate locomotion and the interaction between the different sensory mechanisms that help coordinate the locomotor movements and the central locomotor network. Read the article: 10.1152/jn.00656.2020

Variable but not random: temporal pattern coding in a songbird brain area necessary for song modification - Have you ever wondered how the brain encodes information? How do you crack a code produced within the brain? What are the changes in practicing and performing during development and aging? In this podcast the authors talk about the differences between practice and performance. Be sure to listen to the end for our special guest. Read the article: 10.1152/jn.00034.2019

Whole brain mapping of somatosensory responses in awake marmosets investigated with ultra-high field fMRI - In this podcast Editor in Chief Nino Ramirez interviews first author Justine Clery and senior author Stefan Everling about an insightful new Research Article by Clery et al. Learn more about the advantages of the marmosets as a primate model system for studying primate neuroscience. The authors talk about using somatosensory stimulation combined with functional MRI in awake marmosets to reveal the topographic body representation in areas S1, S2, thalamus and putamen. Read the article: 10.1152/jn.00480.2020

Online control of reach accuracy in mice - Have you ever wondered how the brain controls reaching movements, whether mice can perfect a reaching movement and cease making errors, which would resemble a “hot-hand” a phenomenon that has been proposed and discussed in Basketball. What about perfecting reaching movements in the violin? In this podcast Editor-in-Chief Nino Ramirez talks with Dr. Abby Person (University of Colorado), senior author of the study entitled “online control of reach accuracy in mice”. Read the article: 10.1152/jn.00324.2020

Regulation of vocal precision by noradrenergic modulation of a motor nucleus - In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief, Nino Ramirez talks with Dr. Marc Schmidt (University of Pennsylvania) about his Research Article which explores recent theories of norepinephrine (NE) function regarding the stimulation of the norepinephrine function that NE can act directly on the motor system to influence the transition between exploratory and exploitative behavioral strategies. Read the article: 10.1152/jn.00154.2020

Estimation of self-sustained activity produced by persistent inward currents using firing rate profiles of multiple motor units in humans - In this podcast, new Editor-in-Chief Nino Ramirez talks with Dr. Monica Gorassini (University of Alberta) about her recent article which employed a "new method of estimating synaptic drive to multiple, simultaneously recorded motor units" in order to explore the contribution of persistent inward currents to self-sustained firing across motoneuron size. This article was also featured in August's issue of APSselect! Read the article: 10.1152/jn.00194.2020