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Cover picture: An adult male zebra finch (Poephila guttata) is pictured against a background of normal and dying neurons from the motor-cortical song region, the robust nucleus of the archistriatum (RA). Male zebra finches learn to sing as juveniles, and vocal behavior is controlled by a discrete network of di- and telencephalic regions. RA neurons comprise the final output of forebrain song processing. During early phases of neural and vocal development in juvenile males, removal of a major source of presynaptic input to RA rapidly induces the apoptotic death of nearly half of the RA neurons (the framed inset shows two RA neurons with apoptotic morphology). If RA receives infusions of neurotrophins (BDNF, NT-3, or NT-4/5) after the removal of presynaptic input, however, neuronal apoptosis can be completely suppressed. This finding, along with anterograde neurotrophin transport and immunohistochemical data, suggests that neurotrophins may promote neuron survival in the telencephalon via mechanisms of anterograde or auto/paracrine release. For details, see the article by Johnson et al. in this issue (pp. 2101-2111). Zebra finch photography by Susan Brown; collage by Victor De La Casas.
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