In keeping with its commitment to represent the breadth of the neuroscience field, JNeurosci is encouraging submission of new primary research and review articles in the following areas of research:
- Neural mechanisms of decision making and factors that affect decision making
Decision making is a critical neurocognitive process that has been studied widely across species and at different neural levels. However, much of our knowledge of the neural mechanisms of decision making comes from research that uses simple experimental designs with binary choices. Further, the role that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors play in affecting decision making are still largely unknown. Understanding how more complex decisions are made and the factors that affect these decisions is of critical importance, given the ubiquity of complex decisions that we make in the real-world.
- Neural mechanisms that support skill learning
The neural mechanisms that support learning and memory have largely been studied in paradigms typically involving one or a few exposures to a fact or an event. However, much of our behavioral repertoire emerges through lengthy periods of practice, a form of implicit learning. Despite its prominence, we are just beginning to discover the synaptic, circuit and systems level mechanisms that account for the improvement of both sensory and motor skills that are acquired through practice.
- Neural mechanisms of emotional control
Neural mechanisms of emotional control, include theories on emotion regulation, and implications of the empirical evidence for developing effective treatments of emotional disorders. In humans, the emotion regulation field has often focused either on inhibition of prepotent action tendencies, or on verbal reappraisal of subjective emotional experiences. JNeurosci would like to broaden the discussion to include emotional control as an action selection problem, for example, where individuals need to rapidly generate behaviors alternative to their automatic action tendencies, according to the predicted consequences of those behaviors.
- Metabolic mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration
Recent studies have shown that metabolites and metabolic changes can modify cellular function, including stem cell maintenance, differentiation and senescence, as well as neuronal function and dedifferentiation. Metabolic perturbations have also been implicated in the development of neuropsychiatric conditions and neurodegenerative diseases. Topics related to metabolic regulation in health and disease are invited, including mitochondrial function and signalling, the impact of Type 1 and 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, lipid and ROS signaling mechanisms in health and disease.
- Neural mechanisms that support social influences on behavior
Social influences profoundly impact behavior. They shape learning, memory, emotion, and motivation. These range from the social transmission of knowledge to the buffering effects of conspecifics, to the impact of social rank on reward and reinforcement, among others. Despite the central role for these influences on human and animal behavior, we are only just beginning to understand their synaptic, circuit, and system mechanisms as well as how these may confer protection from, or vulnerability to, disorders such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
All applicable submissions in any of these topics will receive a full, external peer review. Authors should note in their submission cover letter if their article is in one of the topics above.
Please follow the guidelines for Preparing a Manuscript in the Information for Authors. Remember that your initial submission is acceptable as an unformatted PDF. If you have questions, please contact us at jn@sfn.org.