Editorial overview: Neurobiology of learning and plasticity

Abstract

The focus of this issue is the Neurobiology of learning and plasticity, a broad topic with a rich history. While learning is thought to inevitably result in changes in the central nervous system, there are a multitude of lenses with which we can view these processes, from the level of genes and molecules up through behaviors. Moreover, advances in methodology and tools have led to recent surprises and unexpected mechanisms of how experience and environment can sculpt how the brain remembers. In this issue we have chosen to highlight both recent advances in long-standing systems, as well as new and emerging approaches to understanding learning, featuring authors across many levels of investigation to capture the rich and developing tapestry of how synapses and circuits are impacted by learning. While diverse in topic, we hope these reviews provide a timely and insightful look into the current understanding of how plasticity underlies learning and memory, which in turn shapes behavior.