A new technique can reveal where thousands of neurons send their axons — and measure the cells’ RNA levels for dozens of genes at the same time — in the mouse brain. It could be used to profile neural circuits underlying autism.

Thanks to a new engineered protein for optogenetics experiments, researchers can stimulate neurons with less light than usual and avoid damaging brain tissue.

Researchers say they can synchronize two new devices and control neurons across 256 freely moving animals at once to study social behaviors.

Next-generation machine-learning tools are poised to upend how scientists study behavior in animal models of autism — and not everyone is happy about it.

A new high-resolution imaging device tracks brain activity in awake mice, enabling researchers to map neural circuits across the entire brain.

Mice missing a copy of MAGEL2 have trouble discerning between a familiar mouse and an unfamiliar one; treating them with the social hormone vasopressin reverses this deficit.

A set of neurons connecting the prefrontal cortex and the thalamus helps regulate social interactions in mice.

A new viral tool can selectively control different types of neurons that dampen brain activity in rodents, monkeys and people.

A new wireless device switches oxytocin-producing neurons on and off in mice as they interact, showing the hormone’s effects depend on social context.

A new, minimally invasive technique allows researchers to activate neurons in the brains of mice and monkeys by using a light source located outside of the head.