July 2019 Newsletter
New Article Type: Systematic Reviews
A systematic review answers a defined research question by collecting and summarizing all empirical evidence that fits pre-defined criteria. Unlike traditional literature reviews that can be biased by incomplete searches of the literature and subjective interpretation of the findings, systematic reviews must include a detailed and comprehensive plan to identify, appraise and synthesize all relevant information on a topic.
Recent Review Articles
We continue to publish more review articles to synthesize the vast neuroscience literature. There are a number of advantages of publishing your review article in JNP:

  • There are no page or article processing charges for reviews.
  • Review articles receive thorough and rapid peer review.
  • All review articles are highlighted via social media to increase their visibility.
  • We can even help draw artwork for review articles. Just ask for our assistance.
Note that all review articles must be approved by the Editor prior to submission. Upon approval of your topic, you will be provided an upload link for the paper. It is prudent to consult with the Editor prior to composition of your review.

Read these review articles published in the past three months:













Avoid Common Mistakes that Can Delay the Publication of Your Article
We attempt to streamline the processing of submissions as much as possible. However, publication of articles can be delayed when authors make easily-avoided mistakes.

The following are issues that sometimes delay the final publication of articles:
  • Manuscript is not in the proper format at time of acceptance. With our FlexSubmit program, we will conduct an initial review of a paper in any format, as long as it is complete. However, if a revision is invited, the resubmitted paper must comply with our Author Guidelines. Authors may be required to reformat their accepted paper if it does not comply with our standards.

  • Authorship changes. All authors must complete a mandatory submission form to acknowledge they agree to the submission of the article and endorse its content. If authorship changes after the paper is submitted, all authors must complete a Change in Authorship Form. We cannot publish an article until this form is received from all authors.

  • Use of previously-published material without permission. Authors must independently secure permission to include previously-published material (e.g., figures or tables) in their article, unless that material is in the public domain. Either a copyright clearance or evidence that the material is public must be included with a submission, in accordance with our Copyright and Permissions Policy.

  • Photography of human or animal subjects. We cannot publish a photograph of an individual who can be identified without their written permission. Masking the eyes of a subject is often not sufficient to de-identify the photograph. We are also not inclined to publish photographs of entire animals. It is preferred to include drawings of animal or human subjects in place of photographs.

  • Incomplete ethics statements. Studies on human or animal subjects must include an explicit statement that the work was approved by the appropriate ethics committee. For studies on humans, a statement is also necessary that written consent was obtained. Studies with animal and human subjects must comply with our Guiding Principles.
Guidelines for Rigor and Reproduciblity
Like many journals, we have implemented guidelines to increase the rigor and reproducibility of the work we publish. All authors should be familiar with these Guidelines, and adhere to them while composing their paper. These Guidelines help to assure that others can reproduce your work.
New Podcasts
On request, we will produce a Podcast for any article we publish to highlight its content. Authors can request a Podcast by completing the Social Media Request Form linked to the article acceptance letter. We do all the work--authors just need to participate in a panel discussion about their paper conducted on Skype.

Listen to our latest Podcasts:

What roles do renal sensory nerves play in a renal-nerve dependent mouse model of hypertension? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Jason Ong and Sean Stocker (both from the University of Pittsburgh) about their recent study, which explored this question in 2-Kidney 1-Clip (2K1C) mice. 


Our ability to perceive and discriminate textures is based on the processing of high-frequency vibrations generated on the fingertip as it is scanned across a surface. But how do we process tactile information when we simultaneously experience different cues at separate locations on the body? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Jeff Yau about his recent study which found that vibrations experienced on one hand always systematically modulated the perception of vibrations on the other hand.


Our brains must maintain a representation of the world over a period of time much longer than the typical lifetime of the biological components producing that representation. How does the brain handle this challenge at the synaptic level? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Dan Acker about his recent study that tackled this question.


What are the neural mechanisms of skill acquisition? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Xiao Zhou and Steve Chase (Carnegie Mellon University) about their recent study, which leveraged a brain-computer interface learning paradigm to track the neural reorganization occurring throughout the full time course of motor skill learning lasting several weeks.
Improve your Journal Club Course with NeuroForum
NeuroForum is our venue for trainees to publish an analysis of a recent article or a mini-review on a hot topic.

Instructors have found that including NeuroForum in their journal club course is effective, as it provides trainees with an opportunity to independently compose and submit an article.

Let us help you improve your fall term course with NeuroForum. Contact the editor for more information.
New Calls for Papers
Two new Calls for Papers will be released on July 1. Calls are used to populate our Collections, or virtual journal issues.

All review articles submitted for Calls must be pre-approved by the editor .

The following our our latest Calls:
  • Spinal Networks and Spinal Cord Injury: A Tribute to Reggie Edgerton

Reggie Edgerton’s career at UCLA has had an enormous impact on the field of spinal cord injury research. Animal and human experiments performed in his laboratory enabled the development of several types of interventions generally categorized as “neuromodulatory interventions.” JNP is collaborating with the organizers of a workshop at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab that will take place on October 18, 2019 to discuss these neuromodulatory interventions and to acknowledge Reggie Edgerton’s career and contributions to the field of spinal cord networks and spinal cord injury. This call is for manuscripts (including reviews) related to the topic of this workshop as well as recent developments in research on spinal cord physiology and its role in motor control.

  • The Benefits of Nonhuman Primate Research for Understanding the Brain and Spinal Cord in Health and Disease

Many of the most significant discoveries in neuroscience involved research in nonhuman primates. Monkeys, particularly rhesus monkeys and marmosets, continue to serve as vital models for studies on the structure, function, and pathology of the brain and spinal cord. This call is for manuscripts (including reviews) that highlight the unique benefits from research in non-human primates, and the importance of the findings from this work.
Other Calls for Papers
Three other Calls for Papers were announced on January 1, and will remain open until the end of 2019. Submit your paper for these Calls soon so they can be included in the related Collection.

Open calls for papers:
  • Auditory and Vestibular Efferents

Despite decades of research, the functional and evolutionary significance of the auditory and vestibular inner ear efferents are poorly understood. The long held belief that the peripheral auditory and vestibular end organs are simple sensors with no information processing has been challenged in recent years. It is a remarkable feature that the auditory and vestibular systems possess a mechanism for targeted and specialized modulation of afferent sensory information via descending inputs from the brain to the cochlea and vestibular organs. Over the past few years, new discoveries have emerged regarding efferent synaptic mechanisms and their role in sensory afferent development and signaling as well as higher order processing of behaviors. This call is for original research and reviews that advance our current understanding of the function of the inner ear efferents in health and in pathological conditions. The aim is to discuss efferent synaptic mechanisms, effects on sensory afferent development and signaling, effects on behavior and higher order processing, and plasticity with sensory experience and pathology in different animal models and using new research tools (including imaging, stimulation, and recording techniques).


Dynamic neural networks allow organisms to adapt crucial behaviors based on sensory, environmental, and internal factors. This call is for manuscripts (including reviews) that explore aspects of neural networks at any level, from the roles of specific channels and neurotransmitters to the behavioral implications of neural networks. JNP is issuing this call in partnership with the organizers of the workshop “Dynamic Neural Networks: The Stomatogastric Nervous System.” This workshop occurred on November 2, 2018 at the University of San Diego. Note that this call is open to all research on the topic of neural network modulation, not just to workshop attendees. However, we especially encourage speakers and attendees from the workshop to submit.


We are excited to continue our productive relationship with the Society for the Neural Control of Movement !   JNP  was a sponsor of the 2019 Society for the Neural Control of Movement (NCM) Meeting, which occurred on April 23–27, 2019 in Toyama, Japan. As part of this sponsorship, JNP will publish articles (including reviews) associated with presentations at the NCM meeting, as well as papers from NCM society members.