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September 2019 Newsletter
Formidable Journal Metrics for 2019
An analysis of article downloads and citations shows that JNP remains highly relevant to neuroscientists. Here are some key Journal statistics for the first half of 2019 (January-June):

  • 3,752 citations of articles (1.5% increase from 2018)
  • 893,000 article views (57% increase from 2018)
Who Reads JNP Articles?
Our recent analysis also shows how readers find JNP articles, and where the readers live. Here are the findings:

Journal Referrals

  • PubMed: 38%
  • Google Scholar: 31%
  • Google: 24%
  • Social Media: 3%
  • Other: 4%
Reader Geographic Distribution
  • United States: 37%
  • China: 10%
  • United Kingdom: 7%
  • Germany: 6%
  • Canda: 5%
  • Japan: 5%
  • Australia: 3%
  • France: 3%
  • Netherlands: 2%
  • Other: 22%
Our Social Media Attracts More Followers
Increasingly, readers are finding articles through social media. We now have over 17,000 followers of our many channels, including the following:

Get the latest information about our articles and initiatives by subscribing to our Social Media Channels:
New Podcasts
Over 23,000 listeners have downloaded our 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:
How does estradiol acutely facilitate sex differences in striatum-dependent behaviors? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Dr. Amanda Krentzel and Dr. John Meitzen (both from North Carolina State University) about their study that investigated this question in adult rats. Listen to learn about sex differences, medium spiny neurons, glutamatergic signaling, and more.
The "interference effect" occurs during a bimanual response when one hand is abruptly cued to stop, resulting in a significant delay in the actions of the other hand. But what neural mechanisms underlie this effect? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Corey Wadsley, Dr. John Cirillo, and Dr. Winston Byblow (all from the University of Auckland) about their recent article , which investigates whether the interference effect is the consequence of between-hand coupling. Listen to learn about the role of GABA-mediated networks, movement preparation, paradoxical findings and more!
The marmoset is a promising new model for study of neurophysiological basis of behavior in primates. But will researchers ever be able to obtain enough trials per session to improve the practical utility of this model? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Ehsan Sedaghat-Nejad, Paul Hage, and Dr. Reza Shadmehr (all from Johns Hopkins University) about their Innovative Methodology article, which introduces new behavioral training and neurophysiological protocols aimed at increasing the number of trials per session while recording from the cerebellum. Listen to learn about training efficacy, targeted multi-channel recording, and more!
Previous studies have reported primary auditory cortex plasticity following vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with a sound. Does this phenomenon extend to other parts of the auditory pathway? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Dr. Michael S. Borland and Dr. Crystal Engineer (both from the University of Texas at Dallas) about their recent study , which is the first to to document both cortical and subcortical plasticity following VNS-sound pairing. Listen to learn about auditory plasticity, potential therapies for auditory processing disorders, and more!
What is the role of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB 1 ) in olfactory processing? In this podcast, Editor-in-Chief Bill Yates talks with Thomas Heinbockel (Howard University) and Alex Straiker (Indiana University, Bloomington) about their recent study in mice, which revealed that CB 1  is involved in the regulation of glomerular activity in the main olfactory bulb (MOB). Listen to learn about the endocannabinoid system, mitral cells, implications for olfactory behavior, and more!
Recent Review Articles
We continue to publish more review articles to synthesize the vast neuroscience literature. There are advantages of publishing your review article in JNP, including:

  • There are no page or article processing charges for reviews.
  • 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.

Read these review articles published in the past two months:








First Systematic Review Published
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. We recently published our first Systematic Review, our newest article type.
Read our first Systematic Review:

Increasing Submissions of "Case Studies in Neuroscience "
“Case Studies in Neuroscience” provides a forum for human or animal subjects studies that cannot be replicated experimentally (e.g., they report the neurological effects of a rare disease), but provide unique insights into mechanisms of neural function (either at the cellular or systems level). We are publishing an increasing number of Case Studies from prominent authors.
Read recent "Case Studies in Neuroscience":




Point-Counterpoint on 3-D Tuning of Head Direction Cells
A heated discussion has arisen in JNP articles focussed on the three-dimensional tuning of head direction cells, which are a component of a neural system that allows us to navigate in the environment. An initial article by Shinder and Taube was challenged in a second paper by Laurens and Angelaki. Jeff Taube responded to this article in a Letter to the Editor.

Which viewpoint is correct? Read the articles and judge for yourself!
Calls for Papers
Calls for papers are used to populate our Collections, or virtual journal issues.

We currently have 5 open Calls for Papers. Submit your article for one of these Calls today!

Calls closing in June 2020:

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.


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.
Calls closing in December 2019:

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.