EJN Call for papers | Basal Ganglia and Related Disorders: From Cellular and Circuit Dysfunctions to Therapy
Organiser: European Journal of Neuroscience (EJN)
Registration Deadline: 31 May 2024
The past decade has witnessed a significant increase in our understanding of the cellular and circuit underpinnings of basal ganglia function and dysfunction in normal and diseased states. The development of cutting-edge genetic tools combined with highly sensitive functional imaging and electrophysiological approaches has boosted our knowledge of the role of basal ganglia nuclei in the pathophysiology of brain disorders. The rapid growth and refinement of our technical toolboxes have also opened our eyes to a wide range of new research avenues that must be pursued to fully understand how and why dysregulation of basal ganglia has such a profound impact upon a broad range of motor and non-motor behaviours associated with neurodegenerative diseases, addiction and various psychiatric disorders. In May 2023, over 300 scientists met in Stockholm (Sweden) to share advances in basal ganglia research during the XIVth International Basal Ganglia Society (IBAGS) meeting. This conference allowed for discussion of a broad range of research topics ranging from basic molecular and cellular analyses of defined populations of basal ganglia neurons and glia to complex circuit dynamics and oscillations associated with Parkinson’s disease and related basal ganglia disorders.
As a follow-up to this exciting and highly engaging event, this Special Issue calls for rigorous, methodologically sound and carefully executed studies that advance our understanding of all aspects of basal ganglia biology and functions in the healthy and diseased nervous system. We invite studies achieved in various biological preparations ranging from in vitro culture cells and preclinical work in animal models of basal ganglia disorders to human clinical studies using neuroimaging and neurostimulation approaches, as well as works that harness computational methods to address questions of basal ganglia function and dysfunction. These studies can be related or not to findings presented at the meeting. In addition to original research reports, reviews will also be considered for publication. This call is not exclusively aimed at meeting attendees but is open to the whole basal ganglia research community. Authors are encouraged to consider both positive and negative data to be submitted for publication in this Special Issue. We encourage authors to make their data openly accessible along with their experimental, analysis, and model simulation codes (when necessary) to foster reproducibility and transparency. We are very much looking forward to your submissions.
Status: Open