Looking into the future: The Journal of Neurophysiology

Abstract

EditorialLooking into the future: The Journal of NeurophysiologyJan-Marino RamirezJan-Marino RamirezDepartment of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WashingtonPublished Online:26 Jun 2020https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00251.2020This is the final version - click for previous versionMoreSectionsPDF (47 KB)Download PDFDownload PDFPlus ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInEmail As Neuroscientists, we are united by the fascination for the brain. We embrace complexity, such as the dynamic interactions governing the formation of memories, decisions, and motor behaviors, and one day we might even understand the mechanisms underlying consciousness. To gain insights into the brain’s inner workings, we rely on integrative approaches that bridge the genetic, molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels. Advances are often gained by inventing new techniques and combining more traditional tools with techniques that are burrowed from other fields. Typically, however, experiments yield unexpected findings that inspire new ideas, and the rethinking and rejection of existing concepts. Since 1938, the Journal of Neurophysiology has been a critical player in advancing neuroscience in this manner. Groundbreaking new ideas were published in the Journal of Neurophysiology by Roger Sperry, Vernon Mountcastle, as well as David Hubel and Torsten Wiesel, just to name four examples.It is a great honor for me to succeed Bill Yates as Editor-in-Chief for this important journal. Bill emphasized the integrative approach and added the tagline “JNP, a multidisciplinary journal.” He implemented critical structural changes and introduced e.g., the “New & Noteworthy” section, which allows each article to highlight its important contribution. He also established the “Calls for Papers,” which combines reviews into virtual journal collections. Inspired by the clinical literature, Bill also implemented new article types including the Case Studies in Neuroscience and Systemic Review. Another major achievement is the introduction of social media channels that are read by over 20,000 followers. Together with the team of Associate Editors, we will continue to develop new ideas that will keep the Journal’s leading edge.We will keep all the great additions that Bill Yates implemented. To allow readers to easily locate articles of interest, we will also continue to index all articles in the Journal under the following, slightly expanded list of topics:• Cellular and molecular properties of neurons• Neural circuits• Sensory processing• Control of movement• Computational neuroscience• Higher neural functions and behavior• Control of homeostasis• Neuroscience of diseaseCHANGING THE REVIEW PROCESSMany of us know how difficult it can be to publish ideas that challenge preexisting knowledge. Most have received rejections because an editor or reviewer did not understand the significance of our study. As authors we hope that our manuscripts are read by reviewers/editors that are unbiased experts, that appreciate novelty, and understand the important implications of sometimes unexpected results. We embrace constructive suggestions that improve our message and hope that reviewers detect conceptual and experimental flaws before publication. We welcome different views, interpretations, and suggestions that make us rethink our data. But the review process should be interactive and transparent. Ultimately publications are the platform for new ideas that advance neuroscience and inspire follow-up studies. Not surprisingly, reviewers are often also inspired to suggest follow-up studies. However, for reviewers/editors it is critical to assess whether additional experiments are indeed essential for the authors’ conclusions.Going forward, the review process will become interactive and will allow reviewers to consult with each other to arrive at a fair editorial decision with clear recommendations for “essential revisions.” As a team we will also carefully evaluate the recommendation for new experiments. This interactive review process will lead to editorial decisions that are fair and constructive. Working with the publication team at APS we have made the required adjustments to the editorial websites. As a former reviewing editor for eLife, I know this interactive process will help the authors and reviewers.SEARCHING FOR FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMSTo enhance the impact of our publications, we will encourage all authors to position their research into a general context. Researchers working on invertebrate model systems have practiced this for many decades. They demonstrated that their models provide fundamental insights into neural functions, and they know that, without a general context, other neuroscientists care little about small animal models. But these important lessons should apply to everyone and every study should contribute to a better understanding of principle neuronal mechanisms. Providing a general context will help us to learn from each othe, and will facilitate the review process, since we don’t have to rely on very specialized reviewers with a narrow focus.INTRODUCING PROSPECTIVE ARTICLESWe will introduce a new format of peer-reviewed publication. Almost by definition, peer-reviewed publications report experiments that are completed. In this sense, peer-reviewed publications reflect the past. Yet, at the same time these publications should guide future research and raise open questions. Unfortunately, in many cases this important role is lost or actively suppressed by reviewers. The discussion is often limited to technicalities, so that only experts can distill the important implications. As a consequence, authors resort to reviews rather than to peer-reviewed original publications to raise open questions, to inspire follow-up studies, and to position the research into a general context. Ironically, the review, rather than the original publication, will have the biggest impact and will receive most citations. Together with the team of editors, we will be working on a new publication format that will allow original research to be forward-looking, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Everyone who has read or written a great grant application will know how inspirational it can be to incorporate novel, solid original data into a written document that illustrates where the field stands and what is still needed to advance science. We expect that reporting original data in a prospective manner with open questions and suggestions for follow up experiments not only will be more fun to write, but it will also be fun to read, as it will inspire new experiments and provoke discussion. We will invite some of our colleagues to write such prospective articles that will then serve as templates for a new type of peer-reviewed publication. We will also allow authors to combine their published work with a podcast that explains the importance of their work. After all, we are all driven by the fascination for the brain, and this fascination shouldn’t end with, but be energized by, our peer-reviewed publications.THE NEW TEAMWith our new team of Associate Editors, we have lots of work to do, but we feel very energized to continue the great tradition of the Journal of Neurophysiology. We, and the entire neuroscience community are very grateful to Bill Yates for his guidance and for all his efforts and creativity in improving many aspects of the Journal of Neurophysiology. He has laid a solid foundation on which it will be easy to add new ideas that will help the Journal continue to thrive in its role as an important driver of neuroscience research. We are also grateful to the team of Associate Editors that served the Journal for many years and significantly contributed to the Journal’s great reputation.The new editorial team includes the following talented associate editors that are all highly energized and inspired to contribute to the success of the Journal:Rob Brownstone is Professor of Neurosurgery at the University College of London, UK, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, where he is also in the Department of Neuromuscular Diseases. In addition to his interests in human neurophysiology studies using invasive recordings during surgery, Rob focuses on understanding sensorimotor systems employing mouse genetics to explore spinal cord and brain stem circuit physiology and pathophysiology. He has served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Neurophysiology since 2006 and has been a guest editor for PNAS and Brain Research.Ansgar Büschges is a Professor of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology at the Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne, Germany. His research focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying the generation of locomotor behavior in animals for flying, swimming, and walking, with an emphasis on insect walking. He has served on the Editorial Boards of Biological Cybernetics, The Journal of Comparative Physiology A, Frontiers in Neuroscience, and Frontiers in Physiology.Carmen C. Canavier is Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy in the School of Medicine at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. She is a theoretical and computational neuroscientist who studies the nonlinear dynamics of oscillations and synchrony with a focus on the hippocampus and basal ganglia.Christos Constantinidis is a Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the Wake Forest School of Medicine. His research focuses on the neurophysiology of cognitive functions, on adolescent development, and on deep brain stimulation, using nonhuman primate models. He has been an Associate Editor of the Journal of Neurophysiology since 2014.Leslie M. Kay is a Professor in Psychology and in the Committees on Neurobiology and Computational Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. She studies olfactory neurophysiology and odor psychophysics, focusing on neural oscillations as they relate to circuit function and behavior. She is a consulting editor for Behavioral Neuroscience and has served on the editorial board for Cognitive Neurodynamics.Zoe Kourtzi is a Professor of Cognitive Computational Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge UK and a Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute. Her research integrates computational approaches with behavior and brain imaging to understand the link between brain structure, function, and behavior, focusing on perceptual decisions, lifelong learning and experience-dependent plasticity. She also has expertise in applications of machine learning to neuroscience and mental health. She has served as Associate Editor in the Journal of Vision and Journal of Neurophysiology, Scientific Reports, and Frontiers in Perceptual Science.M. Bruce MacIver is a Professor of Neurophysiology in Anesthesia at Stanford University. His areas of expertise include synaptic and neuronal physiology, CNS pharmacology, circuitry, EEG, and consciousness. He uses electrophysiological techniques to study molecular, synaptic, and circuit level brain responses. He serves on the editorial boards of Trends in Anesthesia and Critical Care and International Journal of Molecular Sciences.Hugo Merchant is a Professor of Neurobiology and System Neuroscience at the Neurobiology Institute, UNAM, campus Juriquilla, Mexico. His research focuses on the neural basis of time perception and rhythmic entrainment in the parietal, prefrontal, and premotor cortical circuits, as well as in the basal ganglia of the primate. He has served on the Editorial Board of eLife, as an Associate Editor for Journal of Neuroscience, on the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, and on the Editorial Board of for Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience.Monica A. Perez is a Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Northwestern University, Scientific Chair, Arms and Hands Laboratory at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and Research Scientist, Hines VA. Her main research interests are in motor control and neurophysiology aiming to understand how the brain and spinal cord contribute to the control of movement in healthy humans and in people with spinal cord injury and disease. She uses this mechanistic knowledge to develop rehabilitation therapies following CNS damage.Reza Shadmehr is a Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University. Together with his students, he studies control of movements in humans and nonhuman primates using psychophysics, neurophysiology, and mathematics. He is the author of three books. His service includes Editor at Experimental Brain Research and Associate Editor at Journal of Neuroscience.Albrecht Stroh is a Professor at the Institute of Pathophysiology at the University Medical Center and at the Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, both located in Mainz, Germany. His research focuses on early neuronal network dysregulations in rodent models of neurological disorders and stress resilience, with an emphasis on corticothalamic brain states. He combines optical imaging of local neuronal ensemble activity with brainwide fMRI.Ana C. Takakura is an Associate Professor in Pharmacology at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her research focuses on understanding how the mammalian brain regulates breathing and sympathetic nerve activity, two physiological processes that are dysfunctional in very common diseases. The work consists of identifying relevant neuronal networks in rodents using electrophysiological and neuroanatomical methods. Major interests are integrative systems, neuronal excitability, and sensory and motor systems in normal and neurological disorders, especially Parkinson's disease. She has served on the editorial board for Frontiers in Physiology and Frontiers in Neuroscience.The new editorial team of Journal of Neurophysiology encourages feedback from our readership. In particular we would appreciate suggestions on how to improve the Journal. We also love your suggestions of topics for calls for papers that can be included in the Collections.Please send your feedback to the Editor-in-Chief ([email protected]).DISCLOSURESNo conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise, are declared by the author.AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONSJ.-M.R. drafted manuscript; J.-M.R. approved final version of manuscript.AUTHOR NOTESCorrespondence: J.-M. Ramirez ([email protected]edu).This article has no references to display. Back to Top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedInformation More from this issue > Volume 124Issue 1July 2020Pages 1-3 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2020 the American Physiological Societyhttps://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00251.2020PubMed32374209History Received 5 May 2020 Accepted 5 May 2020 Published online 26 June 2020 Published in print 1 July 2020 Metrics Downloaded 2,507 times