Neuron types in brain are defined by gene activity shaping their communication patterns

Neurons are the basic building blocks that wire up brain circuits supporting mental activities and behavior. In a major step forward, scientists have described a discovery about the molecular-genetic basis of neuronal cell types. The study, which involves sophisticated computational analysis of the messages transcribed from genes that are active in a neuron, points to patterns of cell-to-cell communication as the core feature that makes possible rigorous distinctions among neuron types across th...