Context flexibly modulates cue representations in visual cortex.

Learned sensory cues result in enhanced responses in sensory cortices and, in turn, enhanced responses draw attention towards cues in our environment that guide future decision making. To respond appropriately, one must recognize the cue but also the context. Here we use two-photon imaging in visual cortex as mice learn a visual discrimination task and subsequently experience a change in external context through introduction of a threat stimulus.

Metabolic demands, sensory deficits: Tradeoffs in times of scarcity.

The brain requires a lot of energy to carry out its functions at peak performance. In times of energy deficit, something has to give. In this issue of Neuron, Padamsey et al.