Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Published online: 15 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41583-021-00448-6Neuroscience can explain cognition by considering single neurons and their connections (a ‘Sherringtonian’ view) or by considering neural spaces constructed by populations of neurons (a ‘Hopfieldian’ view). In this Perspective, Barack and Krakauer argue that the Hopfieldian view has the conceptual resources to explain cognition more fully the Sherringtonian view.

Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Published online: 12 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41583-021-00454-8The impairment of brain fluid homeostasis is a feature of various conditions, highlighting the need to better understand brain water transport for drug development. Here, Nanna MacAulay reviews the molecular mechanisms underlying transmembrane water movement in neurons and glia and across brain barriers, emphasizing the part played by water cotransporters in this process.

Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Published online: 09 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41583-021-00455-7Dopamine is often portrayed as a diffuse, slow neuromodulator, yet such signalling cannot explain its broad and sometimes rapid roles. Here, Liu, Goel and Kaeser review recent insights into dopamine release and receptors and present a new framework — the domain-overlap model — for dopamine signalling.

Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Published online: 07 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41583-021-00464-6In humans, the anterior lateral prefrontal cortex is crucial for assessing the likelihood that a future decision will be correct.

Nature Reviews Neuroscience, Published online: 07 April 2021; doi:10.1038/s41583-021-00460-wAttractive odours