Wires Crossed

Early in development our senses reach out to our brains, forming connections called synapses with neurons that will one day interpret smells, sounds and sights. Correctly connected synapses are used more frequently and get stronger over time in a process called Hebbian synapse rewiring. But what about the errors? Connections that form by mistake? Here cells in a region of a mouse’s brain called the lateral geniculate nucleus (highlighted in white) connect to retinal ganglion cells from the eye. Researchers find the brain keeps erroneous connections (green) separate from accurate synapses (purple). Grouping the problematic connections into isolated 'islands' distinct from the brain’s developing circuits may allow for easier pruning of connections during development, and better developed senses after birth.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Video from work by Sean McCracken and colleagues
• John F Hardesty, MD Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
• Video originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
• Published in eLife, March 2025