Many seminal findings in neuroscience were first published in JNeurosci. Since its founding in 1981, The Journal of Neuroscience has published articles that have established new subfields and tracked the emergence of novel technical approaches. JNeurosci has also hosted some of the first studies published by researchers who are now leading the field.
We are therefore particularly excited to introduce another new feature in The Journal of Neuroscience this week: Progressions. In these articles, authors of the most influential and highly cited JNeurosci papers (http://www.jneurosci.org/articles/most-cited) will provide their personal and scientific reflections on the journeys that began with the publication of their landmark studies. Progressions will start by describing the state of the field when the work was first published, and lead up to where the discipline stands today. In addition to reviewing the science, these articles will provide insights into the struggles that can precede the publication of influential works. By illustrating the challenges, surprises, and rewards encountered while doing science, we hope these pieces provide all of us with the motivation to keep going during difficult periods. At the very least, these articles will help readers appreciate how our understanding of the nervous system continues to evolve.
We begin this series with an article entitled “The Quest for the FFA and Where It Led,” discussing the most highly cited article published in JNeurosci, the discovery of the fusiform face area by Nancy Kanwisher and colleagues published in 1997. After enjoying the first Progressions article, take a moment to browse through the webpage showcasing these papers. In the next few months, a number of these authors will be bringing us back to their moments of discovery, and we are looking forward to experiencing these breakthroughs with you.
Please feel free to send any comments on this article or the series to us at JN_EIC@SFN.ORG or @MarinaP63 on Twitter.