Chinese neuroscientists are joining their peers in the traditional powerhouses of neuroscience in the USA, Europe, and Japan in making concerted efforts to elucidate neural circuit mechanisms of behavior, by taking advantage of cutting-edge technologies, such as optogenetics, chemogenetics, physiological recordings from behaving animals, and cell type-specific circuit mapping at the whole-brain level.

This Research Topic will explore a diverse set of research on neural circuits by innovative Chinese neuroscientists using these approaches. It will bring together research and review papers revealing the physiology, functions, connectivity, and development of neural circuits associated with sensory perception, motor programs, cognition, social behavior, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Keywords: neural circuits, optogenetics, physiological recordings, tract tracing, behavior

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