Illuminating brain development

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) are light-sensing neurons in the retina that project to multiple retinorecipient brain regions. In a recent study by Hu et al., the authors show that light stimulation of melanopsin expressing ipRGCs is required for the release of oxytocin in the brain to boost synaptogenesis and learning in adult mice.