1 Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PL, UK. Electronic address: Richard.Baines@manchester.ac.uk.
2 Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK.
Developing nervous systems exhibit spontaneous activity. Two new studies identify the instructive influence such activity has on the formation of functionally appropriate circuits.