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Anatomy remains a cornerstone of medical education despite challenges that have seen a significant reduction in contact hours over recent decades; however, the rise of the "YouTube Generation" or "Generation Connected" (Gen C), offers new possibilities for anatomy education. Gen C, which consists of 80% Millennials, actively interact with social media and integrate it into their education experience. Most are willing to merge their online presence with their degree programs by engaging with course materials and sharing their knowledge freely using these platforms. This integration of social media into undergraduate learning, and the attitudes and mindset of Gen C, who routinely creates and publishes blogs, podcasts, and videos online, has changed traditional learning approaches and the student/teacher relationship. To gauge this, second year undergraduate medical and radiation therapy students (n = 73) were surveyed regarding their use of online social media in relation to anatomy learning. The vast majority of students had employed web-based platforms to source information with 78% using YouTube as their primary source of anatomy-related video clips. These findings suggest that the academic anatomy community may find value in the integration of social media into blended learning approaches in anatomy programs. This will ensure continued connection with the YouTube generation of students while also allowing for academic and ethical oversight regarding the use of online video clips whose provenance may not otherwise be known.

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Dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the ventral midbrain (VM) play vital roles in the regulation of voluntary movement, emotion and reward. They are divided into the A8, A9 and A10 subgroups. The development of the A9 group of DA neurons is an area of intense investigation to aid the generation of these neurons from stem cell sources for cell transplantation approaches to Parkinson's disease (PD). This review discusses the molecular processes that are involved in the identity, specification, maturation, target innervation and survival of VM DA neurons during development. The complex molecular interactions of a number of genetic pathways are outlined, as well as recent advances in the mechanisms that regulate subset identity within the VM DA neuronal pool. A thorough understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the development of VM DA neurons will greatly facilitate the use of cell replacement therapy for the treatment of PD.

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Exposure to HDP may be associated with an increase in the risk of ASD and ADHD. These findings highlight the need for greater pediatric surveillance of infants exposed to HDP to allow early intervention that may improve neurodevelopmental outcome.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is the founding member of the neurotrophins family of proteins. It was discovered more than half a century ago through its ability to promote sensory and sympathetic neuronal survival and axonal growth during the development of the peripheral nervous system, and is the paradigmatic target-derived neurotrophic factor on which the neurotrophic hypothesis is based. Since that time, NGF has also been shown to play a key role in the generation of acute and chronic pain and in hyperalgesia in diverse pain states. NGF is expressed at high levels in damaged or inflamed tissues and facilitates pain transmission by nociceptive neurons through a variety of mechanisms. Genetic mutations in NGF or its tyrosine kinase receptor TrkA, lead to a congenital insensitivity or a decreased ability of humans to perceive pain. The hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathies (HSANs) encompass a spectrum of neuropathies that affect one's ability to perceive sensation. HSAN type IV and HSAN type V are caused by mutations in TrkA and NGF respectively. This review will focus firstly on the biology of NGF and its role in pain modulation. We will review neuropathies and clinical presentations that result from the disruption of NGF signalling in HSAN type IV and HSAN type V and review current advances in developing anti-NGF therapy for the clinical management of pain.

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