Editorial

One of the more enjoyable roles of the editor is to choose a cover for each issue of Brain. Cover images are mostly, although not invariably, drawn from suggestions submitted by authors of papers appearing in the same issue. They often go through several iterations before being sent for production. Some covers are composed in the Editorial Office drawing on original artwork, or archives held by libraries and museums. For authors contemplating cover suggestions in the future, here are some guidelines. The image should be striking and invite the casual viewer to open the journal or to click on the link that describes it. It should, ideally, tell a story, or at least have some conceptual link to the message of the paper to which it relates. Although figures taken directly from the article are unlikely to work, they can sometimes be adapted to create a visual narrative. Authors are invited to suggest ideas based on sketches before involving a professional designer. However, because of the relatively short delay from finalizing the contents of an issue and printing it, any third party must be prepared to work to strict deadlines. Histology images rarely work on their own, and graphs, DNA sequences, wordy flow charts, biochemical pathways, clinical brain scans, and portraits of long-deceased bearded neurologists are unlikely to be selected.

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