Dave Root

Another fam puzzle done, my 4 year old also did his first

Sko Buffs

Finally finished this 1000 puzzle with the fam

@twmfband woop woop

Research at SfN: Sunday afternoon KK7 @DillonMcGovern1 will present his research on VTA circuits and cell-types mediating consequences of stress Tuesday morning SS21 @EmilyDPrevost will present her research on VTA mu opioid receptor cell-types and fentanyl exposure

Ready for this year's lab paper plate awards

Celebrating Dr. @DillonMcGovern1 who defended his dissertation today!

Finally, we supported that VTA glutamate/GABA neurons are sensitive to outcomes but not their learned predictors. All together, we hypothesize that they integrate information related to the detection and processing of motivationally-salient outcomes.

ChRmine stimulation of superior colliculus glutamate neurons also activated VTA glutamate/GABA neurons, though less than LH. Stimulation caused head and body turns, then prolonged freezing behavior, both of which were not correlated with VTA glutamate/GABA neuron activity.

We hypothesized most projections were glutamatergic. ChRmine stimulation of lateral hypothalamus glutamate neurons activated VTA glutamate/GABA neurons. Stimulation also caused flee-like ambulation but this behavior did not correlate with VTA glutamate/GABA neuron activity.

Emily and team first used INTRSECT vectors, rabies tracing, and SHARCQ to identify the brain wide inputs to VTA glutamate/GABA neurons. Large numbers of inputs were from lateral hypothalamus, superior colliculus, and more. Densest inputs from dorsal raphe, lateral habenula, ...

Kids in the lab

In contrast, prior live predator encounter resulted in a constellation of changes in foraging behavior and BNST GABA neuron inhibition blocked the development of these changes in foraging.

Afterwards, mice foraged in the absence of threat. Prior robogator experience altered few aspects of subsequent foraging and BNST GABA neuron inhibition had no effect on these changes in foraging.

Based on laboratory-based foraging experiments in rats, Annie developed a foraging task for mice and then introduced a robotic threat or a live predator threat while BNST GABA neurons were chemogenetically inhibited or intact

Leg lamp?

Marisela Morales presenting her pioneering research at @winter_brain #wcbr2023

those falcon tubes