Laurel R. Keyes

The paper identifies the amygdalostriatal transition zone (ASt) as a critical structure for encoding sustained cue responses that guide defensive behaviors.

This study identifies a BLA-mPFC neural pathway through which social isolation increases alcohol drinking in male mice by altering prefrontal cortex activity.

The paper identifies distinct roles of three DRN dopamine neuron projections in social behavior and affective states through optogenetic and electrophysiological experiments.

This study shows social exclusion increases physical pain responses through insular neuromodulation in mice, with opposing endocannabinoid and oxytocin signaling.

The paper predicts stress-induced anhedonia by analyzing cortical dynamics and facial expressions in mice, showing that mPFC valence encoding and behavior can predict susceptibility.

The paper investigates the role of the MGN-BLA circuit in associative learning, finding that the MGN encodes arousal but not valence, while the BLA encodes both.