Dane Donegan

Orexin population activity precisely reflects net body movement across behavioral and metabolic states

The paper identifies orexin/hypocretin neurons as precise encoders of net body movement across behaviors and metabolic states, independent of head movement and nutritional state.

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation during movement modulates motor neural circuitry without widespread cortical or autonomic activation

This study investigates how transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) interacts with movement in healthy adults, finding context-specific effects on motor systems without widespread autonomic activation.

Orexin cells efficiently decode blood glucose dynamics to drive adaptive behavior

This study shows that orexin neurons decode blood glucose dynamics to drive adaptive behavior in mice by tracking glucose gradients and generating neural adaptations.

Vagus nerve stimulation accelerates motor learning through cholinergic modulation

This study shows that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) enhances motor learning in mice when paired with successful movement, but impairs learning when random, suggesting it reinforces outcome cues through cholinergic signaling.