Nicolas Heck

This study investigates how the gut-brain vagal axis influences mesolimbic dopamine dynamics and reward behaviors, challenging the traditional brain-centric view of reward processing.

The paper shows that astrocyte calcium signals and the protein hevin mediate cocaine-induced reward and synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens.

The paper identifies ADGRL1 and hevin as genetic risk factors for psychiatric disorders and substance abuse by showing their functional interaction in reward mechanisms in the nucleus accumbens.

This study investigates the role of the gut-brain vagal axis in hippocampal memory processes and finds it essential for long-term recognition memories and synaptic plasticity.

This study shows that adolescent nicotine exposure disrupts dopamine circuit development, leading to adult vulnerability to nicotine, which can be reversed by restoring dopamine pathway balance.

This study shows that serotonin signaling through microglial 5-HT2B receptors during early development is critical for normal neuronal circuit maturation and social behavior.

The paper shows disrupting D2-NMDA receptor heteromerization blocks cocaine's rewarding effects without affecting natural reward processing in mice and humans.

This study shows that loss of floor plate Netrin-1 disrupts corticospinal tract midline crossing in mice, causing mirror movements similar to human congenital conditions.