Cassandra L. Kooiker

Paraventricular Thalamus Neurons Encode Early-life Adversity and execute Consequent Sex-dependent Disruptions of Adult Reward Behaviors

The paper identifies sex-dependent roles of paraventricular thalamus neurons in mediating the effects of early-life adversity on adult reward behaviors in mice.

Peptide signaling in the paraventricular thalamus contributes to disrupted adult reward behaviors after early-life adversity

The paper investigates how early-life adversity affects reward behaviors through peptide signaling in the paraventricular thalamus and identifies CRHR1 as a molecular target for intervention.

Inhibition of the Microglial Phagocytic Receptor MerTK Underlies ELA-induced Changes in Synapses and Behavior in Male Mice

This study shows that ELA increases excitatory synapses in male mice's PVN by inhibiting microglial MerTK, mimicked by microglial MerTK deletion, but not in females.

Genetic tagging uncovers a robust, selective activation of the thalamic paraventricular nucleus by adverse experiences early in life

The paper identifies the thalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVT) as a region selectively activated by early-life adversity (ELA) in mice, linking it to long-term reward-related behavioral deficits.

Impaired developmental microglial pruning of excitatory synapses on CRH-expressing hypothalamic neurons exacerbates stress responses throughout life

The paper shows that early-life adversity impairs microglial pruning of excitatory synapses on CRH-expressing hypothalamic neurons, leading to heightened stress responses later in life.