Meaghan C. Creed

Sex differences in exploration-exploitation strategies during home-cage decision making

In 136 mice on FED3 tasks, males showed slightly higher win-stay in all three choice tasks, with higher accuracy in a deterministic bandit but not a probabilistic one.

Impact of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and oxycodone co-administration on measures of antinociception, dependence, circadian activity, and reward in mice

This study examines how combining Δ9-THC and oxycodone affects pain relief, dependence, circadian activity, and reward in mice, finding enhanced antinociception without increased dependence but with increased reward.

Early-life stress alters chromatin modifications in VTA to prime stress sensitivity

This study shows early-life stress alters chromatin modifications in the VTA, increasing stress sensitivity through changes in histone dynamics and Setd7 activity.

Altered postnatal chromatin development in the nucleus accumbens primes lifelong stress sensitivity

This study shows that increased H3K4me1 in the nucleus accumbens during early life primes lifelong stress sensitivity by altering chromatin structure and neuronal function.

Ventral pallidal GABAergic neurons control hedonic feeding and obesity

This study identifies ventral pallidal GABAergic neurons as a key population controlling hedonic feeding and obesity in mice through optogenetic and ablation experiments.

Inducible Calling Cards: Developing Mouse Reagents for Experimentally Controlled Transposon Insertion in vivo.

This paper develops inducible Calling Cards in mice to control transposon insertion timing in vivo, showing varying efficacy and developmental impacts based on the transcription factor used.

Reduced SK channel control of mesolimbic dopamine neuron firing drives reward seeking adaptations in chronic pain

The paper identifies impaired SK channel function in mesolimbic dopamine neurons as a mechanism driving reward seeking adaptations in chronic neuropathic pain.

A simple action reduces high fat diet intake and obesity in mice

This study shows that requiring mice to perform a simple action to access high-fat diet reduces intake and prevents obesity, suggesting that easy access promotes overeating.

Single-Cell Resolution of Individual Variation in Hypothalamic Neurons Allows Targeted Manipulation Affecting Social Motivation

The paper uses single-nucleus RNA-sequencing to link molecular variation in hypothalamic neurons to social motivation behavior in mice, identifying actionable targets for social deficit disorders.

Transcriptomic landscape of mammalian ventral pallidum at single-cell resolution

The paper defines the transcriptional taxonomy of ventral pallidum cell types across mice, macaques, and baboons using snRNA-seq and in situ hybridization, finding transcriptional conservation and unique subclusters in primates.

Cell specific single viral vector CRISPR/Cas9 editing and genetically encoded tool delivery in the central and peripheral nervous systems

The paper develops a CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing strategy using a single AAV vector and Cre-dependent Cas9 in mice to enable cell-type specific editing and tool delivery in the nervous system.

Neuropathic injury drives a generalized negative affective state in mice

This study shows that spared nerve injury in mice does not significantly affect negative affective behaviors in short-term tests but reveals reduced motivation for food rewards in long-term testing.

Oral oxycodone self-administration leads to features of opioid addiction in male and female mice

This study shows that oral oxycodone self-administration in mice leads to features of opioid addiction, including escalation, dependence, and relapse behavior.

Enhanced food motivation in obese mice is controlled by D1R expressing spiny projection neurons in the nucleus accumbens.

This study shows that obese mice exhibit increased activity in D1R-expressing spiny projection neurons in the nucleus accumbens during food seeking, which enhances food motivation and contributes to diet-induced obesity.

Modeling features of addiction with an oral oxycodone self-administration paradigm

This paper introduces an oral oxycodone self-administration paradigm in mice to model prescription opioid use and its transition to abuse.

Ventral arkypallidal neurons modulate accumbal firing to promote reward consumption.

This study identifies a specific subpopulation of ventral pallidal neurons that modulate nucleus accumbens firing to enhance reward consumption.

Periaqueductal Efferents To Dopamine And GABA Neurons Of The VTA

This study identifies the anatomical and electrophysiological organization of PAG neurons projecting to VTA, showing their distribution and excitatory nature targeting both DA and GABA neurons.