Brendon O. Watson

Mouse Bio-behavioral Phenotyping Using a Digital Homecage Framework for Long-timescale, High-resolution, and Multi-factor Data Collection and Analytics

The paper introduces a Digital Homecage system for long-term, high-resolution behavioral and physiological monitoring in mice, revealing circadian patterns and enabling longitudinal analysis of chronic conditions.

SpikeCleaner: An Algorithm to Label Unit Quality After Automated Spike Sorting

SpikeCleaner labels unit quality after automated spike sorting, achieving high accuracy in classifying units as good, noise, or multi-unit activity.

Altered Lighting Conditions Elicit Sex-Specific Circadian Behaviors in Diurnal Grass Rats

This study examines sex-specific circadian behaviors in diurnal grass rats under altered lighting conditions, revealing distinct patterns and responses between males and females.

Neurotype matching in monogamous rodents is modulated by early-life sleep experience

The paper investigates neurotype matching in prairie voles by manipulating early-life sleep experience and uses deep learning to analyze social interactions.

Developmental time course of social touch, parvalbumin interneurons, perineuronal nets and Mef2c expression reveals a sensitive period of somatosensory cortex development in prairie voles

This study maps the developmental timeline of parvalbumin interneurons and related markers in prairie voles, identifying a sensitive period for somatosensory cortex maturation linked to social touch.

Quantifying social roles in multi-animal videos using subject-aware deep-learning

This paper introduces a subject-aware deep-learning system to quantify social roles in multi-animal groups across species and assays.

REM sleep has minute-scale rhythms in mice and humans: A non-binary continuum between phasic and tonic microstates

3D Printed Skull Cap and Benchtop Fabricated Microwire-based Microelectrode Array for Custom Rat Brain Recordings

The paper develops a 3D printed skull cap and benchtop fabrication method for custom microwire microelectrode arrays to enable low-cost, repeatable, and accurate multi-region recordings in rats.

Sleep alterations in a mouse model of Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3

This study quantifies sleep EEG changes in a SCA3 mouse model, finding increased REM duration, beta power, and spectral alterations in homozygous mice compared to wild-type.

Distinct ground state and activated state modes of spiking in forebrain neurons

The paper identifies two distinct spiking modes in forebrain neurons: a universal ground state and context-dependent activated state, with implications for neuronal function.

Neuronal firing rates diverge during REM and homogenize during non-REM

The paper examines how neuronal firing rates change during REM and NREM sleep in rats, finding increased variance during REM and homogenization during NREM.

Temporal coupling of field potentials and action potentials in the neocortex

The paper examines the relationship between spike rates and LFP power in different frequency bands in rat neocortical recordings, finding that 50-180Hz oscillations correlate most consistently with high firing rates and that spiking and electromyographic activity contribute to LFP power.

Sleep regulation of the distribution of cortical firing rates

This paper explores how sleep, specifically NREM slow oscillations, regulates the distribution of cortical firing rates to support both memory consolidation and neuronal system maintenance.