Mason R. Barrett

Tumbly: An Open-Source Home-Cage Device for Time-Restricted Feeding in Mice

Tumbly is an open-source, automated device for time-restricted feeding in mice, validated to maintain body weight and food intake with low error rates.

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.

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.

N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptors control in vivo striatal calcium and the updating of action policy

This study shows that NMDARs in the dorsomedial striatum are essential for learning from rewarded actions and that blocking them disrupts striatal calcium dynamics involved in updating action policies.

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.

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.