Stephen V Mahler

Neural coding of choice and outcome are modulated by uncertainty in orbitofrontal but not secondary motor cortex - Nature Communications Neural mechanisms underlying flexible learning and decision-making are not fully understood. Using single-cell calcium imaging, authors here found that neurons in orbitofrontal and secondary motor cortex exhibit complementary roles in reward learning, with neurons in the former exerting a sustained role in conditions of uncertainty.

🎇 Excited to finally share JL Romero Sosa’s publication! Results are from single-cell imaging in different subregions of rat frontal cortex during ✨de novo learning. Spoiler: everything is not everywhere all at once www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Check out this great summary of our recent paper on the impact of exposure to #THC during gestation.

Thanks @douglasresearch.bsky.social !!

Orig paper here:

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Welcome!

Excited to announce that I'll be moving to the Univ of California Irvine @ucirvine.bsky.social next Spring!🌴

Happily, this is not goodbye to Japan as I'll continue my lab @RIKEN_CBS for some time.

Help spread the word: the new UCI lab will be hiring, DM or email (johaono@gmail.com) if interested!

Stimulus-specific and adaptive value representations in the basolateral amygdala in male mice - Nature Communications How basolateral amygdala represents the specific value of rewards remains unclear. Here the authors find that basolateral amygdala neurons assign stimulus-specific values to different rewards and rapidly re-scale these signals with changing reward context, thirst or stress, illuminating how the brain guides flexible, state-dependent choices.

Too bad no mention of the Crespi Effect, dependent on basolateral amygdala. Classic 🏆 ibotenic lesion and lidocaine inactivation papers by Salinas, Packard, and McGaugh, 1993; Salinas, Parent, and McGaugh, 1996 could have been cited.
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

The NSF GRFP is now limited to undergrads and first-year grads The solicitation for the 2025 submission dates for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program is out, with the first deadline of November 10 for life-sciences disciplines. The big news is that el…

The NSF GRFP is now limited to undergrads and first-year grads drugmonkey.wordpress.com/2025/09/26/t...

A Combined Neuroanatomy, Ex Vivo Imaging, and Immunohistochemistry Defined MRI Mask for the Human Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus Existing definitions of the human paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) differ between histological and MRI atlases; this study addresses this conflict by leveraging MRI and histology in the ...

Published! to NAIL human paraventricular thalamus, we imaged & aligned postmortem human thalamus labeled c calretinin. Finally a gold standard allowing mouse, rat human comparisons onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... @ted-satterthwaite.bsky.social @flagel-lab.bsky.social @mikeyassa.bsky.social l

Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that can slow its progression and transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC.

In the early years of my PhD I remember being asked if we'd ever treat or cure diseases like HIV or Huntington's. I remember saying maybe, but not knowing if I believed. Seeing research pay off as real impact on human lives is - incredible.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Some good science news for a change- MBF Bioscience is hiring! Looking for a microscopy aficionado to join our scientific support team in Williston, VT or San Diego, CA. Please share and feel free to reach out with questions. Link here: www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...

schematic of genetic tagging of cells that respond preferentially to early-life stress, and then capturing ribosomally tethered transcripts in these same cells

Just dropped! 🧠🧪how to pinpoint brain cells activated by early-life #stress then determine their #epigenomic and #transcriptional changes that govern adult behaviors. Led by @amaliaflorious.bsky.social @svmahler.bsky.social @cate-cholamine.bsky.social @thebalelab.bsky.social doi.org/10.3389/fnin...

A fresh new @npp-journal.bsky.social from @superkash.bsky.social & team is out now 🤩 👇

Cannabidiol mitigates alcohol dependence and withdrawal with neuroprotective effects in the basolateral amygdala and striatum Neuropsychopharmacology - Cannabidiol mitigates alcohol dependence and withdrawal with neuroprotective effects in the basolateral amygdala and striatum

This recent study found that cannabidiol (CBD) ⬇️ alcohol dependence & withdrawal in 🐀 by normalizing BLA excitability & protecting striatal neurons.

A promising step toward innovative #AUD treatments?

In a packed retreat of anatomy/neurobiology an neurobiology/ behavior departnents, marcelo wood providing current state of uci neuroscience in 2025 USA 🧪🧠 @svmahler.bsky.social @ucirvinemedschool.bsky.social @ucirvine.bsky.social

One of the greatest errors in K-12 education, in my opinion, is prioritizing trigonometry and calculus over statistics. Yes, trig and calc are important for many professions. Statistics are important for literacy.

📣 Ready to lead your own lab? NTU Singapore's Nanyang Assistant Professorship offers a 100% paid salary & a S$2.75M start-up package. We're visiting the US this Sept to recruit top talent. Meet us in NYC, Boston & more! #FacultyJobs #TenureTrack

Register HERE: lnkd.in/gSy5qpA7

Scientists no Longer Find Twitter Professionally Useful, and have Switched to Bluesky Synopsis. Social media has become widely used by the scientific community for a variety of professional uses, including networking and public outreach. For

ooh they did a science to find the scientists

For those following alone on #CannabinoidGRC2025, here is the starter pack to stay on top of the latest and greatest in cannabis science go.bsky.app/JmeZk14

Almost Everything in “Dr. Strangelove” Was True How Stanley Kubrick’s film “Dr. Strangelove” exposed dangers inherent in nuclear command-and-control systems.

How Stanley Kubrick’s film “Dr. Strangelove” exposed dangers inherent in nuclear command-and-control systems.

Excited to have this little @npp-journal.bsky.social "hot topics" article out with my dear friend and collaborator @jbeehner.bsky.social. Even more excited for the opportunity to jump into field research and explore some of these ideas. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Absence of sex differences in serotonergic control of orbitofrontal cortex neuronal activity - Scientific Reports Scientific Reports - Absence of sex differences in serotonergic control of orbitofrontal cortex neuronal activity

5-HT-mediated depolarization of OFC PV neurons occurs via activation of 2A, not 2C, receptors. And 2A antagonism works similarly in males and females www.nature.com/articles/s41...

🌈🧠 The Trip Between Bedside and Bench 🌈🧠
Join us at #SfN2025 for a deep dive into cross-species research in psychedelic neuroscience!

🧬 Posters, 🎤 panels, 🔑 keynotes, 🍸 cocktails, and 🥟 tasty apps await.

RSVP, explore speaker profiles, and help spread the word:
👉 hopkinspsychedelic.org/sfn2025

Estrous cycle stage gates the effect of stress on reward learning Neuropsychopharmacology - Estrous cycle stage gates the effect of stress on reward learning

Ever wonder how stress and the estrous cycle affects reward learning? Well we have answers for you in our paper led by @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social published in
@npp-journal.bsky.social

And huge thanks to the NIH and NSF who supported this research.

A biological blind spot in addiction research: hormonal contraceptives and adolescent reward seeking Neuropsychopharmacology - A biological blind spot in addiction research: hormonal contraceptives and adolescent reward seeking

Check out this NPP Hot Topic by @seemiller.bsky.social "A biological blind spot in addiction research: hormonal contraceptives and adolescent reward seeking".

Read it here: tinyurl.com/3hrbswkr

I work for you…as you have repeatedly requested. In 2025 the political situation in the United States has raised the operations of the agencies that fund scientific research to common conversation. Research grants which have been issued the Natio…

I work for you...as you have repeatedly requested. tlneuro.wordpress.com/2025/06/26/i...

Trump’s NIH Chief Lets Loose on Fauci, Vaccines and Covid Cover-Ups Jay Bhattacharya discusses pandemic fallout and his plans for American science in Trump 2.0.

New interview w NIH Dir Bhattacharya.

"I think that the idea that the US no longer supports science or scientists is laughable."

"Many, many people now think that mRNA is a bad platform."

Dismisses research on structural racism & health as "not a scientific idea"
www.politico.com/news/magazin...

The evolving neurobiology of early-life stress This review explores the effects of early-life stress on brain development and cognitive function, highlighting gaps in understanding perceived stress, vulnerable developmental stages, underlying mole...

Excellent review by @talliezee.bsky.social and Matthew T. Birnie on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the consequences of early life adversity. Highly recommended! www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...

Given that we expect layoffs from the planned reduction in NASA's science budget, JPL doing this is akin to forcing people out now without paying severance.

The knowledge and expertise that will end up leaving JPL will set back research and projects decades. /1

Opioid-driven disruption of the septum reveals a role for neurotensin-expressing neurons in withdrawal Opioid withdrawal produces a dysphoric state that can lead to relapse. Simon et al. reveal that lateral septal neurotensin-expressing neurons are selectively activated by naloxone and drive changes in...

Thrilled to announce that our paper is now finally out! 🎉We combine scRNAseq, 2p imaging, ephys, and behavior to understand the role of lateral septal Nts neurons in opioid withdrawal. Curious about the septum and addiction? Give it a read👇

www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...

Demand for heroin in rats: effects of non-drug alternative
substitutes and complements

👉 Opioid value depends on the broader behavioral economic context in which opioids and non-drug alternatives are available

www.nature.com/articles/s41...