ZhenggangZhu

Excited to share our latest paper - now out in @science.org - we showed how oxytocin modulates maternally-directed behavior in young mice (P15).

Proposal recommended for funding! Which means we have a fresh, 3-year-funded position available for a computational postdoc interested in studying dynamics of social interactions in rats, with simultaneous Neuropixels data to follow 🐀🐀🐀

Proper job ad pending, but email me if interested!

A flexible hippocampal population code for experience relative to reward - Nature Neuroscience Sosa et al. find that hippocampal neural activity in mice encodes both environmental location and experience relative to rewards, spanning distances far from reward, through parallel and flexible popu...

It's officially published!! In my main postdoc work with @markplitt.bsky.social and @lgiocomo.bsky.social, we found that the hippocampus simultaneously encodes an animal's spatial position and its experience relative to reward in parallel population codes. 🧵

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

High-dimensional neuronal activity from low-dimensional latent dynamics: a solvable model Computation in recurrent networks of neurons has been hypothesized to occur at the level of low-dimensional latent dynamics, both in artificial systems and in the brain. This hypothesis seems at odds ...

The firing of neural populations is high-dim even if their subthreshold activity is low-dim! This work by @bio-emergent.bsky.social and @haydari.bsky.social shows how, with a solvable model, a data analysis technique, and data from mouse visual cortex: www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

In vivo multiplex imaging of dynamic neurochemical networks with designed far-red dopamine sensors Dopamine (DA) plays a crucial role in a variety of brain functions through intricate interactions with other neuromodulators and intracellular signaling pathways. However, studying these complex netwo...

Excited to share our Science paper on HaloDA1.0-the first genetically encoded far-red dopamine sensor! 🥳It enables powerful multiplex imaging in neurons, brain slices, and live animals.🧠🔬 #GRABsensors #Dopamine www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Norepinephrine changes behavioral state through astroglial purinergic signaling Both neurons and glia communicate through diffusible neuromodulators; however, how neuron-glial interactions in such neuromodulatory networks influence circuit computation and behavior is unclear. Dur...

Excited to share that the astrocyte-centered half of my thesis work is now out @science.org ! With @mishaahrens.bsky.social and @marcduque.bsky.social
science.org/doi/10.1126/... 1/8

Congrats, Josh and Xiaowei!

Congratulations! Well deserved!

Chronic ethanol exposure produces sex-dependent impairments in value computations in the striatum Chronic ethanol exposure disrupts adaptive decision-making and striatal neurocomputations in a sex-dependent manner.

Thrilled to share our work in ScienceAdvances: “Chronic ethanol exposure produces sex-dependent impairments in value computations in the striatum.” Huge thanks to Tricia @janaklab.bsky.social, Daeyeol @ungteoriz.bsky.social, Angela, and my friend Robin!
www.science.org/doi/full/10....

Many of us use 2p scopes to image 3D volumes of brain. But then we analyze the data plane by plane, resulting in duplicated neurons, missed neurons, and low s/n. Let's go 3D!

Suite3D: Volumetric cell detection for two-photon microscopy
by @haydari.bsky.social & team.
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Congrats! Very important work!

(n/n) This work wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible efforts of the entire Sternson Lab (@BrainCaRMA, @ronggong, @vicente-rodriguez.bsky.social) and many others—whose contributions have been invaluable. Special thanks to @hhmi.org and @ucsdmedschool.bsky.social. Thank you for reading!

Beyond hedonic eating A dopaminergic brain circuit drives food consumption in mice

(10/n) Thanks to Dr. Dana Small for the insightful Science Perspective article on our work www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

(9/n) In short, our study shows that VTADA neurons encode food palatability at intermediate timescales, sustaining hedonic eating. Precise dopamine release timing is key for controlling the consumption phase, while GLP-1R activation during palatable food intake dampens this dopamine-driven effect

(8/n) We tested semaglutide (Ozempic), with a ramped daily dose to engage satiety pathways. Initially, it shortened feeding bouts and suppressed VTADA responses to palatable food. Yet as the dose increased, VTADA neurons rebounded—driving overconsumption, an effect reversed by targeted inhibition

(7/n) Do VTADA neurons truly sustain hedonic eating? We boosted their activity during feeding and observed a hedonic contrast effect: laser-OFF blocks elicited a negative response, while stimulation significantly prolonged feeding bouts. Conversely, suppressing VTADA neurons reduced bout duration

(6/n) Switching from high- to low-palatability food abruptly reduces feeding and VTADA signals—revealing a “hedonic contrast” effect—while lower-palatability food elicits shorter bout durations and negative DA responses. VTADA neurons may encode food palatability to sustain hedonic eating over time

(5/n) Prior work shows VTADA neurons respond to food cues, reward utility, and post-ingestion, yet how they encode palatability at intermediate timescales remains unclear. We found VTADA neurons remain active throughout palatable food consumption, with their activity scaling to palatability

(4/n) The VTA is diverse—its inhibitory VTAVGAT neurons can suppress VTADA cells. So how do the periLCVGLUT2 neurons fit in? We uncovered a pathway where periLCVGLUT2 neurons activate VTAVGAT neurons, which then dampen VTADA signaling to the nucleus accumbens by reducing dopamine release

(3/n) Our group discovered that the peri‐locus coeruleus (periLC), downstream of hunger centers, plays a key role in promoting hedonic eating via double-negative inhibition. But how exactly does it work? Intriguingly, we identified a direct periLC→VTA pathway that selectively prolongs feeding bouts

(2/n) Hedonic eating means indulging in food for pleasure rather than necessity—think of the “salted-nut phenomenon.” In our study, we offered a highly palatable Ensure alongside a less tasty version and found that the tastier option led to longer feeding bouts, though not more bouts overall

(1/n) Why is it so hard to stop eating when something tastes amazing? Our new @ science.org paper reveals that dopamine helps sustain our drive for tasty treats—and may explain how anti-obesity Ozempic tames those urges. doi.org/10.1126/science.adt0773

Congratulations!!! Truly grateful for your outstanding contribution!

Hedonic eating is controlled by dopamine neurons that oppose GLP-1R satiety Hedonic eating is defined as food consumption driven by palatability without physiological need. However, neural control of palatable food intake is poorly understood. We discovered that hedonic eatin...

New @science.org
Hedonic eating (eating for pleasure, not need) is mediated by dopamine neurons (in the brain ventral segmental area, VTA) and they are antagonized by GLP-1 drugs, such as semaglutide, leading to weight loss
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Conjoint specification of action by neocortex and striatum Park et al. show that motor cortex and subcortical striatum act in concert to specify the movement parameters of a reach-to-pull action in mice.

Our paper from Junchol Park and collaborators that has been brewing for a while. Trying to capture our thinking about what action specification in striatum means and what would constitute evidence for such a model. Longer thread soon, but it’s online now. www.cell.com/neuron/fullt...

HCN1 channels in GABAergic amygdalar neurons underpin male-biased aggressive behaviors https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.12.07.627305v1