We are thrilled to announce the publication of “Dynamic Responses of Striatal Cholinergic Neurons Control Behavioral Flexibility” by Dr. Zhenbo Huang and co-authors in Science Advances. This groundbreaking study reveals that operant seeking behavior induces a dip-rebound in striatal acetylcholine (ACh) activity, with the ACh rebound playing a pivotal role in promoting extinction learning and facilitating the extinguishment of learned behaviors. Additionally, pauses in cholinergic interneuron (CIN) firing, which result in ACh dips, are essential for reversal learning, enabling the adaptation to new actions. These findings provide valuable insights into how CIN dynamics regulate behavioral flexibility, emphasizing the critical role of striatal cholinergic interneurons in the extinction and updating of goal-directed learning. Congratulations to Dr. Huang and the entire team for this remarkable achievement!

Congratulations to our graduate student Yufei Huang for receiving this year’s TRSA McGovern Fellowship!

Dr. Himanshu Gangal officially left our lab today to his new journey. Himanshu graduated on Spring 2023 and has over 10 publications (including his first author paper in Nature Communication). We wish him the best luck in his future research career!

Congratulations to our graduate student Xueyi Xie for receiving this year’s RSA Doctoral Student Small Grant!