Holly Barker is a freelance writer specializing in biology, medicine and psychology. She has a Ph.D. in clinical neuroscience from King’s College London in the United Kingdom and a B.Sc. degree in biochemistry from the University of Manchester. She has previously written for Discover and BioNews. She is based in London.
Holly Barker
Contributing writer
From this contributor
Genetic background steers PTEN syndrome traits
People with the syndrome, caused by variants in the gene PTEN, often have autism or cancer, or both, but it depends on the genetic diversity encoded in the components of distinct cell signaling pathways, according to a new study.
Some dopamine neurons signal default behaviors to reinforce habits
Movement-sensing neurons that target the striatum influence a mouse’s choice of action by favoring routine.
Some dopamine neurons signal default behaviors to reinforce habits
By
Holly Barker
11 June 2025 | 5 min listen
Split gene therapy delivers promise in mice modeling Dravet syndrome
The new approach overcomes viral packaging limitations by delivering SCN1A piecemeal and stitching it together in target cells.
Split gene therapy delivers promise in mice modeling Dravet syndrome
By
Holly Barker
10 April 2025 | 5 min read
PTEN problems underscore autism connection to excess brain fluid
Damaging variants in the autism-linked gene cause congenital hydrocephalus—a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain—by turbocharging a downstream signaling pathway that promotes the growth of cells, according to a new study.
PTEN problems underscore autism connection to excess brain fluid
By
Holly Barker
3 April 2025 | 4 min read
Cell ‘fingerprints’ identify distinct cortical networks
These networks align with different assemblages of cells, a finding that could reveal how cellular diversity influences brain function, according to a new study.
Cell ‘fingerprints’ identify distinct cortical networks
By
Holly Barker
28 February 2025 | 4 min read
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Authors correct image errors in Neuron paper that challenged microglia-to-neuron conversion
The issue with the supplementary figures likely does not change the conclusions of the paper, according to an outside expert.
Authors correct image errors in Neuron paper that challenged microglia-to-neuron conversion
The issue with the supplementary figures likely does not change the conclusions of the paper, according to an outside expert.
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Shaena Montanari
26 June 2025 | 3 min read
Building a climate neuroscience subfield: Q&A with Angie Michaiel
Michaiel, a program officer at the Kavli Foundation, shares what it took to cultivate research on the relationship between climate change and the nervous system.
Building a climate neuroscience subfield: Q&A with Angie Michaiel
Michaiel, a program officer at the Kavli Foundation, shares what it took to cultivate research on the relationship between climate change and the nervous system.
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Calli McMurray
26 June 2025 | 5 min read
Spatial learning circuitry fluctuates in step with estrous cycle in mice
Cyclic shifts in estradiol levels coincide with changes in dendritic spine density and the activity of place cells in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, a new study shows.
Spatial learning circuitry fluctuates in step with estrous cycle in mice
Cyclic shifts in estradiol levels coincide with changes in dendritic spine density and the activity of place cells in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, a new study shows.
By
Sydney Wyatt
25 June 2025 | 6 min listen