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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist)

@askaneuroscientist.bsky.social
761 followers 1.3K following 352 posts

Neuro Ph.D. Student, science communicator, proud woman in STEM, avid crafter, amateur crossword puzzle maker💗💜💙🏳️‍🌈

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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Also stress deregulated the estrous cycle, which has interesting implications for future research. Some rats would become “stuck” in a particular estrous phase, while others would continue cycling normally. Why and how this happens is yet to be discovered. (3/3)
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
This has real-world implications, as humans with menstrual cycles often experience multiple stressors in their lives. So in humans, it’s likely that the impact of stress is not regulated by the menstrual cycle. I’m obviously biased but I think that’s pretty cool! (2/3)
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
🧪We found that stress can have different effects on learning depending on the estrous cycle (rodent equivalent of the menstrual cycle)! BUT only if it’s a single stress. Repeated stressful experiences were not estrous dependent. (1/3) #brains #stress #sexdifferences
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Reposted by Morgan (AskANeuroscientist)
Matt Wanat @mattjwanat.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
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.
nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
Estrous cycle stage gates the effect of stress on reward learning
Neuropsychopharmacology - Estrous cycle stage gates the effect of stress on reward learning
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
5 years of my life are finally available to read thanks to @npp-journal.bsky.social! Check out my first first-author paper here: rdcu.be/ewtDQ. Shout out to @mattjwanat.bsky.social for all of his incredible mentorship and making sure this was something I could be proud of, which I absolutely am!
rdcu.be
Estrous cycle stage gates the effect of stress on reward learning
Neuropsychopharmacology - Estrous cycle stage gates the effect of stress on reward learning
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Reposted by Morgan (AskANeuroscientist)
Alt-NIHscience4ALL @alt-nihscience4all.altgov.info · 08/07/2025
This is not good. Organ on a chip models are NOT where they need to be in order to for scientists to test things prior to human clinical trials. This has been a concern for a while. 🧵
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Hey I just heard some wild news about the NIH so hopped on the #Science🧪 feed to see if anyone was talking about it… not seeing much, unsure if that’s a good or bad sign👀
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
Trying to think of a good shirt to make for the no kings protest but all I can come up with is “fuuuuuuuuuuuuck”
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
I need to start carrying gold stars, I have the most supportive and helpful study group in my class and they all deserve some stars
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spongebob and patrick are standing in front of a chalkboard with good noodles written on it
Alt: spongebob and patrick are standing in front of a chalkboard with good noodles written on it and gold stars next to people’s names
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
Been at my big girl professor job for 1 week and just had a student tell me I make learning fun…. I think this is what drugs feel like
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a man in an orange sweater is smiling and saying it 's great
Alt: Pete Davidson in an orange sweater is smiling and saying it 's great
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
I love graduation season on campus, what do you mean there’s a whole ass line dance session happening in a random classroom? Good for yall😂
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
It was floppy hat and silly robes day at school😜✌🏼 @mattwanat.bsky.social #PHD #PHDONE #MyPronounsAreDoctorNow
Two people, the person receiving the Ph.D. And her mentor, in doctoral robes taking a selfieSelfie of Morgan, the poster, in her doctoral robes with her partnerPhoto of Morgan in her doctoral robes looking very coolPhoto of Morgan in her doctoral robes with a huge smile
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Something about the transition from grad student to professor feels a lot like the transition from high school senior to college freshman. Like I’m simultaneously growing up and becoming a baby again. #academia #gradschool
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a baby is sitting at a desk in front of a laptop computer
Alt: a baby is sitting at a desk in front of a laptop computer looking like it has no clue when it’s doing
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
I didn’t take a pic so idk if anyone will believe me, but I just saw the funniest combo of 2 magazines next to each other. One: secrets you’ll never believe pope Francis took to the grave! The other: a coloring book of “cat farts”
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
I stg the writers of Lost think every woman is always pregnant at all times🙄 (and I say woman instead of person with a uterus because the show is from the early 2000’s and therefore painfully cis/het normative)
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Here’s photos! Yes the dye job was intentional lol the dress form is approximately my measurements. Can’t decide if I should frog it or just wear it as a cape, what do y’all think? #knitsky #lace #fashion? 2/2
Photo of the back of a shawl around a dress form, shawl reaches about halfway down the back. It’s an ombré grey to blackPhoto of the front of a dress form with shawl draped over the shoulders. Shawl will not close, is barely hanging on for dear life around the shouldersSideways view of the shawl on a dress form. Shawl does not really cover any of the front of the dress form
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
Learned the importance of gauge swatches the hard way… been working on this shawl for 3 months, thought it looked a bit small but there’s also a big lace portion so I hoped blocking would fix it… ended up with a child size shawl but it also kinda looks like a cape? #knitsky 1/2
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
You’re my hero😂
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
And I thought the people who complain about “chemicals” in things were bad…. Can’t wait for someone to inform him that he also has hella dna particles😂
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
Hey, fellow adhd folks, may I humbly recommend going to a cattle auction. Went to my first one today and it was a perfect level of stimulation. There was so much going on, I felt like I was in a sensory deprivation tank. I think that was the first time my mind has truly been empty, it was meditative
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
Just got reviewer comments back! Seems like the published version will look quite a bit different than this one, but the results remain the same. TBH, it feels nice to have something to do again. My life got too easy after defending😂
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
I might have a phd now but apparently I still cannot spell… it’s fine, I’m fine😂😂😂
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
The temptation to change all of my social media handles to Dr.AskANeuroscientist is so strong…..
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
NOW ANOUNCING DR ASK A NEUROSCIENT, PH.D.!!! #gradschool #research #phd
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 16/04/2025
😭😭😭
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Matt Wanat @mattjwanat.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
Huge congrats goes out to Dr. Morgan Johnston (@askaneuroscientist.bsky.social) for nailing her dissertation defense today! Stay tuned for her papers that will be coming out soon!
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 12/04/2025
Ok I’m officially no longer listening to anyone’s movie opinions. Bane is the best Batman villain
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a man in a hooded jacket is being touched by another man
Alt: Gif of a man with a hood over his head. The hood is slowly removed to reveal Bane, from the dark knight rises
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 12/04/2025
Ok I get why everyone hates on DC, but also, Batman begins is an actual masterpiece (especially if you watch it at 2am)
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a man is saying the batman in a pixelated video
Alt: Gif of a man with a wild look in his eyes (it’s crane from Batman begins) saying the Batman
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
When you realize no one has made a graph/diagram that you desperately want to make explaining your point easier
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a person says fine i 'll do it myself in a dark room
Alt: Gif of Thanos from the marvel movies saying quote fine I’ll do it myself end quote
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
Currently trying not to read into HEB playing Heat of the Moment on a Tuesday…….. #supernatural
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a man sits on a bed with his legs crossed and says rise and shine sammy !
Alt: Gif of Dean from Supernatural sitting on a bed and putting on his shoes saying quote rise and shine Sammy! End quote
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
No one should be hitting anyone, pretty sure they were supposed to learn that in kindergarten lol
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 05/04/2025
I hate working in the same field as my arch enemy. I'll just be casually reading a paper and all of sudden, there's their name. Great, now my whole day is ruined. They shouldn't be cited out of pure pettiness, I guarantee there's more robust papers demonstrating the same thing...
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a man in a sweater is standing in front of a gumball machine and saying umm
Alt: gif of David from schitts creek saying quote ummmm what are you, what are you doing here question mark end quote
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
I hope at least one of those comments informed him that he also does not have to fight to other men, that’s a choice😬
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
So I've been stuck in a cave writing my thesis all day..... what's everyone else's day been like???? wtf
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
currently wildly fluctuating between being extremely proud to be on the forefront of science and incredibly freaking annoyed no one has the answer to my super simple question that has only take five years of my life (sarcasm) to answer
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
So when I said “the menstrual cycle”, I meant all of it, not just periods! Just like the circadian rhythm involves both the times when you’re awake and when you’re asleep. And the hunger cycle actually means times when you’re hungry and when you’re full. Because these cycles are cyclical! (3/3)
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
The menstrual cycle is a 28ish day long cycle that’s made up of multiple phases. One of those phases is menses (or periods). Another is ovulation. The follicular stage is when a new uterine lining develops. And some other steps are in there. #themoreyouknow🌈 🧪 (2/3)
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
Ohhhh I just realized some people are a bit confused under this thread because american sex ed has failed us all! So here’s your #FunFact for today: people with menstrual cycles are ALWAYS in their menstrual cycle, until it ends around age 50. (1/3)🧪
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
Obviously ovulation and menstruation would only happen if the person had the equipment for it, and they wouldn’t experience cramping because that’s caused by contractions of the uterus. But they could experience the changes in mood and attention associated with the menstrual cycle. (2/2)
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
Good question! I’d have to do a bit more research into it, but if you had a month long hormone treatment cycle that follows the same fluctuation people with a menstrual cycle have, I don’t see why it wouldn’t cause the same effects. (1/2)
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
Fair, I guess I made the assumption that people with penises would also have balls, but that might not be the case in everyone so thanks for the correction!😂
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
I’m dead😂😂😂😂
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
Hi! Could you clarify your question? All of these beautiful cycles are going all of the time, that’s why they’re called cycles! So for example, the circadian rhythm is always going, just sometimes you’re in the sleep part and sometimes you’re in the awake part. Does that help?
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
When I was in highschool, I called periods dots because I was terrified to even say the word. Now I just sent my advisor a thesis introduction that said “menses”, “menstruation”, “vaginal canal”, and “uterine lining” a total of 36 times. That’s growth (and the normalization of normal things)👏👏👏
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
Can you tell me, cause I did not understand the show like at all😂
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
Feel free to add more!🧪
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
The hunger cycle. To be totally honest, calling this one a hormonal cycle is a bit of a stretch, but it is mainly driven by hormones! Specifically ghrelin and leptin!
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a cat is playing with a bowl on the floor
Alt: Gif of a cat on the floor playing with its food bowl and looking grumpy because the food bowl is empty
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
The testosterone cycles! This is a particularly fun one because it’s highly debated. Various researchers argue that those with penises experience a daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal, and yearly testosterone cycle! This can affect things like mood, energy, and sex drive.
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a woman in a suit says it gets lonely here in the sea of testosterone .
Alt: a woman in a suit says it gets lonely here in the sea of testosterone .
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
The circadian rhythm is the common name for a cycle of melatonin, cortisol, thyroid hormone, and a bunch of other things! It guides your sleep/wake cycle😴
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a cartoon character is laying in bed with a blue blanket
Alt: Gif of Donald Duck snuggling into bed
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Morgan (AskANeuroscientist) @askaneuroscientist.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
Extremely disappointed that when I googled “human hormonal cycles” the only thing that came up was the menstrual cycle. Did you know that humans (which includes those born with a penis) experience a lot of hormonal cycles that can influence our behavior? Here’s a thread of some I think are neat🧪
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