Pierre Apostolides
@pfapostolides.bsky.social
Cellular physiologist LARPing as a systems neuroscientist. Enthusiastic about new age music, fine scale model building (mostly styrene, sometimes computational), and non-linear processes in biological networks.
www.apostolideslab.org
www.apostolideslab.org
Feeling spicy this morning so I’ll just say: it comes as no surprise that certain “reputable” journals now masquerade nonsense as peer reviewed versions of record. Alas, I worry this problem will persist until we as a field re-examine our collective values for “prestige”
Nature Sci Rep publishes incoherent AI slop. eLife publishes a paper which the reviewers didn't agree with, making all the comments and responses public with thoughtful commentary. One of these journals got delisted by Web of Science for quality concerns from not doing peer review. Guess which one?
November 29, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Feeling spicy this morning so I’ll just say: it comes as no surprise that certain “reputable” journals now masquerade nonsense as peer reviewed versions of record. Alas, I worry this problem will persist until we as a field re-examine our collective values for “prestige”
What space clamp problem?
November 26, 2025 at 11:31 PM
What space clamp problem?
Interesting counter arguments.
I’ll read the paper over break.
Just thankful this bluesky thingie promotes scientific discussion rather than shitposts like that other app I deleted a while back
I’ll read the paper over break.
Just thankful this bluesky thingie promotes scientific discussion rather than shitposts like that other app I deleted a while back
Y’all are reading this paper in the wrong way.
We love to trash dominant hypothesis, but we need to look for evidence against the manifold hypothesis elsewhere:
This elegant work doesn't show neural dynamics are high D, nor that we should stop using PCA
It’s quite the opposite!
(thread)
We love to trash dominant hypothesis, but we need to look for evidence against the manifold hypothesis elsewhere:
This elegant work doesn't show neural dynamics are high D, nor that we should stop using PCA
It’s quite the opposite!
(thread)
“Our findings challenge the conventional focus on low-dimensional coding subspaces as a sufficient framework for understanding neural computations, demonstrating that dimensions previously considered task-irrelevant and accounting for little variance can have a critical role in driving behavior.”
November 26, 2025 at 4:18 AM
Interesting counter arguments.
I’ll read the paper over break.
Just thankful this bluesky thingie promotes scientific discussion rather than shitposts like that other app I deleted a while back
I’ll read the paper over break.
Just thankful this bluesky thingie promotes scientific discussion rather than shitposts like that other app I deleted a while back
Reposted by Pierre Apostolides
Dissociating the neural codes for multiple pitch perception in humans https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.21.689749v1
November 23, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Dissociating the neural codes for multiple pitch perception in humans https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.11.21.689749v1
Haven’t even opened the pdf but this sounds pretty cool. Don’t throw out the low explained variance PCs!
“Our findings challenge the conventional focus on low-dimensional coding subspaces as a sufficient framework for understanding neural computations, demonstrating that dimensions previously considered task-irrelevant and accounting for little variance can have a critical role in driving behavior.”
Neural dynamics outside task-coding dimensions drive decision trajectories through transient amplification
Most behaviors involve neural dynamics in high-dimensional activity spaces. A common approach is to extract dimensions that capture task-related variability, such as those separating stimuli or choice...
www.biorxiv.org
November 23, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Haven’t even opened the pdf but this sounds pretty cool. Don’t throw out the low explained variance PCs!
🎵won’t you be my neighbor 🎵
Happy to announce that the Kresge Hearing Research Institute at @umich.edu is running a tenure-track faculty search again this year! Come join our amazing group of auditory and vestibular scientists. Details below.
October 21, 2025 at 9:56 PM
🎵won’t you be my neighbor 🎵
iGABASnFR Imaging Reveals Diffusion-Driven GABA Clearance in the Cerebral Cortex https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.07.680664v1
October 8, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Cool paper. love how far the work has come from initial characterization of cellular consequences of SCN2A mutations to roadmap for therapeutic strategies.
SCN2A loss is strongly linked to neurodevelopmental delays and, at times, seizure. In an amazing collaboration with @nadavahituv.bsky.social, led by Serena Tamura, Andrew Nelson, and Perry Spratt, we leveraged CRISPR activator approaches to rescue this loss.
rdcu.be/eGU0W
rdcu.be/eGU0W
CRISPR activation for SCN2A-related neurodevelopmental disorders
Nature - Using SCN2A haploinsufficiency as a proof-of-concept, upregulation of the existing functional gene copy through CRISPR activation was able to rescue neurological-associated phenotypes in...
rdcu.be
September 24, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Cool paper. love how far the work has come from initial characterization of cellular consequences of SCN2A mutations to roadmap for therapeutic strategies.
Thank you to NIMH for supporting our work. Excited to keep thinking about reinforcement learning in the auditory midbrain.
September 22, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Thank you to NIMH for supporting our work. Excited to keep thinking about reinforcement learning in the auditory midbrain.
Reposted by Pierre Apostolides
Coincidence detection supported by electrical synapses is shaped by the D-type K+ current https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.17.676857v1
September 18, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Coincidence detection supported by electrical synapses is shaped by the D-type K+ current https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.09.17.676857v1
First day in a new brain region. We’re gonna have so much fun here.
September 15, 2025 at 9:25 PM
First day in a new brain region. We’re gonna have so much fun here.
Reposted by Pierre Apostolides
Really excited to share the latest work from my lab, where we identify how distinct cortical projections differentially encode sensory category and choice.
A cortical output channel for perceptual categorization
Perceptual categorization allows the brain to transform diverse sensory inputs into discrete representations that support flexible behavior. Auditory cortex (ACtx) has been implicated in this process,...
www.biorxiv.org
September 6, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Really excited to share the latest work from my lab, where we identify how distinct cortical projections differentially encode sensory category and choice.
This is cool. Peptide modulation of circuit excitability. Makes me think that peptide release might be a reason why so many of these interneuron types do the retro-axonal barrage firing thing
Somatostatin released by single O-LM interneurons slowly inhibits intrinsic neuronal excitability in a paracrine and autocrine manner https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.31.673310v1
September 4, 2025 at 11:51 AM
This is cool. Peptide modulation of circuit excitability. Makes me think that peptide release might be a reason why so many of these interneuron types do the retro-axonal barrage firing thing
What a horrible night to have a curse (of dimensionality)
September 3, 2025 at 11:36 AM
What a horrible night to have a curse (of dimensionality)
Just asked GPT5 what it thinks about whole-cell voltage clamp
August 26, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Just asked GPT5 what it thinks about whole-cell voltage clamp
Reposted by Pierre Apostolides
Happy 808 Day B-Girls and B-Boys! Is there honestly a more iconic piece of music tech? Also, bonus points for any nerds that can properly name the electro-baller in the photo.
#808day #tr808 #drummachine #electro #hiphop #rap #musictech #analog #musiccommunity #techno #acidhouse
#808day #tr808 #drummachine #electro #hiphop #rap #musictech #analog #musiccommunity #techno #acidhouse
August 8, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Happy 808 Day B-Girls and B-Boys! Is there honestly a more iconic piece of music tech? Also, bonus points for any nerds that can properly name the electro-baller in the photo.
#808day #tr808 #drummachine #electro #hiphop #rap #musictech #analog #musiccommunity #techno #acidhouse
#808day #tr808 #drummachine #electro #hiphop #rap #musictech #analog #musiccommunity #techno #acidhouse
Reposted by Pierre Apostolides
You keep putting up proposals until you happen to get a favorable set of three reviewers who are also iconoclast enough to argue for your non-mainstream idea.
July 19, 2025 at 5:10 PM
You keep putting up proposals until you happen to get a favorable set of three reviewers who are also iconoclast enough to argue for your non-mainstream idea.
Reposted by Pierre Apostolides
Synaptic properties of layer 6 auditory corticothalamic inputs in normal hearing and noise-induced hearing loss https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.08.663770v1
July 12, 2025 at 7:15 AM
Synaptic properties of layer 6 auditory corticothalamic inputs in normal hearing and noise-induced hearing loss https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.08.663770v1
A new Perturbator single with…Ulver? 2025 keeps getting better.
July 2, 2025 at 12:37 AM
A new Perturbator single with…Ulver? 2025 keeps getting better.
If I were a beginning grad student, I would sincerely consider entering the rapidly exploding cephalopod field. Such wonder and magic in these creatures, and much to be learned about basic neuroscience principles.
Applications are open for the first Cephalopod Neuroscience Gordon Conference, to be held February 2026! Hope to see many of you there! 🐙🧠🔬
www.grc.org/cephalopod-n...
www.grc.org/cephalopod-n...
June 24, 2025 at 6:28 PM
If I were a beginning grad student, I would sincerely consider entering the rapidly exploding cephalopod field. Such wonder and magic in these creatures, and much to be learned about basic neuroscience principles.
Reposted by Pierre Apostolides
“This kind of glutamate receptor seems to be really important in how the cerebellum works. It’s entirely possible that developing drugs that target these receptors could improve its function,” says Laurence Trussell, PhD, former Emerging Research Grants scientist << 👏👏 news.ohsu.edu/2025/06/23/o...
OHSU discovery suggests new avenue for repairing brain function
Publication in the journal Nature reveals structure and conformation of key receptors in synapses of the brain’s cerebellum.
news.ohsu.edu
June 24, 2025 at 12:31 PM
“This kind of glutamate receptor seems to be really important in how the cerebellum works. It’s entirely possible that developing drugs that target these receptors could improve its function,” says Laurence Trussell, PhD, former Emerging Research Grants scientist << 👏👏 news.ohsu.edu/2025/06/23/o...
“Disintegration loops” but it’s the first couple bars of Plainsong on repeat.
June 19, 2025 at 12:37 AM
“Disintegration loops” but it’s the first couple bars of Plainsong on repeat.
Very sad to hear that Douglas McCarthy of Nitzer Ebb has passed away. 58 is far too young. Fond memories of having purchased a second hand copy of Showtime on vinyl in the 90s, and having my mind blown.
June 12, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Very sad to hear that Douglas McCarthy of Nitzer Ebb has passed away. 58 is far too young. Fond memories of having purchased a second hand copy of Showtime on vinyl in the 90s, and having my mind blown.
Congrats to Keith and Ross on this project. It’s been wonderful to catch glimpses of its development at conferences.
New work from the lab highlighting the differential effect of arousal on distinct excitatory projections!
Pupil-linked arousal differentially modulates cell-type-specific sensory processing https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.06.09.658645v1
June 10, 2025 at 10:39 AM
Congrats to Keith and Ross on this project. It’s been wonderful to catch glimpses of its development at conferences.
Reposted by Pierre Apostolides
I just discovered that there is an "American Journal of Potato Research"
New life goal
New life goal
May 9, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I just discovered that there is an "American Journal of Potato Research"
New life goal
New life goal