Kepecs Lab @ WashU
@kepecslab.bsky.social
7/ We used a patch foraging task with depleting rewards designed to measure effort sensitivity—grounded in behavioral economics. As cachexia progressed and IL-6 rose, dopamine in the nucleus accumbens fell. Mice gave up faster, even when rewards were still available.
April 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM
7/ We used a patch foraging task with depleting rewards designed to measure effort sensitivity—grounded in behavioral economics. As cachexia progressed and IL-6 rose, dopamine in the nucleus accumbens fell. Mice gave up faster, even when rewards were still available.
4/ We tested in mice with cancer (C26 colon adenocarcinoma) and saw a striking loss of motivation.
As cachexia set in, effort sensitivity increased in two tasks—but mice still liked sweet rewards, showed no despair, and retained capacity to move. Apathy-like behavior.
As cachexia set in, effort sensitivity increased in two tasks—but mice still liked sweet rewards, showed no despair, and retained capacity to move. Apathy-like behavior.
April 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM
4/ We tested in mice with cancer (C26 colon adenocarcinoma) and saw a striking loss of motivation.
As cachexia set in, effort sensitivity increased in two tasks—but mice still liked sweet rewards, showed no despair, and retained capacity to move. Apathy-like behavior.
As cachexia set in, effort sensitivity increased in two tasks—but mice still liked sweet rewards, showed no despair, and retained capacity to move. Apathy-like behavior.