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
Among brain changes studied in autism, spotlight shifts to subcortex
The striatum and thalamus are more likely than the cerebral cortex to express autism variants or bear transcriptional changes, two unpublished studies find.
Among brain changes studied in autism, spotlight shifts to subcortex
By
Holly Barker
11 December 2025 | 5 min read
Home makeover helps rats better express themselves: Q&A with Raven Hickson and Peter Kind
The “Habitat”—a complex environment with space for large social groups—expands the behavioral repertoire of rodent models, Hickson and Kind say.
Home makeover helps rats better express themselves: Q&A with Raven Hickson and Peter Kind
By
Holly Barker
4 December 2025 | 0 min watch
Constellation of studies charts brain development, offers ‘dramatic revision’
The atlases could pinpoint pathways that determine the fate of cells linked to neurodevelopmental conditions.
Constellation of studies charts brain development, offers ‘dramatic revision’
By
Holly Barker
5 November 2025 | 6 min read
Protein tug-of-war controls pace of synaptic development, sets human brains apart
Human-specific duplicates of SRGAP2 prolong cortical development by manipulating SYNGAP, an autism-linked protein that slows synaptic growth.
Protein tug-of-war controls pace of synaptic development, sets human brains apart
By
Holly Barker
23 October 2025 | 7 min read
Worms help untangle brain structure/function mystery
The synaptic connectome of most animals bears little resemblance to functional brain maps, but it can still predict neuronal activity, according to two preprints that tackle the puzzle in C. elegans.
Worms help untangle brain structure/function mystery
By
Holly Barker
29 August 2025 | 7 min read
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Psychedelics research in rodents has a behavior problem
Simple behavioral assays—originally validated as drug-screening tools—fall short in studies that aim to unpack the psychedelic mechanism of action, so some behavioral neuroscientists are developing more nuanced tasks.
Psychedelics research in rodents has a behavior problem
Simple behavioral assays—originally validated as drug-screening tools—fall short in studies that aim to unpack the psychedelic mechanism of action, so some behavioral neuroscientists are developing more nuanced tasks.
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Calli McMurray
19 December 2025 | 8 min read
New organoid atlas unveils four neurodevelopmental signatures
The comprehensive resource details data on microcephaly, polymicrogyria, epilepsy and intellectual disability from 352 people.
New organoid atlas unveils four neurodevelopmental signatures
The comprehensive resource details data on microcephaly, polymicrogyria, epilepsy and intellectual disability from 352 people.
By
Diana Kwon
17 December 2025 | 4 min read
Can neuroscientists decode memories solely from a map of synaptic connections?
Five experts discuss the progress, possibilities and hurdles of decoding a “nontrivial” memory from an organism just by analyzing its brain connectivity patterns.
Can neuroscientists decode memories solely from a map of synaptic connections?
Five experts discuss the progress, possibilities and hurdles of decoding a “nontrivial” memory from an organism just by analyzing its brain connectivity patterns.
By
Paul Middlebrooks
17 December 2025 | 1 min read