Hayden Hotchkiss
Papers
1
Total Citations
7
H-Index
1
About
Hayden Hotchkiss is a neuroscientist whose research lies at the intersection of innate threat processing, foraging behavior, and the neural circuits that govern survival decisions. Their most-cited work, a 2023 study on the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) GABA neurons, demonstrates a critical mechanism: these neurons are necessary for translating predator encounters—whether from a robotic or live threat—into adaptive changes in foraging behavior. This finding illuminates how the brain prioritizes safety over food-seeking after danger, a fundamental trade-off in animal survival. With 7 citations already, this early-career contribution signals growing influence in behavioral neuroscience. Hotchkiss’s work bridges ethology and circuit-level analysis, offering insights into how innate fear responses reshape motivated behaviors. By focusing on the BNST—a region central to anxiety and sustained threat responses—they provide a neural substrate for understanding post-traumatic behavioral shifts. For students and researchers, Hotchkiss exemplifies how combining robotic tools with naturalistic paradigms can unravel the brain’s ancient algorithms for navigating a dangerous world.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1