In 2012, a team led by Andrew C. Gallup (now at State University of New York at Oneonta) described observational evidence of contagious yawning in flocks of Melopsittacus undulatus budgerigars, or budgies. It was the first report of contagious yawning in a non-primate species in a natural context. Gallup’s laboratory has now followed up withContinueContinue reading “Budgie see, budgie yawn”
Tag Archives: behavior & mood
Blueberries balance neurotransmitters
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prolonged stress response to a traumatic event that can impair a person’s ability to function in everyday life. It is associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain and with dysregulation of neurotransmitters (specifically, low levels of serotonin and high levels of norepinephrine). Compounds that increase serotoninContinueContinue reading “Blueberries balance neurotransmitters”
Genetic predisposition to liver cirrhosis
Chronic alcohol abuse can damage the liver, leading to fat accumulation, inflammation, fibrosis (as healthy tissue is replaced with scar tissue) and, eventually, cirrhosis, a late-stage disease in which fibrosis is extensive and irreversible. Not all cases of liver disease progress to cirrhosis, however. Findings of a new study suggest that specific genetic mutations mightContinueContinue reading “Genetic predisposition to liver cirrhosis”
Neurons that fire when predicting others’ behavior
Cooperative social interactions require an individual to anticipate another’s actions when determining his or her own actions. For example, a person might choose to collaborate with a partner if he anticipates that the partner will also choose to collaborate but not if he anticipates that the partner will not choose to collaborate. These choices formContinueContinue reading “Neurons that fire when predicting others’ behavior”
The importance of order in visual communication
Syntax, or the sequence of compositional elements, is known to be an important component of acoustic communication, but its relevance in visual communication has not been established. Kevin Woo (SUNY Empire State College, New York, NY) and Guillaume Rieucau (Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway) assessed the role of syntax in visual communication in theContinueContinue reading “The importance of order in visual communication”
Adaptive immunity in stress resilience
Mood and behavior are controlled by reciprocal associations between the central nervous system and peripheral systems including the immune system. Lymphocytes, the cells of the adaptive immune system, are affected by chronic stress, but it is not known how ‘stressed’ lymphocytes affect behavior in return. Miles Herkenham and his team at National Institutes of HealthContinueContinue reading “Adaptive immunity in stress resilience”
Specific neurons flip the switch on locust behavior
Desert locusts (Schistocerca gregaria) normally shun other locusts, but in certain circumstances, such as drought conditions when resources are scarce, they are forced to be in close proximity with each other. Crowding triggers an extreme change in behavior: locusts enter a gregarious state and become strongly attracted to the company of other locusts. This switchContinueContinue reading “Specific neurons flip the switch on locust behavior”
Pinpointing the neurons that signal hunger in mice
Organisms must feed in order to meet their nutritional requirements. In humans, dysfunctional feeding behavior can take the form of destructive eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, overeating and addiction. Feeding behavior comprises discrete elements that include motivation (or hunger) and consumption. Understanding the neurological pathways that underlie these elements could provide mechanistic insight into theContinueContinue reading “Pinpointing the neurons that signal hunger in mice”
Strong muscles, strong mind
Depression is a debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Physical exercise can improve symptoms in many people with depression, but the mechanisms by which it does so have not been characterized. Physical endurance exercise induces PGC-1α1 in skeletal muscle, promoting mitochondrial biogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, angiogenesis and resistance to muscle atrophy. By studyingContinueContinue reading “Strong muscles, strong mind”
A new way to measure canine welfare
Animal welfare science focuses on assessing and maximizing animals’ quality of life. In the research context, improving the welfare of laboratory animals is a high priority. To this end, objective measures of animal welfare are greatly needed. One way to evaluate welfare is to consider an animal’s affective state, which can be assessed indirectly byContinueContinue reading “A new way to measure canine welfare”
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