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Like many animals, field mice (<em >Apodemus agrarius</em>) fight to protect their territories.
Mouse Brain Cells Activate When They Witness a Fight
Mariella Bodemeier Loayza Careaga, PhD | Jun 1, 2023 | 2 min read
A subset of hypothalamic neurons mirrors aggression in mice, challenging previous views on the location and functional role of these cells.
Illustration of green fluorescent bacterial cells.
Cocaine Use Creates Feedback Loop with Gut Bacteria: Mouse Study
Alejandra Manjarrez, PhD | Nov 1, 2022 | 3 min read
A jolt of norepinephrine in the mouse gut facilitates colonization by certain microbes, which in turn deplete glycine, enhancing cocaine-induced behaviors.
Bee on purple flower
Dopamine Drives Bee Desires: Study
Natalia Mesa, PhD | Apr 28, 2022 | 3 min read
Like in humans, the neurotransmitter appears to play a role in generating wanting-like behavior and, perhaps, happy memories in honeybees.
octopus blue
What Scientists Learned by Putting Octopuses in MRI Machines
Chloe Tenn | Jan 20, 2022 | 3 min read
The size and complexity of cephalopod brain structures differ depending on the habitats the creatures occupy, a study finds.
Cute sleeping newborn baby child on mother hands stock photo
Exposure to Chemical from Babies Linked to Aggression
Chloe Tenn | Nov 22, 2021 | 3 min read
A study finds that the odorless compound hexadecanal, or HEX, increases aggressive behavior in women but has a calming effect on men.
Artist's impression of the human microbiome
Diet Implicated in Autism-Microbiome Link
Ruth Williams | Nov 11, 2021 | 3 min read
The unbalanced gut flora present in some people with autism is not a driver of the condition but rather a consequence of eating behaviors characteristic of the condition, a new study claims.
Old man stands in front of tree, smiling at camera.
Neuroscientist Mortimer Mishkin Dies at 94
Lisa Winter | Oct 12, 2021 | 2 min read
His work bridged the gap between psychology and neurobiology.
Hippocampal neurons are labeled in blue and purple on a black background
New Role for Leptin: Promoting Synapse Formation in Rat Neurons
Abby Olena, PhD | May 20, 2021 | 3 min read
The hormone, which is well known for regulating appetite, appears to influence neuronal development—a finding that could shed light on disorders such as autism that involve dysfunctional synapse formation.
What a Video Game Can Reveal About Monkeys’ Minds
Shawna Williams | Apr 1, 2021 | 5 min read
Researchers find that the animals can account for others’ behavior and circumstances in their strategies.
Cuttlefish, cephalopod, mollusk, mollusca, animal behavior, marshmallow test, cognition, intelligence, evolution
Cuttlefish Delay Gratification, a Sign of Smarts
Asher Jones | Mar 5, 2021 | 8 min read
The cephalopods resisted temptation for up to 130 seconds to earn their favorite food, hinting at sophisticated cognitive abilities such as planning for the future.
Dogs Pass Test for Awareness of Their Own Bodies: Study
Catherine Offord | Feb 18, 2021 | 5 min read
Pets asked by their owners to pick up an object attached to a mat they were sitting on understood they needed to move in order to complete the task, researchers report.
See Pigs Master a Joystick Video Game
Lisa Winter | Feb 12, 2021 | 1 min read
Directing an object on a screen to a target provided a tasty reward.
aripiprazole ability autism spectrum behavior review
Spectrum Reporting Prompts New Review of Common Drug
Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky | Feb 11, 2021 | 3 min read
The review of more than two dozen studies finds aripiprazole has side effects and does not change core autism features, but parents report improvements in self-injury, tantrums, and other challenging behaviors.
Are You Smarter Than Your Dog?
The Scientist | Jan 11, 2021 | 1 min read
Check out the optical illusion that researchers put before canines, finding that fido and master have opposite reactions.
A Dog’s View of Optical Illusions
Catherine Offord | Jan 1, 2021 | 10 min read
Researchers are using visual tricks to try to better understand canine perception.
Infographic: What Do Dogs Perceive?
Catherine Offord | Jan 1, 2021 | 1 min read
Researchers use optical illusions to investigate canine perception.
ogre-faced spider Deinopis spinosa metatarsal trichobothria evolution senses hearing vibration sound
This Ogre-Faced Spider Can Hear Prey Through Its Legs
Katarina Zimmer | Oct 29, 2020 | 5 min read
The tropical net-casting spider Deinopis spinosa joins several other arachnid species that can hear sounds from afar without the help of a web, or even ears—an ability that aids its unique hunting tactics.
Infographic: Measurements that Predict People’s Behavior
Paul J. Zak | Oct 1, 2020 | 1 min read
Changes in blood levels of oxytocin and adrenocorticotropic hormone and patterns of neural activity predict how much money people will donate to a cause with high accuracy.
Neurological Correlates Allow Us to Predict Human Behavior
Paul J. Zak | Oct 1, 2020 | 10+ min read
A combination of factors, from oxytocin release as an indicator of emotional investment to cortisol and other hormones that correlate with attention, can forecast what people will do after an experience.
Deep Brain Optogenetic Control Without Implants
Ruth Williams | Apr 30, 2020 | 3 min read
Engineering an ultra-sensitive light-activated ion channel into brain cells allows for the control of neurons in live animals without a brain-implanted light source.
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