A5041495286- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Food Industry and Aquatic Biology
- Marine animal studies overview
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Genetic and Clinical Aspects of Sex Determination and Chromosomal Abnormalities
- Physiological and biochemical adaptations
- Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics research
- Early Childhood Education and Development
- Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Mental Health Research Topics
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
Emory University
2019-2025
Cornell University
2015-2018
Indiana University Bloomington
2008-2014
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
2009
Antagonism of oxytocin (OT) receptors (OTRs) impairs the formation pair bonds in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) and zebra finches (Taenioypygia guttata), also reduces preference for larger two groups ("gregariousness") finches. These effects tend to be stronger females. The contributions specific peptide cell these processes remain unknown, however. This issue is complicated by fact that OTRs bind not only forms OT, but vasopressin (VP), >10 produce each any given species. Using RNA...
Mesolimbic dopamine (DA) circuits mediate a wide range of goal-oriented behavioral processes, and DA strongly influences appetitive consummatory aspects male sexual behavior. In both birds mammals, mesolimbic projections arise primarily from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), with smaller contribution midbrain central gray (CG). Despite well known importance VTA cell group for incentive motivation functions, relationships subpopulations to specific social phenotype remain wholly undescribed....
In mammals, rostrocaudal columns of the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) regulate diverse behavioral and physiological functions, including sexual fight-or-flight behavior, but homologous have not been identified in non-mammalian species. contrast to which PAG lies ventral superior colliculus surrounds cerebral aqueduct, birds exhibit a hypertrophied tectum that is displaced laterally, thus central (CG) extends mediolaterally rather than dorsoventrally as mammals. We therefore hypothesized...
Family context and co-parent rapport alter caregiving shape epigenetic modification in the brain behavior of offspring.
The anterior hypothalamus (AH) is a major integrator of neural processes related to aggression and defense, but cell types in the AH that selectively promote are unknown. We here show promoted very selective potent manner by dorsal neurons produce vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Fos activity territorial finch, violet-eared waxbill (Estrildidae: Uraeginthus granatina) positively AH, overlapping population VIP-producing neurons. VIP known songbirds, thus we used antisense...
We investigated whether nonreproductive social interactions may be rewarding for colonial but not non-colonial species. found that the spiny mouse (
Although androgens are widely studied in the context of aggression, androgenic influences on prosocial behaviours have been less explored. We examined testosterone's (T) influence and aggressive responses a positively valenced social (interacting with pairbond partner) negatively an intruder) socially monogamous Mongolian gerbils. T increased decreased same individuals towards partner intruder, respectively, both within 30 min, but did not affect aggression. also had persistent effects...
Studies in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) have shown that although formation of the pair bond is accompanied by a suite behavioral changes, between two can dissolve and individuals form new bonds with other conspecifics. However, neural mechanisms underlying this flexibility not been well-studied. Here we examine plasticity nonapeptide, vasopressin (VP) oxytocin (OT), neuronal populations relation to bonding dissolution bonds. Using adult male female voles, animals were either bonded,...
In complex social environments, individuals may interact with not only novel and familiar conspecifics but also kin non-kin. The ability to distinguish between conspecific identities is crucial for most animals, yet how the brain processes type animals alter behavior accordingly well known. We examined whether communally breeding spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) responds differently that vary in novelty kinship. a group interaction test, we found males can from non-kin, preferentially spend...
The needs of offspring change as they develop. Thus, parents should concomitantly their investment based on the age-related mature. Due to high costs parental care, it is optimal for exhibit a shift from intense caregiving young promoting independence in older offspring. Yet, neural mechanisms that underlie shifts behavior are poorly understood, and little known about how brain responds different ages. To elucidate relate develop, we examined behavioral responses male female prairie voles...
Nonapeptides of the vasopressin-oxytocin family modulate social processes differentially in relation to sex, species, behavioral phenotype, and human personality. However, mechanistic bases for these differences are not well understood, part because multidimensional personality structures remain be described common laboratory animals. Based upon principal components (PC) analysis extensive measures nonsocial contexts, we now describe three complex dimensions phenotype ("personality") zebra...
A major issue in neuroscience is the poor translatability of research results from preclinical studies animals to clinical outcomes. Comparative can overcome this barrier by studying multiple species differentiate between species-specific and general mechanisms neural circuit functioning. Targeted manipulation circuits often depends on genetic dissection, use technique has been restricted only a few model species, limiting its application comparative research. However, ongoing advances...