Animal Behavior Research Blog Posts

How does heat stress affect the health and welfare of dairy cows?

When environmental temperatures rise, livestock animals, such as dairy cows, are vulnerable to heat stress. Researchers Polsky and von Keyserlingk reviewed how heat stress affects animal productivity, health, and welfare.

Testing motor coordination in a mouse model with muscular dystrophy

Muscular Dystrophy is a broad group of diseases recognized by the loss of muscle mass and strenght. Researchers tried to discover if gene therapy strategies can help with reducing symptoms.

Decreased learning abilities in diabetic rats: Silymarin to the rescue

Silymarin is a substance that works as an antioxidant, is anti-inflammatory and increases BDNF levels. After supplementing silymarin to diabetic rats, typical diabetes symptoms were greatly improved.

Can caffeine prevent Alzheimer's?

What is the most popular drug in the world? It’s not alcohol, cannabis, or cocaine, but something most of us start with each day. Coffee; or, more specifically: caffeine.

Depressed with a failing reward system: social stress disrupts brain waves

Chronic social stress has a huge impact on well-being. Gamma oscillations have been found to be an electrophysiological link between social stress and reward processing.

User Meeting: exploring external data integration

A few months ago, we organized our very first User Meeting about EthoVision XT and external data integration! The meeting included interesting talks, discussions, and demonstrations with a diverse group of participants.

LIFESTART project

The importance of good nutrition for human babies is well known. But what about young animals?

Is a unique calcium regulating mechanism a cause of Gulf War Illness?

Gulf War Illness (GWI) is potentially caused by organophosphate exposure. Through behavioral experiments, using a DFP rat model, researchers tested levetiracetam as a potential cure.

Gut microbes: both cause and cure of autism?

Gut microbes can increase or decrease typical autism spectrum disorder behavior (stereotypies, social behavior, locomotion, and communication) via metabolites and influencing alternative gene splicing.

Stereotypical effects on cognitive bias

Stressed-induced stereotypical behavior in lab mice have different effects on cognition. The radial arm maze is often used to investigate this.

The effect of microplastics and pharmaceuticals on trophic interactions

Microplastics (found in common products such as toothpaste) and pharmaceuticals have an impact on the environment. Their combined effect, however, is still largely unknown.

About unexpected results: predator odor excites mice

The temperature of the tail and eyes of rodents is indicative of their emotional state. What would be the effect of a specific predator cue?