Animal Behavior Research Blog Posts

10 behavioral studies on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

This blog post features 10 interesting studies that use innovative techniques to study models of AD and PD and important underlying neuronal mechanisms.

How Ginkgo biloba helps treat Alzheimer’s

Xu Liu and colleagues recently investigated the effects of Ginkgo biloba extract on a mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Motivation and eating: deep brain imaging in freely moving mice

Craving a snack, the joy of eating it. The part of our brain that regulates this is the lateral hypothalamus. An interesting targer for addiction and eating disorder research.

How autistic fruit flies behave

The number of children diagnosed with developmental disorders has increased exponentially in the past 20 yearschemicals such as BPA have been under investigation lately.

How to measure the social behavior of Fragile X mice

The treatment of Fragile X syndrome is limited to the symptoms. One of the factors currently holding back drug development is the difficulty of finding a reliable behavioral test for neurobiological studies.

Side effects of L-DOPA investigated in parkinsonian rats

These studies specifically investigate the long-term effects of L-DOPA or levopoda, a common clinical treatment for Parkinson's disease, with which many patients struggle.

Parkinson’s & gait impairment: comparing rats and humans

Gait impairment is one of the most prominent symptoms of Parkinson's disease. For good research you need good models and good tests.

How males and females are different: can this explain autism?

Women and Venus, men and Mars, right? In mice, the establishment of social hierarchies is sex-dependent.

How young zebrafish cope with stress

Stress is a natural thing, and how we cope with it differs from person to person. In research, we use the term coping style, something that emerges early on in life for zebrafish.

Zinc deficiency, depression and electrical signals in the brain

Depression has a dramatic effect on quality of life because it results in a persistent low mood that is accompanied by a low self-esteem and a loss of interest in things that give pleasure.

Fearful chicken: Fear affects stress, behavior patterns, and other individuals

Elske de Haas, Ph.D. studied the effects of fearfulness on the chickens' own behavior and physiology, but also what it did to other individuals.

Ladybugs and lacewings do not spy on their prey’s alarm pheromone

Leaf sucking creatures like plant aphids are common and can cause considerable damage to plants. Therefore, quite a lot of effort is made to control these tiny creatures.