Behavioral Research Blog

How to easily automate the elevated plus maze test

Anxiety. It is nature’s way to keep us out of harm’s way, so it is a useful emotion. At times, though, it can also be overwhelming. For some, it gets out of control, irrational, and even disabling.

How memory loss caused by diabetes was prevented in transgenic mice

Did you know that Alzheimer’s and diabetes are linked? Patients with diabetes have an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and patients with AD show impaired insulin function and glucose metabolism.

Why guinea pigs are just like us

If zebrafish are the new mice, guinea pigs might be the new rats. Guinea pigs differ from mice and rats, and that just might make them more suitable due to the fact that these results are more easily translated to humans.

Nurse-child interaction - observing medical encounters

In order to help health professionals and parents manage child distress more effectively, researchers started observations of real interactions in healthcare in a community setting.

Doctor-patient communication training program evaluated

Every day, new training programs find their way to hospitals and clinics to help professionals convey their message efficiently and effectively in order to practice their profession.

Autism Top 8 Blog Articles from the Behavioral Research Blog

It was no surprise that these blog articles attracted lots of attention. Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the U.S. (www.autismspeaks.org). Read the Autism Top 8 Blog Articles.

How Automatic Rat Behavior Recognition was developed

If you are familiar with neurobehavioral research in any way, you will know that variables like velocity and distance moved are important parameters in a lot of animal behavioral experiments.

Measuring behavioral effects of laboratory rearing on starlings

Rearing animals specifically for behavioral research is a very common practice. However, the results from behavioral studies with laboratory animals should be interpreted with care.

Top 5 novel object recognition articles

Novel object recognition is one of the most commonly used behavioral tests on laboratory rodents. It is also easily automated with video tracking software. Want to know how?

Facial expressions - reactions to bitter food vary between high and low BMI

Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for many diseases and health conditions. By 2050, as much as 50% of the UK population could be obese at a cost of £50 billion a year.

Measuring the creative process

How can you come to better understand what is going on in the creative process? A living lab studying the work of a writer, painter, musician or other creative person might provide the answer.

Behavior predicts success of family-based treatment in anorexia

Anorexia nervosa is a horrible eating disorder that affects many people around the world. Looking at the United States only, between 0.5–1% of all women suffer from anorexia.