Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons^™

The Effects Of Floral Attributes And Conspecifics On Bumble Bee Forager Memory, Lucas Lauter, Tiffany Dinh

Undergraduate Research Symposium

What do bees remember about flowers? These memories are important for both bees and flowers. The bees have better foraging success and gain more nectar and pollen from flowers when they remember the most rewarding flower types. More memorable flowers will be visited more frequently, resulting in more successful pollination for the plant. At the same time, bees can also learn about flowers from other bees and may remember this information differently. We are training and testing three floral cues and a single social cue to see how the different types of cues affect their learning and memory of rewarding …

Neurotranscriptomic Changes Associated With Chick-Directed Parental Care In Adult Non-Reproductive Japanese Quail, Patricia C. Lopes, Robert De Brujin

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

For many species, parental care critically affects offspring survival. But what drives animals to display parental behaviours towards young? In mammals, pregnancy-induced physiological transformations seem key in preparing the neural circuits that lead towards attraction (and reduced-aggression) to young. Beyond mammalian maternal behaviour, knowledge of the neural mechanisms that underlie young-directed parental care is severely lacking. We took advantage of a domesticated bird species, the Japanese quail, for which parental behaviour towards chicks can be induced in virgin non-reproductive adults through a sensitization procedure, a process that is not effective in all animals. We used the variation in parental responses …

Wild Mice With Different Social Network Sizes Vary In Brain Gene Expression, Patricia C. Lopes, Barbara König

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Appropriate social interactions influence animal fitness by impacting several processes, such as mating, territory defense, and offspring care. Many studies shedding light on the neurobiological underpinnings of social behavior have focused on nonapeptides (vasopressin, oxytocin, and homologues) and on sexual or parent-offspring interactions. Furthermore, animals have been studied under artificial laboratory conditions, where the consequences of behavioral responses may not be as critical as when expressed under natural environments, therefore obscuring certain physiological responses. We used automated recording of social interactions of wild house mice outside of the breeding season to detect individuals at both tails of a distribution …

Sensory Perception, Adrian Rodriguez-Contreras

Open Educational Resources

Different types of sensory systems with their functional modalities will be presented. The biological bases for how these functions are generated and modified will then be described. As vision is the principal means of perception, we will focus in this course most on visual processing. Scientific data will be integrated into the lectures, such that students develop critical skills in analyzing data and proposing hypotheses.

The Effect Of Hypoxia On The Nervous System Of Aplysia Californica, Victor Escalona, Lynne Annette Fieber, Joseph Serafy

2018 Entries

The intertidal zone of California’s Pacific coast is home to the marine snail known as Aplysia californica, an organism that has found use as a model in experiments focused on understanding the basis of learning and memory. Its simple nervous system consisting of easily identifiable neurons, its life span of a year, and a readily-accessed aquacultured source from the National Resource for Aplysia make it an excellent model for ontogenetic, neural, and behavioral studies. Here, however, the focus was on strategies this species uses to survive in an environment rife with risks of hypoxia and desiccation during the tidal …

The Premammillary Nucleus Of The Hypothalamus Is Not Necessary For Photoperiodic Timekeeping In Female Turkeys (Meleagris Gallopavo), Ashli F. Moore, Vincent M. Cassone, Kevin D. Alloway, Paul A. Bartell

Biology Faculty Publications

In birds, seasonal reproduction is regulated by day length, with long days in the spring activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and reproductive behaviors. The photoreceptors mediating this process remain unknown, but recently, the premammillary nucleus (PMM) of the hypothalamus has been implicated as the site of photoperiodic signaling in turkeys. We performed electrolytic lesions of the PMM to elucidate its role in the photoactivation and maintenance of egg production in female turkeys. Our results show that ablation of the PMM does not alter the normal lay cycle. No differences were found between lesioned birds and sham controls in the latency to …

Songbirds Work Around Computational Complexity By Learning Song Vocabulary Independently Of Sequence, Dina Lipkind, Anja T. Zai, Alexander Hanuschkin, Gary F. Marcus, Ofer Tchernichovski, Richard H.R. Hahnloser

Publications and Research

While acquiring motor skills, animals transform their plastic motor sequences to match desired targets. However, because both the structure and temporal position of individual gestures are adjustable, the number of possible motor transformations increases exponentially with sequence length. Identifying the optimal transformation towards a given target is therefore a computationally intractable problem. Here we show an evolutionary workaround for reducing the computational complexity of song learning in zebra finches. We prompt juveniles to modify syllable phonology and sequence in a learned song to match a newly introduced target song. Surprisingly, juveniles match each syllable to the most spectrally similar sound …

Social Context-Dependent Activity In Marmoset Frontal Cortex Populations During Natural Conversations, Samuel U. Nummela, Vladimir Jovanovic, Lisa De La Mothe, Cory T. Miller

Psychology Faculty Research

Communication is an inherently interactive process that weaves together the fabric of both human and nonhuman primate societies. To investigate the properties of the primate brain during active social signaling, we recorded the responses of frontal cortex neurons as freely moving marmosets engaged in conversational exchanges with a visually occluded virtual marmoset. We found that small changes in firing rate (∼1 Hz) occurred across a broadly distributed population of frontal cortex neurons when marmosets heard a conspecific vocalization, and that these changes corresponded to subjects' likelihood of producing or withholding a vocal reply. Although the contributions of individual neurons were …

Species Differences In Egocentric Navigation: The Effect Of Burrowing Ecology On A Spatial Cognitive Trait In Mice, Jason N. Bruck, Noah A. Allen, Kelsey E. Brass, Brian A. Horn, Polly Campbell

Faculty Publications

© 2017 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour Efficient navigation is a critical component of fitness for most animals. While most species use a combination of allocentric (external) and egocentric (internal) cues to navigate through their environment, subterranean environments present a unique challenge in that visually mediated allocentric cues are unavailable. The relationship between egocentric spatial cognition and species differences in ecology is surprisingly understudied. We used a maze-learning task to test for differences in egocentric navigation between two closely related species of mice, the eastern house mouse, Mus musculus musculus, and the mound-building mouse, Mus spicilegus. The …

Experimental Exposure To Urban And Pink Noise Affects Brain Development And Song Learning In Zebra Finches (Taenopygia Guttata), Dominique A. Potvin, Michael T. Curcio, John P. Swaddle, Scott A. Macdougall-Shackleton

Arts & Sciences Articles

Recently, numerous studies have observed changes in bird vocalizations—especially song—in urban habitats. These changes are often interpreted as adaptive, since they increase the active space of the signal in its environment. However, the proximate mechanisms driving cross-generational changes in song are still unknown. We performed a captive experiment to identify whether noise experienced during development affects song learning and the development of song-control brain regions. Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were bred while exposed, or not exposed, to recorded traffic urban noise (Study 1) or pink noise (Study 2). We recorded the songs of male offspring and compared these …

Finding The Beat: From Socially Coordinated Vocalizations In Songbirds To Rhythmic Entrainment In Humans, Jonathan I. Benichov, Eitan Globerson, Ofer Tchernichovski

Publications and Research

Humans and oscine songbirds share the rare capacity for vocal learning. Songbirds have the ability to acquire songs and calls of various rhythms through imitation. In several species, birds can even coordinate the timing of their vocalizations with other individuals in duets that are synchronized with millisecond-accuracy. It is not known, however, if songbirds can perceive rhythms holistically nor if they are capable of spontaneous entrainment to complex rhythms, in a manner similar to humans. Here we review emerging evidence from studies of rhythm generation and vocal coordination across songbirds and humans. In particular, recently developed experimental methods have revealed …

Responses Of Primate Frontal Cortex Neurons During Natural Vocal Communication, Cory T. Miller, A. Wren Thomas, Samuel U. Nummela, Lisa A. De La Mothe

Psychology Faculty Research

The role of primate frontal cortex in vocal communication and its significance in language evolution have a controversial history. While evidence indicates that vocalization processing occurs in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex neurons, vocal-motor activity has been conjectured to be primarily subcortical and suggestive of a distinctly different neural architecture from humans. Direct evidence of neural activity during natural vocal communication is limited, as previous studies were performed in chair-restrained animals. Here we recorded the activity of single neurons across multiple regions of prefrontal and premotor cortex while freely moving marmosets engaged in a natural vocal behavior known as antiphonal calling. Our …

Feedforward And Feedback Projections Of Caudal Belt And Parabelt Areas Of Auditory Cortex: Refining The Hierarchical Model, Troy A. Hackett, Lisa A. De La Mothe, Corrie R. Camalier, Arnaud Falchier, Peter Lakatos, Yoshinao Kajikawa, Charles E. Schroeder

Psychology Faculty Research

Our working model of the primate auditory cortex recognizes three major regions (core, belt, parabelt), subdivided into thirteen areas. The connections between areas are topographically ordered in a manner consistent with information flow along two major anatomical axes: core-belt-parabelt and caudal-rostral. Remarkably, most of the connections supporting this model were revealed using retrograde tracing techniques. Little is known about laminar circuitry, as anterograde tracing of axon terminations has rarely been used. The purpose of the present study was to examine the laminar projections of three areas of auditory cortex, pursuant to analysis of all areas. The selected areas were: middle …

The Effects Of Construction Activity On The Behavior Of Captive Rhesus Monkeys (Macaca Mulatta), Courtney A. Begnoche

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

Previous studies have revealed insight into the effects of noises and vibrations on rodents, livestock, and zoo animals, but there is little information about such effects on non-human primates. This study aimed to assess the impact of construction activity on the behavior of animals in a non-human primate (rhesus macaque) facility. Construction activity and modified frequency behavioral data were divided into three phases: baseline (~3 months prior to construction), roof (construction on top of the animal facility), and honors (construction of 7 new buildings adjacent to the facility). We hypothesized that anxiety behaviors (scratch and yawn) would be increased during …

Decades-Long Social Memory In Bottlenose Dolphins, Jason N. Bruck

Faculty Publications

Long-term social memory is important, because it is an ecologically relevant test of cognitive capacity, it helps us understand which social relationships are remembered and it relates two seemingly disparate disciplines: cognition and sociality. For dolphins, long-term memory for conspecifics could help assess social threats as well as potential social or hunting alliances in a very fluid and complex fission-fusion social system, yet we have no idea how long dolphins can remember each other. Through a playback study conducted within a multi-institution dolphin breeding consortium (where animals are moved between different facilities), recognition of unfamiliar versus familiar signature whistles of …

Effects Of Hypoxia-Ischemia And Anti-Inflammatory Prophylactic Treatment On Cortical And Hippocampal Volumes In The Developing Rat Brain, Llian Mabardi

Honors Projects

Very low body weight as a result of premature birth is a common problem all around the world. Many of these infants have medical issues that arise as a direct result of their very low body weight. One of the biggest issues is a lack of oxygen, which is also known as hypoxia. Hypoxia and ischemia (lack of blood flow) are a problem at any age, but they can be especially devastating to infants who have not undergone critical periods of brain development. Hypoxia-ischemia (or HI) can cause problems that start as inflammation and end with large-scale cell death in …

Heifer Estrous Cycle Stage Impacts Luteinizing And Growth Hormone Response To Kisspeptin, Brian K. Whitlock, Joseph A. Daniel, Robyn R. Wilborn, Barbara P. Steele, James L. Sartin

Animal Science Publications and Other Works

The reproductive neuropeptide, kisspeptin (KP), may have a role in regulation of growth hormone (GH) secretion. Expression of KP and its receptor (Kiss1r) are developmentally and hormonally regulated. This study was conducted to determine the effects of KP on plasma concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) and GH in pubertal heifers during different functional reproductive stages. Heifers received a single injection of KP (100 pmole / kg) or saline intravenously during proestrus, estrus, and diestrus, and serial blood samples were collected for 3 hours to determine the response of both LH and GH after treatment. Mean concentrations of LH were increased …

Effect Of Kisspeptin On Regulation Of Growth Hormone, Brian K. Whitlock, Joseph A. Daniel, Robyn R. Wilborn, Herris S. Maxwell, Barbara P. Steele, James L. Sartin

Animal Science Publications and Other Works

Kisspeptin ( KP ), a neuroendocrine regulator of reproduction, is hypothesized to be an integrator of metabolism and hormones critical to the regulation of reproduction. Lactation is associated with enhanced growth hormone (GH) responsiveness and reduced fertility. Our study was designed to determine the effects of lactation on KP-stimulated GH and luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion. Five non-lactating and five lactating dairy cows were used in the study. Experiments were conducted with lactating cows at weeks 1, 5 and 11 after parturition. The experimental treatments ( saline and KP [100 and 400 pmol / kg body weight]) were given intravenously and …

Insightful Problem Solving In An Asian Elephant, Preston Foerder, Marie Galloway, Tony Barthel, Donald E. Moore Iii, Diana Reiss

Publications and Research

The ‘‘aha’’ moment or the sudden arrival of the solution to a problem is a common human experience. Spontaneous problem solving without evident trial and error behavior in humans and other animals has been referred to as insight. Surprisingly, elephants, thought to be highly intelligent, have failed to exhibit insightful problem solving in previous cognitive studies. We tested whether three Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) would use sticks or other objects to obtain food items placed out-of-reach and overhead. Without prior trial and error behavior, a 7-year-old male Asian elephant showed spontaneous problem solving by moving a large plastic cube, on …

Interspecies Comparison Of Αii-Spectrin Abundance Between Chinook Salmon And Steelhead, Brielle D. Kemis, Ann L. Miracle, Katie A. Wagner, Christa M. Woodley

STAR Program Research Presentations

Salmonids, such as Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (O. mykiss), are a staple economic, recreational, tribal, and environmental resource, yet many populations are unsustainable. This study was part of a broad scale effort to monitor the impact of downstream migration obstacles on juvenile salmonid health and survival, which is an essential step towards increasing Smolt-to-Adult Return ratios (SARs). The objective of this study was to determine if juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead exhibit differing quantities of alphaII-Spectrin Breakdown Products (SBDPs) over two consecutive spring migration periods, indicative of neurogenesis rate and/or biological response to head …

The Effect Of Kisspeptin Receptor Agonist (Ftm080) On Luteinizing Hormone In Sheep, Brian K. Whitlock, Joseph A. Daniel, Maria Hes, Barbara P. Steele, James L. Sartin, S. Oishi, N. Fujii

Animal Science Publications and Other Works

Kisspeptin receptor (Kiss1r) agonists with increased half-life and similar efficacy to kisspeptin (KP) in vitro potentially may provide beneficial applications in breeding management of many species. However, many of these agonists have not been tested in vivo. This study was designed to test the effect of a Kiss1r agonist (FTM080) on luteinizing hormone (LH) in vivo. Sheep were treated with FTM080 (500 pmol/kg BW) or sterile water in a 2-ml bolus via the jugular cannula. Serial blood samples were collected every 15-min before (1 hr) and after (1 hr) treatment. Intravenous (IV) injection of FTM080 increased (P < 0.05) LH plasma concentrations through the 45-min sample following treatment. Moreover, the area under the curve of LH in the period from 0 to 60-min following FTM080 treatment was also increased (P < 0.05). These data provide evidence to suggest that FTM080 stimulates the gonadotropic axis of ruminants in vivo.

Examination Of Sexually Dimorphic Cell Death In The Pubertal Mouse Brain, Amanda Holley

Masters Theses 1911 - February 2014

A period of cell death during a critical period early in life is responsible for causing permanent structural changes to many brain areas, but it is not known whether cell death plays a role in brain organization outside of early postnatal life. Puberty is considered a second sensitive period because the brain is the target organ of gonadal hormones. This study looked at global and regional patterns of cell death during pre-puberty and puberty in the mouse brain. My findings show there is more cell death happening during pre-puberty than during puberty. Cell death does happen during puberty but at …

Selected Hormonal And Neurotransmitter Mechanisms Regulating, James L. Sartin, Joseph A. Daniel, Brian K. Whitlock, Robyn R. Wilborn

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Appetite control is a major issue in normal growth and in suboptimal growth performance settings. A number of hormones, in particular leptin, activate or inhibit orexigenic or anorexigenic neurotransmitters within the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, where feed intake regulation is integrated. Examples of appetite regulatory neurotransmitters are the stimulatory neurotransmitters neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti-related protein (AgRP), orexin and melanin-concentrating hormone and the inhibitory neurotransmitter, melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH). Examination of messenger RNA (using in situ hybridization and realtime PCR) and proteins (using immunohistochemistry) for these neurotransmitters in ruminants has indicated that physiological regulation occurs in response to fasting for several …

Changes In Plasma Concentrations Of Leptin In Ewes During Pregnancy, Joseph A. Daniel, A B. Milam, M E. Gafnea, Brian K. Whitlock, D H. Keisler

Animal Science Publications and Other Works

Previous research has demonstrated circulating concentrations of leptin increase in ewes during mid pregnancy then decline in late pregnancy and early lactation. The objective of this study was to more narrowly define the timing of changes in circulating concentrations of leptin with pregnancy in ewes. Katahdin ewes (n= 19) located at latitude 34.275 and longitude -85.183 (Mount Berry, GA) were utilized. Blood samples were collected weekly via jugular veinpuncture beginning immediately before ram exposure on September 23 and continuing until 4 weeks post-lambing. Ewes were exposed to a ram fitted with a marking harness for a 63 day breeding season. …

Effect Of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor On Feed Intake And Body Temperature In Sheep, James L. Sartin, D L. Marks, Brian K. Whitlock, Joseph A. Daniel, Barbara P. Steele

Animal Science Publications and Other Works

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has been suggested to function as a potent inhibitor of feed intake in rodents. These studies were designed to determine whether LIF was found in the ovine hypothalamus and whether LIF inhibited feed intake in sheep. Sheep hypothalami were used to clone LIF to indicate presence of the gene in the hypothalamus. The sequence was similar to published data. Another group of sheep were provided intraventricular (ICV) cannulas and injected with doses of LIF at 250, 500, 1000 and 2500 ng per sheep, ICV. Feed intake was inhibited by the 1000 and 2500 ng dose (trt, …

Changes In Plasma Concentrations Of Growth Hormone And Luteinizing Hormone In Ewes Following Central And Peripheral Treatment With Kisspeptin, Brian K. Whitlock, Joseph A. Daniel, Barbara P. Steele, James L. Sartin

Animal Science Publications and Other Works

Kisspeptin (KP), a neuroendocrine regulator of gonadotropin releasing hormone, has been hypothesized as an integrator of nutrition and hormones critical to metabolism and regulation of reproduction. Recent evidence suggests growth hormone (GH) secretion may be influenced by KP. The objective of this study was to determine if the GH stimulatory effect of KP is due to actions on the hypothalamus or anterior pituitary gland in ewes. Adult ovariectomized ewes (n=8) were fitted with intracerebroventricular (ICV) cannula to facilitate central administration of experimental treatments. Ewes received one of eight treatments [four intravenously (IV) and four ICV]. Peripheral treatments [0 (Veh), 100, …

Farm Focus - Spring 2010, Brian K. Whitlock, Matt Welborn, Maria Prado, Amy Plummer

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Large Animal Clinical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Bilateral Multi-Electrode Neurophysiological Recordings Coupled To Local Pharmacology In Awake Songbirds, Liisa A. Tremere, Thomas A. Terleph, Jin Kwon Jeong, Raphael Pinaud

Biology Faculty Publications

Here we describe a protocol for bilateral multielectrode neurophysiological recordings during intracerebral pharmacological manipulations in awake songbirds. This protocol encompasses fitting adult animals with head-posts and recording chambers, and acclimating them to periods of restraint. The adaptation period is followed by bilateral penetrations of multiple electrodes to obtain acute, sensory-driven neurophysiological responses before versus during the application of pharmacological agents of interest. These local manipulations are achieved by simultaneous and restricted drug infusions carried out independently for each hemisphere. We have used this protocol to elucidate how neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine systems shape the auditory and perceptual processing of natural, learned …

Farm Focus - Fall 2009, Brian K. Whitlock, Matt Welborn, Maria Prado, Amy Plummer

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Large Animal Clinical Sciences

No abstract provided.

Farm Focus - Spring 2009, Brian K. Whitlock, Matt Welborn, Maria Prado, Amy Plummer

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Large Animal Clinical Sciences

No abstract provided.