Articles tagged with Ethology
A study by researchers at McMaster University found that low-dose penicillin in early life can induce long-term behavioral changes, including elevated aggression and lower anxiety levels. Introducing beneficial bacteria may help prevent these effects.
A new study on zebrafish shows that social support can help individuals overcome adverse circumstances and triggers specific brain patterns similar to those in humans. The research suggests that zebrafish could be an ideal model organism for studying social support and its neural mechanisms.
Researchers from Swansea University developed bespoke collars with accelerometers to track baboon behavior. The new technology allowed for precise tracking of the baboons' movements and behaviors, revealing over 90% recognition of individual behaviors without direct observation.
Researchers found that male cuckoos respond aggressively to unfamiliar intruders and tolerate neighboring males with overlapping territories. The birds use their distinctive 'cu-coo' call for recognition, demonstrating complex social behavior in brood parasitism.
Researchers at WashU Medicine discovered that mice scratch in response to seeing other mice scratch due to the release of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), a key transmitter of itch signals. This behavior is hardwired into the brain and not a form of empathy.
A recent study found that a combination of genetic predisposition, early stress, and male sex increases the risk of social avoidance in individuals with autism. The researchers tested this theory using mice and found evidence supporting the idea that these three factors build on each other to produce the social avoidance characteristic...
Researchers developed an RNAi-based strategy to study the link between genes and host-finding behaviors in Steinernema carpocapsae. The method successfully knocked down a gene that codes for FLP-21, inhibiting jumping and sensory perception behaviors.
Researchers observed banded mongooses fighting over food and territory, often resulting in serious injury and death. However, they found that pregnant females were less likely to lose their litters after conflicts, suggesting a possible strategy to maintain pregnancy and increase group competitiveness.
Researchers found that bees can solve a complex task by watching others, even improving upon the original process, and that observation is enough to learn the behavior, unlike simply copying it.
Scientists have identified the central nucleus of the amygdala as the key brain region organizing the hunt, with two distinct neural networks controlling prey pursuit and capture. The findings provide novel details on the neural control of craniofacial muscles and may contribute to understanding pathologies affecting this region.
A new study in mice reveals that serotonin affects motivation, but only when animals are exploring their environment. Increasing serotonin levels transiently reduces locomotive speed, while long-term stimulation triggers a second effect leading to increased global activity.
Research by Osaka University finds that noradrenaline modulates the primary visual cortex, reducing spontaneous neural activity and suppressing contrast sensitivity. This suggests a new therapeutic target for improving vision and machine learning in patients.
A new study found that birds of prey interact more with scented packages than unscented ones, suggesting they associate the scent of peppermint oil with food. This method can be used to encourage species-specific feeding behaviors in zoos.
A study published in eLife found that individual baboons tend to follow the path taken by their group mates, while also being constrained by environmental factors such as vegetation density. The research used GPS tracking and drone-based imaging technology to understand how habitat and social features impact animal movement.
Researchers at UNC School of Medicine found a cluster of sex-hormone-sensitive neurons in the mouse hypothalamus that induce attraction to the opposite sex. The study's findings may also be relevant to certain psychiatric illnesses.
A new study confirms dogs exhibit prosocial behavior, preferring to deliver treats to familiar partners. The complexity of the task influenced the frequency of food delivery, but social proximity played a significant role.
Scientists at the University of Sussex discovered that wasps trade partners compete for the 'best deal', influenced by market forces. The study showed that supply and demand theory can predict insect behavior, revealing parallels between wasp populations and human business markets.
Researchers at Wayne State University have developed a novel diagnostic tool to identify tinnitus in animals, providing a significant breakthrough in understanding the underlying mechanisms of this condition. The new method, which uses a conditioned licking suppression behavioral test, enables researchers to assess tinnitus onset, seve...
A new study by Yale University suggests that two sets of neurons deep in the forebrain control hunting behavior, enabling precise muscle control and increased efficiency. The central amygdala region is preserved in almost all vertebrates, suggesting its importance in evolution.
Researchers at Yale University have isolated the brain circuitry that coordinates predatory hunting in mice, revealing two distinct modules controlling pursuit and kill behaviors. The study found that activating specific neurons in the amygdala can drive aggressive behavior, including biting and killing, in response to prey.
A team of scientists led by Mark Herr found that cottonmouths with high baseline levels of corticosterone were more likely to strike during encounters. The study suggests that protecting snake habitats may reduce the incidence of snakebites and that a snake's striking behavior is related to its baseline level of stress.
A team of neuroscientists has identified neural circuitry in a deep region of the mouse brain that modulates judgments of elapsed time. The discovery may help explain why time seems to fly or stretch depending on our emotions and attention.
Research suggests a link between gut microbiota and mood, anxiety, and depression, with changes in the diversity of microorganisms linked to behavioral changes and treatment implications.
Researchers developed a system using acoustic beamforming to detect and locate Mojave Ground Squirrels on Edwards Air Force Base. The technology, inspired by WWI-era sound detection, is unobtrusive and can pinpoint animal locations over a large area. This innovation aims to support conservation efforts in harsh environments.
A Yale-NUS professor has discovered an 'alarm response' in medaka fish to a semiochemical released due to physical injuries, providing insights into the brain's processing of danger. This finding will facilitate comparative neural circuit analysis between medaka and zebrafish, shedding light on fear mechanisms.
Researchers have developed an associative learning model that explains how animals create effective behaviors, such as self-control and tool use. The model suggests that genetic regulation of learning influences species-specific behavior and intelligence.
A study by University of Montreal researchers found that social status affects the immune system, leading to different responses to infection. Low-social status macaques showed a stronger pro-inflammatory response, while high-social status individuals had a stronger antiviral response.
A study on rhesus macaques found that low-status animals exhibit greater antibacterial responses, while high-status animals have stronger antiviral responses. Social subordination stress influences immune-related gene expression in low-status individuals.
A new study by University of Lincoln and Newcastle University researchers shows that pigs' moods and personalities influence their outlooks, similar to humans. Pigs living in better environments are more optimistic, while those in worse environments are more pessimistic.
Researchers developed mathematical models to simulate and improve group behavior, demonstrating the feasibility of predicting and controlling crowd movements. The approach involves reducing interactions to a small number of effective ones, allowing for forecasts and interventions in groups with generalized patterns of behavior.
Researchers found that Senegalese sole cope with stress by their personality and can identify fish at a young age to improve reproduction in captivity. The study used operational behavioural screening tests to measure stress response and identified proactive and curious fish as more likely to reproduce.
Research by Natalia Karelaia finds that social connectedness enhances the perceived effectiveness of actions, leading to increased social responsibility. Studies show that people who feel a sense of belonging and can make a difference are more likely to engage in environmentally conscious behaviors.
A team of scientists used chemical composition of fossil eggs to determine if they were laid by different mothers, finding that oviraptorid dinosaurs exhibited communal nesting behavior. The study sheds light on the evolutionary history of this unique behavior.
Researchers at NYU Tandon School of Engineering discovered zebrafish are more attracted to 3D-moving robotic models of themselves than other stimuli. The team used a controllable robotic platform to study freshwater fish behavior, exploring mechanisms behind human disorders like anxiety and schizophrenia.
A new study finds that bird-like dinosaurs were social animals, living and dying together in groups. The discovery of a rare bonebed in Mongolia highlights the increasing trend of gregariousness in dinosaurs and emphasizes the need to protect against fossil poaching.
Research on dogs' cognition reveals their ability to comprehend human communicative cues and recognize individual faces, but also limited spatial memory and numerical discrimination. The field is still in its infancy, with more studies needed to examine individual variability and complex behaviors.
Research by Jessica Purcell and colleagues found that individual spiders can outlast their group counterparts when introduced to a new environment. The study suggests that adaptation to local traits is key to survival, rather than individual personality types.
When sick, animals alter behavior to reduce social contact and minimize disease transmission, a key finding of the study. By removing themselves from groups, sick animals may protect healthy relatives from infection.
Researchers at Nationwide Children's Hospital identified approximately 12 genes associated with fear and aggression in dogs, distinct from those found in humans. The study has potential implications for veterinary behavioral medicine and human anxiety disorders.
Spiders in large colonies can go extinct when they share food equitably, new UBC research reveals. The study found that large colonies struggle to capture prey, leading to massive die-offs.
Researchers found that diverse spider societies composed of both docile and aggressive spiders are more resilient to temperature fluctuations than those with a single personality. This discovery has implications for restoring animals in changing habitats.
Researchers found that older female bonobos form coalitions to attack and defeat aggressive males, helping younger females maintain social status. This coalition-forming behavior allows young females to join the group without fear of male harassment.
Researchers found that newly hatched ducklings can distinguish same and different objects without training, demonstrating relational concept learning. This ability to identify logical relationships increases a young duckling's chances of recognizing its mother and siblings in the wild.
Researchers found city birds exhibit higher levels of territorial aggression than rural counterparts, possibly due to limited space but better resources to defend. The study, published in Biology Letters, measured bird responses to simulated intrusions at urban and rural sites.
A newly released study analyzed the lives of 255 African and Asian elephants in 68 accredited North American zoos, revealing that social interactions and having an array of opportunities to engage with their surroundings may be more important for elephants than space. The research found that spending time alone was a risk factor for el...
Researchers found that networks based on affiliative behaviors, like preening and sharing food, play a major role in transmitting information among ravens. These social connections, especially between siblings, emphasize the importance of family ties in learning.
A study at Mount Sinai Hospital found that brain reward circuits, specifically the basal forebrain and lateral habenula, mediate motivation to engage in or avoid bullying. The research used a mouse model to demonstrate that activating this circuit makes bullying behavior pleasurable for some individuals.
Researchers found that trauma-related behavioral alterations are reversible in mice and that epigenetic dysregulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene can be corrected by low-stress environments. This finding has implications for the transmission of characteristics caused by the environment, such as metabolic disorders.
Researchers investigated the Goffin's cockatoo's ability to make flexible decisions about tool use based on the current 'market' situation. The study found that the birds could overcome immediate impulses in favor of future gains, but only when both tools were not offered simultaneously due to limitations in working memory capacity.
Researchers discovered a cluster of hypothalamic cells that respond only to male smells, driving intruder mice to explore their surroundings. These cells play a crucial role in regulating social behavior, similar to the human brain, and may hold the key to understanding disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
Researchers at Duke University have developed a new method to control a specific brain circuit in mice, which can alter their mood. By combining super-fine electrodes and tiny amounts of a specific drug, the team was able to restore stressed animals to relatively normal behavior.
A recent study found that invasive Bighead and silver carp species avoid areas with CO2-infused water, reducing movement and behavior. The researchers tested the effectiveness of infusing water with recycled CO2 gas to deter carp movement.
Research by Sebastian Vetter and colleagues found that personality traits of female wild boars impact their ability to raise offspring. Shy females, with more careful behavior and high maternal care, had greater success in rearing offspring in good mast years.
A new study reveals that male sparrows can distinguish between their faithful and unfaithful partners. When paired with an unfaithful female, males provide less food for their chicks. The research suggests that males make this decision based on the partner's behavior during fertile periods rather than detecting which chicks are theirs.
A study found that women who time their quit smoking with optimal days in their menstrual cycle may have better success. The researchers discovered that during the follicular phase, brain regions that help control behavior are less connected to those signaling reward, making it harder for women to resist smoking cues.
A study by Concordia University researchers found that cues associated with alcohol can trigger behaviors leading to addiction. The study used lab rats conditioned to associate a visual cue with ethanol, showing the rats began interacting with the cue rather than waiting for the reward.
A study by Michigan State University finds that adults with Williams syndrome are susceptible to online victimization due to their trusting nature and frequent use of social networking sites. Roughly a third of participants reported engaging in risky online behaviors without parental supervision.
UC San Diego scientists create innovative imaging system to study brain activity in free-moving fruit flies, providing first glimpse into neural processes underlying mating, learning, memory, and more. The 'Flyception' technique enables real-time monitoring of brain activity at unprecedented speed and precision.
A research team from Northwestern University and Lund University has identified a sensory system in fruit flies that directly detects air humidity, allowing them to adapt to changing environments. Understanding this ability could lead to new tools for mosquito control and inform the prediction of species distribution under global warming.
New research from Cornell Food & Brand Lab highlights the importance of leveraging inside sources for real consumer insights. By utilizing experts such as sales associates or food service workers, researchers can gain unexpected and notable observations about target population behavior.