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Cognitive Processing May 2012Animal models of memory have been considered as the subject of many scientific publications at least since the beginning of the twentieth century. In humans, memory is... (Review)
Review
Animal models of memory have been considered as the subject of many scientific publications at least since the beginning of the twentieth century. In humans, memory is often accessed through spoken or written language, while in animals, cognitive functions must be accessed through different kind of behaviors in many specific, experimental models of memory and learning. Among them, the novel object recognition test can be evaluated by the differences in the exploration time of novel and familiar objects. Its application is not limited to a field of research and enables that various issues can be studied, such as the memory and learning, the preference for novelty, the influence of different brain regions in the process of recognition, and even the study of different drugs and their effects. This paper describes the novel object recognition paradigms in animals, as a valuable measure of cognition. The purpose of this work was to review the neurobiology and methodological modifications of the test commonly used in behavioral pharmacology.
Topics: Animals; Exploratory Behavior; Humans; Learning; Neurobiology; Neuropsychological Tests; Recognition, Psychology; Time Factors; Visual Perception
PubMed: 22160349
DOI: 10.1007/s10339-011-0430-z -
Annual Review of Psychology Jan 2019Motor development and psychological development are fundamentally related, but researchers typically consider them separately. In this review, we present four key... (Review)
Review
Motor development and psychological development are fundamentally related, but researchers typically consider them separately. In this review, we present four key features of infant motor development and show that motor skill acquisition both requires and reflects basic psychological functions. ( a) Motor development is embodied: Opportunities for action depend on the current status of the body. ( b) Motor development is embedded: Variations in the environment create and constrain possibilities for action. ( c) Motor development is enculturated: Social and cultural influences shape motor behaviors. ( d) Motor development is enabling: New motor skills create new opportunities for exploration and learning that instigate cascades of development across diverse psychological domains. For each of these key features, we show that changes in infants' bodies, environments, and experiences entail behavioral flexibility and are thus essential to psychology. Moreover, we suggest that motor development is an ideal model system for the study of psychological development.
Topics: Child Development; Culture; Exploratory Behavior; Humans; Infant; Infant Behavior; Learning; Motor Activity; Motor Skills
PubMed: 30256718
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102836 -
Neuron Nov 2015Curiosity is a basic element of our cognition, but its biological function, mechanisms, and neural underpinning remain poorly understood. It is nonetheless a motivator... (Review)
Review
Curiosity is a basic element of our cognition, but its biological function, mechanisms, and neural underpinning remain poorly understood. It is nonetheless a motivator for learning, influential in decision-making, and crucial for healthy development. One factor limiting our understanding of it is the lack of a widely agreed upon delineation of what is and is not curiosity. Another factor is the dearth of standardized laboratory tasks that manipulate curiosity in the lab. Despite these barriers, recent years have seen a major growth of interest in both the neuroscience and psychology of curiosity. In this Perspective, we advocate for the importance of the field, provide a selective overview of its current state, and describe tasks that are used to study curiosity and information-seeking. We propose that, rather than worry about defining curiosity, it is more helpful to consider the motivations for information-seeking behavior and to study it in its ethological context.
Topics: Animals; Cognitive Neuroscience; Decision Making; Exploratory Behavior; Humans; Learning; Motivation
PubMed: 26539887
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.010 -
International Surgery 2014
Topics: Exploratory Behavior; Humans; Interdisciplinary Communication; Specialties, Surgical
PubMed: 24833137
DOI: 10.9738/0020-8868-99.3.195 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Jul 2010Alterations in exploratory behavior are a fundamental feature of bipolar mania, typically characterized as motor hyperactivity and increased goal-directed behavior in... (Review)
Review
Alterations in exploratory behavior are a fundamental feature of bipolar mania, typically characterized as motor hyperactivity and increased goal-directed behavior in response to environmental cues. In contrast, abnormal exploration associated with schizophrenia and depression can manifest as prominent withdrawal, limited motor activity, and inattention to the environment. While motor abnormalities are cited frequently as clinical manifestations of these disorders, relatively few empirical studies have quantified human exploratory behavior. This article reviews the literature characterizing motor and exploratory behavior associated with bipolar disorder and genetic and pharmacological animal models of the illness. Despite sophisticated assessment of exploratory behavior in rodents, objective quantification of human motor activity has been limited primarily to actigraphy studies with poor cross-species translational value. Furthermore, symptoms that reflect the cardinal features of bipolar disorder have proven difficult to establish in putative animal models of this illness. Recently, however, novel tools such as the human behavioral pattern monitor provide multivariate translational measures of motor and exploratory activity, enabling improved understanding of the neurobiology underlying psychiatric disorders.
Topics: Animals; Bipolar Disorder; Disease Models, Animal; Exploratory Behavior; Humans; Mental Disorders; Motor Activity; Species Specificity
PubMed: 20398694
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.04.002 -
Journal of Neuroscience Research Sep 2021Digging behavior is often used to test motor function and repetitive behaviors in mice. Different digging paradigms have been developed for behaviors related to anxiety...
Digging behavior is often used to test motor function and repetitive behaviors in mice. Different digging paradigms have been developed for behaviors related to anxiety and compulsion in mouse lines generated to recapitulate genetic mutations leading to psychiatric and neurological disorders. However, the interpretation of these tests has been confounded by the difficulty of determining the motivation behind digging in mice. Digging is a naturalistic mouse behavior that can be focused toward different goals, that is foraging for food, burrowing for shelter, burying objects, or even for recreation as has been shown for dogs, ferrets, and human children. However, the interpretation of results from current testing protocols assumes the motivation behind the behavior often concluding that increased digging is a repetitive or compulsive behavior. We asked whether providing a choice between different types of digging activities would increase sensitivity to assess digging motivation. Here, we present a test to distinguish between burrowing and exploratory digging in mice. We found that mice prefer burrowing when the option is available. When food restriction was used to promote a switch from burrowing to exploration, males readily switched from burrowing to digging outside, while females did not. In addition, when we tested a model of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder that had shown inconsistent results in the marble burying test, the Cc2d1a conditional knockout mouse, we found greatly reduced burrowing only in males. Our findings indicate that digging is a nuanced motivated behavior and suggest that male and female rodents may perform it differently.
Topics: Animals; Discrimination Learning; Exploratory Behavior; Female; Food Deprivation; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Transgenic; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 34048600
DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24857 -
Current Topics in Behavioral... 2018Because of the ethical and regulatory hurdles associated with human studies, much of what is known about the psychopharmacology of hallucinogens has been derived from... (Review)
Review
Because of the ethical and regulatory hurdles associated with human studies, much of what is known about the psychopharmacology of hallucinogens has been derived from animal models. However, developing reliable animal models has proven to be a challenging task due to the complexity and variability of hallucinogen effects in humans. This chapter focuses on three animal models that are frequently used to test the effects of hallucinogens on unconditioned behavior: head twitch response (HTR), prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI), and exploratory behavior. The HTR has demonstrated considerable utility in the neurochemical actions of hallucinogens. However, the latter two models have clearer conceptual bridges to human phenomenology. Consistent with the known mechanism of action of hallucinogens in humans, the behavioral effects of hallucinogens in rodents are mediated primarily by activation of 5-HT receptors. There is evidence, however, that other receptors may play secondary roles. The structure-activity relationships (SAR) of hallucinogens are reviewed in relation to each model, with a focus on the HTR in rats and mice.
Topics: Animals; Behavior; Behavior, Animal; Exploratory Behavior; Hallucinogens; Humans; Mice; Models, Animal; Rats; Sensory Gating; Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Agonists
PubMed: 28224459
DOI: 10.1007/7854_2016_466 -
Brain and Cognition Feb 2010Adolescence is a time of dramatic changes including rapid physical growth, the onset of sexual maturation, the activation of new drives and motivations, and a wide array... (Review)
Review
Adolescence is a time of dramatic changes including rapid physical growth, the onset of sexual maturation, the activation of new drives and motivations, and a wide array of social and affective changes and challenges. This review focuses on behavioral changes in this interval and is organized by the claim that a key set of these adolescent changes are part of a more general re-orientation of social behavior. More specifically we hypothesize that pubertal maturation is associated with the activation of social and motivational tendencies, which in turn influence behavior and emotion in adolescence depending upon interactions with social context. We focus on evidence for two examples of these motivational changes: (1) increases in sensation-seeking (motivational tendency to want to experience high-intensity, exciting experiences) and (2) stronger natural interest in--and pursuit of--contact with peers and potential romantic partners. We consider how these motivational changes contribute to the broader social re-orientation of adolescence, including exploration of social experiences, development of skills and knowledge relevant to taking on adult social roles, individuation from family, and establishment of an individual identity, all of which represent core developmental tasks during this period in the life span (Blakemore, 2008; Dahl & Spear, 2004; Steinberg & Morris, 2000). The paper also emphasizes the importance of investigating and understanding the direct influences of puberty on behavior and disentangling these from the broader set of changes during adolescent development.
Topics: Animals; Behavior; Exploratory Behavior; Hormones; Humans; Motivation; Puberty; Sexual Behavior; Social Behavior
PubMed: 19942334
DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2009.10.007 -
Scientific Reports Mar 2020In order to maintain the energy balance, animals often exhibit several physiological adjustments when subjected to a decrease in resource availability. Specifically,...
In order to maintain the energy balance, animals often exhibit several physiological adjustments when subjected to a decrease in resource availability. Specifically, some rodents show increases in behavioral activity in response to food restriction; a response regarded as a paradox because it would imply an investment in locomotor activity, despite the lack of trophic resources. Here, we aim to explore the possible existence of trade-offs between metabolic variables and behavioral responses when rodents are faced to stochastic deprivation of food and caloric restriction. Adult BALB/c mice were acclimatized for four weeks to four food treatments: two caloric regimens (ad libitum and 60% restriction) and two periodicities (continuous and stochastic). In these mice, we analyzed: exploratory behavior and home-cage behavior, basal metabolic rate, citrate synthase and cytochrome oxidase c enzyme activity (in liver and skeletal muscle), body temperature and non-shivering thermogenesis. Our results support the model of allocation, which indicates commitments between metabolic rates and exploratory behavior, in a caloric restricted environment. Specifically, we identify the role of thermogenesis as a pivotal budget item, modulating the reallocation of energy between behavior and basal metabolic rate. We conclude that brown adipose tissue and liver play a key role in the development of paradoxical responses when facing decreased dietary availability.
Topics: Animals; Body Temperature; Eating; Energy Metabolism; Exploratory Behavior; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C
PubMed: 32139739
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61102-2 -
Journal of Neurochemistry May 2020Current theories on the role of serotonin (5-HT) in vertebrate defensive behavior suggest that this monoamine increases anxiety but decreases fear, by acting at...
Current theories on the role of serotonin (5-HT) in vertebrate defensive behavior suggest that this monoamine increases anxiety but decreases fear, by acting at different levels of the neuroaxis. This paradoxical, dual role of 5-HT suggests that a serotonergic tone inhibits fear responses, while an acute increase in 5-HT would produce anxiety-like behavior. However, so far no evidence for a serotonergic tone has been found. Using zebrafish alarm responses, we investigate the participation of phasic and tonic 5-HT levels in fear-like behavior, as well as in behavior after stimulation. Conspecific alarm substance (CAS) increased bottom-dwelling and erratic swimming, and animals transferred to a novel environment after CAS exposure (post-exposure behavior) showed increased bottom-dwelling and freezing. Clonazepam blocked CAS effects during and after exposure. Acute fluoxetine dose-dependently decreased fear-like behavior, but increased post-exposure freezing. Metergoline had no effect on fear-like behavior, but blocked the effects of CAS on post-exposure behavior; similar effects were observed with para-chlorophenylalanine. Finally, CAS was shown to decrease the activity of monoamine oxidase in the zebrafish brain after exposure. These results suggest that phasic and tonic serotonin encode an aversive expectation value, switching behavior toward cautious exploration/risk assessment/anxiety when the aversive stimulus is no longer present.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Exploratory Behavior; Fear; Female; Male; Serotonin; Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; Swimming; Zebrafish
PubMed: 32031241
DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14978