Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lindsay Collins, Laura Boddington, Paul J. Steffan, David McCormick
Summary: Through mouse models, it has been discovered that VNS can modulate cortical state by activating neuromodulatory systems, leading to widespread neuronal activation and arousal responses.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Alexandra B. Bentz, Chad E. Niederhuth, Laura L. Carruth, Kristen J. Navara
Summary: Elevating prenatal testosterone levels in zebra finches led to increased aggression in adult males. Differential gene expression, particularly in the hypothalamus, revealed potential hub genes associated with aggression, along with enrichment processes linked to aggressive phenotypes. Protein-protein interaction networks showed differential methylation in highly connected genes, indicating potential molecular mechanisms underlying hormone-mediated maternal effects.
Article
Ecology
Justin N. Hill, Theron M. Terhune II, James A. Martin
Summary: Research shows that resource selection rates of northern bobwhite chicks are influenced by food availability and predator avoidance. The study found that burned upland pine stands were preferred for foraging and roosting sites, while fallow fields, unburned uplands (1 yr post-burn), and areas closer to supplemental feed were selected as foraging habitats. The results also revealed a negative interaction between age and fallow field selection for roosting habitat and age and areas closer to supplemental feed for foraging habitat.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Robert D. Melara, Tatiana Varela, Tanni Baidya
Summary: In a study comparing low versus high perceptual load during an auditory flanker task, healthy adults showed less attentional interference under low load conditions. Analysis of event-related potentials revealed smaller auditory attentional disruption in the early perceptual component P1 under low load. Dipole source analysis suggested different neural activations under different load conditions.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yuqi Wang, Bernd Riedstra, Bonnie de Vries, Martijn van Faassen, Alle Pranger, Ido Kema, Ton Groothuis
Summary: Mothers can influence offspring phenotypes by transferring non-genetic information to the young, providing them with a flexible tool to adjust their developmental trajectory in fluctuating environments. This study investigated the plasticity of embryonic metabolism of maternal androgens in Rock pigeons, finding that embryos have certain plasticity in response to maternal androgen levels depending on maternal signals.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Daniel E. Lawler, Yee Lian Chew, Josh D. Hawk, Ahmad Aljobeh, William R. Schafer, Dirk R. Albrecht
Summary: Research on adult C. elegans showed sleep-like states and neural modulation mainly occurring within interneurons presynaptic to premotor interneurons, with sleep prolonging responses in chemosensory neurons. This suggests that sleep modulates responsiveness specifically across sensory systems rather than broadly damping global circuit activity.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Yvette Grootjans, Gabriel Byczynski, Sven Vanneste
Summary: This article reviews the application of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in auditory perceptual learning. Research has found a correlation between auditory perceptual learning and synaptic plasticity mechanism, as well as the functional organization of the primary auditory cortex and frequency discrimination ability. However, the use of non-invasive brain stimulation in auditory perceptual learning still faces challenges.
Article
Psychology, Biological
Hanna Ringer, Erich Schroeger, Sabine Grimm
Summary: It is remarkable how human listeners can perceive periodicity in noise, which lacks obvious physical cues. Previous research suggested that listeners rely on short temporally local and idiosyncratic features to perceptually segment periodic noise sequences. The present study aimed to examine the consistency of perceptual segmentation within and between listeners. Results showed that the consistency was stronger for interleaved periodic sequences, likely due to reduced temporal jitter. Additionally, the finding that certain noise sequences were segmented consistently across listeners challenges the assumption that the features are necessarily idiosyncratic.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Maria Reyes-Contreras, Bonnie de Vries, J. C. van der Molen, T. G. G. Groothuis, Barbara Taborsky
Summary: Mothers can influence offspring phenotype through egg-mediated maternal effects, which can be influenced by cues mothers obtain from their environment during offspring production. Developing embryos use these components but have mechanisms to alter maternal signals. The researchers aimed to understand the role of mothers and embryos in how maternal effects might shape offspring social phenotype by manipulating the maternal social environment of Neolamprologus pulcher females and comparing the egg characteristics and corticosteroid metabolites. They found that the maternal social environment did not induce egg-mediated maternal effects, suggesting that the divergent social phenotypes induced by different group sizes may be triggered by own offspring experience.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Neurosciences
Collins Opoku-Baah, Adriana M. Schoenhaut, Sarah G. Vassall, David A. Tovar, Ramnarayan Ramachandran, Mark T. Wallace
Summary: In naturalistic environments, auditory cues are often accompanied by information from other senses, mainly vision, which can enhance or alter auditory performance and perception. Understanding the multisensory interactions between vision and audition at both psychophysical and neural levels can provide insights into the functional significance of audiovisual interactions and their implications in clinical conditions such as autism and schizophrenia. Ongoing research seeks to leverage this knowledge to develop better remediation approaches for sensory-based disorders by exploring the concept of perceptual plasticity where vision can facilitate auditory learning.
JARO-JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR RESEARCH IN OTOLARYNGOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
A. P. Janson, J. L. Baker, I Sani, K. P. Purpura, N. D. Schiff, C. R. Butson
Summary: CT-DBS is an investigational therapy for treating cognitive dysfunctions in SBI patients. Selective activation of the DTTm pathway in the central thalamus can enhance behavioral performance, providing valuable insights for future clinical investigations.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jennifer J. Heppner, Jesse S. Krause, Jenny Q. Ouyang
Summary: The phenotypes observed in urban and rural environments are often distinct, but it is unclear how these urban phenotypes arise. Hormone-mediated maternal effects play a key role in shaping the development of offspring in different environments. In this study, we found that corticosterone concentrations were higher in urban house wrens compared to rural ones across all life stages. Additionally, urban nestlings had higher corticosterone concentrations correlated with urban density scores. Our study highlights the importance of maternal endocrine programming in shaping offspring phenotypes in urban environments.
GENERAL AND COMPARATIVE ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Shahram Moradi, Jerker Ronnberg
Summary: Face-to-face communication is a common and beneficial way of communication in daily life, particularly in situations where auditory cues are limited. Our research shows that early exposure to audiovisual speech stimuli can enhance subsequent auditory processing and correct identification of speech stimuli. This effect, called perceptual doping, recalibrates auditory phonological and lexical maps, resulting in improved processing of auditory speech signals. This opinion paper provides an overview of perceptual doping, its cognitive mechanism, and its potential usefulness in the rehabilitation of individuals with hearing difficulties.
Article
Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
Dmitri Dimitriev, Olga Indeykina, Aleksey Dimitriev
Summary: This study aims to assess the influence of sound on the nonlinear characteristics of the autonomic nervous system. The findings indicate that excitatory music leads to a significant decrease in respiratory sinus arrhythmia, while relaxing music does not have a significant effect on heart rate variability.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Martine Van Puyvelde, Louise Staring, Jana Schaffers, Cristina Rivas-Smits, Leysa Groenendijk, Laura Smeyers, Laetitia Collette, Anneke Schoofs, Nora Van den Bossche, Francis McGlone
Summary: This study investigated the impact of a Gentle Touch Stimulation (GTS) program on infants, finding that GTS plays a positive role in regulating physiological and behavioral responses in infants and helps establish stress regulation and resilience in infants.
INFANT MENTAL HEALTH JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Farrah N. Madison, Verner P. Bingman, Tom Smulders, Christine R. Lattin
Summary: Although research on the avian hippocampus has been limited, it is crucial for understanding its evolution and changes over time. The avian hippocampus plays important roles in spatial cognition as well as regulating anxiety, approach-avoidance behavior, and stress responses. Future research should focus on elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms, including endocrinology, to resolve outstanding questions about avian hippocampal function and organization.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Judith A. H. Smit, Riet Vooijs, Peter Lindenburg, Alexander T. Baugh, Wouter Halfwerk
Summary: This study investigates the effects of urbanization on hormone levels in tungara frogs and found that urban frogs and forest frogs have different endocrine phenotypes. Exposure to urban noise and light pollution led to an increase in testosterone and a decrease in corticosterone in urban frogs, while forest frogs showed no endocrine response to sensory pollutants. These results suggest that urbanization can modulate hormone levels and influence behavior in frogs.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2024)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Hannah D. Fulenwider, Yangmiao Zhang, Andrey E. Ryabinin
Summary: Social hierarchies have significant effects on overall health of individuals in animal groups, particularly the lowest-ranking individuals. Tube test can be used to determine social rank in male and female mice, and the complex interactions between social rank, sex, environment, and testing length influence peptide levels.
HORMONES AND BEHAVIOR
(2024)