The social interaction test: effortless and dependable with EthoVision XT
What is the social interaction test? This blog dives into this topic for fish and rodents. Why is social interaction important to measure, and how do we go about doing it?
Summer reads: Gender differences in rodent research
Most of us are enjoying our summer break, or are about to, soon. We have rounded up some summer reads about love, heartbreak, alcohol, and drugs… for those of us that might have a hard time taking a break from science.
Zebrafish attracted to superfish: video tracking sex differences in shoaling
Are images enough to evoke a shoaling response in zebrafish? Do males and females respond differently to shoals or the opposite sex? A recent study finds out.
Using the Observer XT to measure aggressive behavior in Dolphins
The Observer XT is often used in the field to score complex ethograms. This blog touches upon a study of the 'Wild Dolphin Project' that investigates aggresive behavior between two species of dolphins.
Sunshine and romance: ultraviolet light enhances sexual behavior
Ultraviolet B rays in sunshine enhances our romantic passion. How this actually works is still largely unknown. Research at the Tel Aviv University provides new insights.
Altruism in rats, suspiciously human
A recent study by Bartal et al drove our curiousity to write this blog about altruistic behavior in rats. This study shows how this type of behavior is neurally linkend to the social functioning of humans.
The relationship between social hierarchy and social stress
Today, Deepika Patel kindly shares her research on social structures with us. She investigated rat behavior in detail, using several test paradigms.
Into the lab: how to monitor rat social behavior
Including social behavior as part of a phenotypic screen has important benefits and eventually leads to better translational value of rodent models.
Towards automated homecage monitoring of group housed rats
Rodent social behavior is important in research on neuropsychiatric disorders, but major limitations hamper progress.
Serotonin and social skills: how adult mice differ from juveniles
Serotonin is a busy neurotransmitter, influencing processes as memory, mood, emotion, appetite, and sexuality. A prime role for this neurotransmitter is social behavior, across a variety of species; humans, rodents, primates.