This study is an assessment of the thermal biology of the wolf spider, Tigrosa helluo in order to gain a better understanding of its behavior and physiology. In order to determine the preferred temperature of adults and immatures, we introduced individuals into an arena with an established temperature gradient. Each individual was introduced to three […]
A03: What Does It Take to Change? Negative Drinking Consequences and Willingness to Change Drinking Behavior in College Students
College student alcohol consumption remains a serious health problem despite frequent intervention and research. Excessive alcohol consumption among college students has been linked to various negative outcomes such as missing class, unsafe sex, accidental injury, assaults, and death (Hingson et al., 2009; White & Hingson, 2014). In a study of college students, more than half […]
A08: Non-maternal Adult- And Subadult-Infant Interactions in Wild Woolly Monkeys
BackgroundIn many primates, males and/or non-lactating females are attracted to young infants and some may provide nonparental care (alloparenting) or engage in other forms of infant handling (holding, carrying, playing, and inspecting). The way in which these interactions play out may differ depending on varied factors (e.g. relatedness to the infant, dominance relationships, group dynamics, […]
C10: Age-Related Differences in Rat Behavioral Responses to Psilocybin
The prevalence of adolescent depression is at an all-time high. Pharmacological treatments are similar to adults but elicit different—and oftentimes adverse—consequences in adolescents, including anxiety and suicidal ideations. Thus, significant demand exists for improved therapeutic interventions for this age group. Psilocybin, a serotonergic agonist, has demonstrated potential for therapeutic efficacy in adulthood; however, its effects […]
B40: Using biologging data from turtles to assess repeatability and consistency in physiological behaviors
Animals exhibit a wide range of behaviors that can be influenced by their fitness, niche, energy costs, physiology, and general responses to environmental stimuli. This behavioral variation, commonly referred to as personality, is defined as consistent differences in behavior between individuals over time. For this study, we decided to monitor behavior using several biologging devices […]
C55: Mice Behavior: Altering Purkinje Neurons Within the Cerebellum
Intracellular fibroblast growth factor 12 (Fgf12) is expressed throughout the central nervous system and is known to bind and regulate voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium channels are critical for the formation and propagation of neuronal action potentials. Fgf12 has also been identified as a locus of mutations underlying epileptic encephalopathy (EIEE) and sudden unexpected death in […]
A18-P: Seminar in Neuroscience: Dr. Killian’s Lab
BIO 159, titled Seminar in Neuroscience, is a class taught by Dr. Joyce Fernandes and focussed on familiarizing students with ongoing Neuroscience research at Miami University. In order to become acquainted with ongoing research, the class worked in groups to identify a lab of our choice. Our group chose to examine the research lab of […]
B04: Inflammation can Alter Social Behavior: Is Nitric Oxide the Link?
Nitric oxide (NO) functions as both a gaseous neurotransmitter in the brain and a key signaling molecule in the innate immune system. NO is synthesized from arginine by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Our goal in this project was to utilize the house cricket Acheta domesticus to study the role of NO in both […]
B05: RNAi of the fmr1 gene of the cricket Acheta domesticus: Impact on male agonistic behavior
Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is a leading cause of inherited mental disability and autism spectrum disorders. An increased number of CGG repeats (>200) in the fmr1gene results in a loss of the gene’s protein product, Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP), resulting in neural deficits and impaired learning and social behaviors. Our goal was to […]