Tag: Mouse Model

Translating Between Human and Mouse Behavioral Neuroscience.

November 4, 2013

So in this post I am going to talk about a couple of invited chapters I have recently written. The general point of these two articles is that it takes very careful task selection to appropriately model the cognitive sequelae associated with human genetic disease in rat and mouse models. If this sounds familiar, it is because I have written about this general theme before

… More Translating Between Human and Mouse Behavioral Neuroscience.

Recycle Your Old iPad … for Behavioral Neuroscience!

October 31, 2013

So a while back I wrote about an arduino-based iPod testing system for operant conditioning. I alluded to the existence of a paper that came out within this last month that provides a software to run iPad and iPod testing systems using parts from aftermarket operant chambers. … More Recycle Your Old iPad … for Behavioral Neuroscience!

Touchscreens Done Right!

September 23, 2013

I am excited about a new set of methods articles that appeared in Nature Methods this week. My excitement stems from the fact that these papers form a relatively comprehensive collection of protocols for using the Bussey/Saksida touchscreen system. In my opinion, these protocols should raise the quality of behavioral research in rodents using touchscreen technology to a new level. … More Touchscreens Done Right!

Mouse Disease Models Need Better Behavioral Tasks

September 5, 2013

So today’s post was inspired by a tweet I saw routing me to a story in ABC news pointing out a study done in one of the mouse models of Down Syndrome. In this study, the researchers made a single injection into Ts65Dn mice that resulted in increased cerebellar growth and some normalization of the behavioral phenotype, at least pertaining to hippocampus function. … More Mouse Disease Models Need Better Behavioral Tasks

Cognition as an Outcome Measure in Preclinical Drug Studies

August 16, 2013

Very few things make me happier in my scientific life than the feeling like my work is relevant. This morning, a manuscript came out that proved to me that the theories and ideas I have been developing may be taking hold. And, more importantly, that the behavioral tasks I have been designing and advocating are starting to gain traction and be used as outcome measures.

This post is going to talk about my own work as well as an extension of my work and an application of it to a preclinical treatment study in an article entitled “Lithium treatment alleviates impaired cognition in a mouse model of Fragile X Syndrome” that appears in Genes, Brains, and Behavior by Margaret K. King and Richard S. Jope at the University of Miami.

 

… More Cognition as an Outcome Measure in Preclinical Drug Studies