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Scientists have genetically engineered monkeys so that they exhibit behaviors similar to autism, with a goal of testing potential therapies on the animals in hopes that their resemblance to humans will yield more answers about the disorder. The scientists found that the monkeys showed "very similar behaviors related to human autism patients, including repetitive behaviors, increased anxiety and, most importantly, defects in social interactions," said Zilong Qiu, a leader of the research at the Institute of Neuroscience at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai. The team is now imaging the brains of the monkeys, he said, "trying to identify the deficiency in the brain circuits that is responsible for the autism-like behavior."

This case study presents the mock trial of "Martin Miller." There is no question that Martin killed his girlfriend; he admitted to stabbing her in a violent rage. But what is the degree of his responsibility? By virtue of Martin having the MAOA-L gene variant, together with a history of childhood abuse, should his punishment be reduced? This hypothetical case, which requires students to think through the issues rather than simply look up a verdict, is based on actual events and violent behaviors that resulted in criminal charges claimed to be related to MAOA. The MAOA gene and its effect on behavior have been extensively studied, and research results have been introduced as evidence in court cases with differing results. The present case study allows students to explore how behavioral genetic information can be applied to a courtroom situation, and requires them to integrate information from biology, ethics, and the law. Note: Due to the unusual structure of the case, no answer key is available.

Similar to humans who have obsessive compulsive disorder, dogs exhibit compulsive behaviors, in which they might repetitively spin around, chase their tail, bark, chew, or suck on a toy or a part of their body for an excessive amount of time. In the latest study from Tufts University, researchers identified genetic pathways that increase the severity of canine compulsive disorders in Doberman pinschers. This discovery may lead to the development of improved treatments and therapies for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in people. 

This case study was developed to teach students the importance of understanding the behavior of wildlife, explore the difficulty in making management decisions when the public is invested in a species, and to help students develop critical thinking and public speaking skills. Students learn about the conservation status and behavior of the black rhinoceros by reading a primary literature article and answering a series of questions. They then listen to a Radiolab podcast that explores the moral dilemma of whether it is ethically appropriate to shoot an endangered rhinoceros if the purpose is to raise conservation funds. Students are assigned one of five positions and write essays to prepare for a town hall style debate in which they examine the pros and cons of such a decision. The Radiolab podcast is based on real events, and is also representative of many ethical dilemmas that wildlife managers regularly face. This case study is appropriate for several upper division biology courses.

This case study tells the story of a group of ten men, recently released from federal penitentiaries, who are housed in a residential reentry center for the remainder of their sentences. Their stay is intended to bridge the gap between incarceration and return to life in the community. Due to the length of time served, the men are poorly skilled in healthy behaviors and self-reliance in the areas of food and activity. Although a work of fiction, the narrative realistically portrays a variety of challenges that the men face including a chronic health issue, menu planning, tight budgets, hunger, boredom, lack of cooking skills, and life without a local supermarket. Innovation, trial and error, and collaboration result in a story of resilience and health behavior change in a sparsely populated area of Northern Michigan. The case was originally developed for a college-level nutrition course, but could also be used in social work, community health, and health education, nursing, and dietetics classes.

Evolutionary biologists have developed many techniques to analyze how male and female mating preferences have co-evolved. These studies combine animal behavior, sensory biology, phylogenetics, and neurobiology to observe the effects of male trait biases based on female receiver systems; that is, the "attractiveness" of the male trait to potential female mating partners.

Shape of Life is a series of FREE short classroom videos that beautifully illustrate the evolution of the animal kingdom on planet earth. Based upon an original PBS Series, Shape of Life is especially designed for students and teachers who want a first-hand account of how animals adapt and thrive. The series is NGSS aligned with exquisite focus on diversity, biodiversity, adaptability, body structure, design, behaviors, and the innovative scientists who explore these creatures.

Shape of Life is a series of FREE short classroom videos that beautifully illustrate the evolution of the animal kingdom on planet earth. Based upon an original PBS Series, Shape of Life is especially designed for students and teachers who want a first-hand account of how animals adapt and thrive. The series is NGSS aligned with exquisite focus on diversity, biodiversity, adaptability, body structure, design, behaviors, and the innovative scientists who explore these creatures.

Sure, we know insufficient serotonin levels get a bad rap when it comes to depression, but that's like blaming one person in a full-scale riot. Depression isn't caused by only one factor. In fact, study co-author Elyse Aurbach says we're probably not getting to the core of why people are depressed because "the brain is immensely complex." In this study, the research team conducted eight experiments (four on animal brains, four on brains of the deceased human kind) of varying sample sizes - from 20 to 90 brains in each - and found that the brains of deceased humans who'd been depressed had increased levels of hippocampal FGF9 and that live animals with increased FGF9 levels demonstrated depressive, anxious behavior. "This is not just a correlation," study leader Huda Akil of the University of Michigan says. Less really may be more, at least when it comes to FGF9.

Paul Andersen shows you how to calculate the ch-squared value to test your null hypothesis. He explains the importance of the critical value and defines the degrees of freedom. He also leaves you with a problem related to the animal behavior lab. This analysis is required in the AP Biology classroom.

Trailblazers in neuroscience Dr. Christof Koch and Dr. John Donoghue reveal mind-blowing insights on how the brain turns thought into voluntary behaviors and how that knowledge is empowering victims of neurological trauma with regained physical abilities.

This case study centers on an active teaching game that simulates a cholera outbreak among five villages along a river, similar to the Haitian outbreak of 2010. By enacting the behaviors of fictional villagers, students learn how trade, travel, sanitation practices and geographic location contribute to the spread of diarrheal disease. Documenting various contamination events of village water supplies allows students to trace the progression of the disease and illustrates how adequate sanitation facilities provide protection against the bacteria Vibrio cholera. Originally designed for an undergraduate upper-division biology course focusing on the epidemiology of diseases, the simulation is also appropriate for microbiology and public health courses, as well as lower division undergraduate biology courses and high school. Biology or epidemiology components of the case study can be highlighted depending on the emphasis of the course being taught. The game can be completed within a 45- to 60-minute class period. Playing cards are available from the Supplemental Materials tab; detailed instructions are found in the teaching notes.

Most siblings with a diagnosis of autism do not share the same genetic risk factors for the disorder and are as distinct in their behaviors as any brothers and sisters, scientists reported on Monday in a study that came as a surprise to many doctors, if not to parents.

This video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW examines the realm of personal DNA testing. It describes the latest tests, which look for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These single-letter differences in DNA sequence make humans unique from one another but may also predispose people to certain diseases. The video also discusses the Personal Genome Project, an extension of the Human Genome Project aimed at determining the root causes of many common diseases. The Personal Genome Project takes into account personal genomics as well as lifestyle information, such as one's living environment, habits, and behaviors.

A new study by Duke University researchers helps clarify the matter by showing how a sugar habit changes specific brain circuits, and how those changes produce cravings that reinforce the habit. The research team began by getting a group of healthy mice hooked on sugar. Similar to classic studies on drug addiction, the mice in this study were trained to press a tiny lever to receive doses of sweets. Once the mice were hooked, they continued pressing the lever even when the sweets were removed. So that was step one, establishing a behavioral pattern to get the goods.

Honey bee dancing, perhaps the most intriguing aspect of their biology, is also one of the most fascinating behaviors in animal life. Performed by a worker bee that has returned to the honey comb with pollen or nectar, the dances, in essence, constitute a language that "tells" other workers where the food is. By signaling both distance and direction with particular movements, the worker bee uses the dance language to recruit and direct other workers in gathering pollen and nectar.

The many forms of dogs that exist today were all created through selective breeding from the dog's ancestor, the wolf. In a span of less than 10,000 years, breeders have changed traits and body shapes of dogs by artificial selection-for example, emphasizing different aspects of hunting and herding behavior.

Research has revealed striking differences in the trillions of bacteria - a.k.a., the microbiome - in the intestines of children with and without autism. But the gut bacteria in individuals with autism aren't just different. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have shown for the first time that they may actually contribute to the disorder. They reported in the journal Cell in December 2013 that an experimental probiotic therapy alleviated autism-like behaviors in mice and are already planning a clinical trial.

One concern repeatedly raised by critics who don't want the FDA to give the transgenic fish the green light: What would happen if these fish got out of the land-based facilities where they're grown and escaped into the wild? Would genetically modified salmon push out their wild counterparts or permanently alter habitat? In a review paper published this month in the journal BioScience, scientists tackle that very question. Robert H. Devlin, a scientist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, led a team that reviewed more than 80 studies analyzing growth, behavior and other trait differences between genetically modified and unaltered fish. The scientists used this to predict what might happen if fish with modified traits were unleashed in nature.

But then on Dec. 22, 1938, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer came across a strange blue fin poking out of a pile of fish that struck her as extraordinary. With its fleshy, lobed fins and its tough armored scales, the specimen looked very unlike fish we see in our oceans today. That is because the coelacanth has managed to survive in roughly its current form for hundreds of millions of years. In the course of researching this film, we learned all kinds of amazing facts about the coelacanth. For instance, unlike most fish, they give birth to live young. They produce eggs the size of grapefruits, which then hatch internally. From video footage taken by the explorer Hans Fricke - which we used as inspiration for our sets and puppets - we know coelacanths are prone to some odd behavior. They've been spotted doing headstands underwater.

Now, a new study reports that at least one species of songbird-and likely many more-already knows how to prep its chicks for a warming world. They do so by emitting special calls to the embryos inside their eggs, which can hear and learn external sounds. This is the first time scientists have found animals using sound to affect the growth, development, behavior, and reproductive success of their offspring, and adds to a growing body of research revealing that birds can "doctor" their eggs.