Behavior

A new study has highlighted the gut-brain link between social behavior and gut microbes in mice, showing how a lack of certain gut bacteria can increase levels of a hormone that activates a part of the brain that contributes to antisocial activities.

Although the chest-beating of male gorillas is a common behaviour, its purpose still isn't entirely understood. Now, however, scientists believe it may serve as a means of acoustically indicating the size of the apes' bodies.

For some people a small irritation can wreck their day, while others can shake off minor problems and move on. A new study is suggesting persistent activity in the amygdala could be why some are unable to move on from momentary negative experiences.

How often do you clear out old photos on your phone or tidy up your email inbox? You just may be a digital hoarder, and researchers from Northumbria University have identified four distinct types.

It has generally been thought that electric eels are purely solitary animals, which stalk prey on their own. Now, however, scientists have described seeing the creatures hunting in packs – which only nine other fish species are known to do.

A new study is presenting a robust hypothesis to explain how a parasitic infection can alter behavior. The research provides new insights into how neurophysiological changes influence behavior, and points to novel therapeutic research targets.

A growing body of study is beginning to suggest severe apathy in older adults is an early sign of dementia. New research is now presenting one of the first longitudinal studies to show apathy could be an early symptom of cognitive decline.

A pair of studies are showing how passive smartphone data can be used to predict relapse episodes in schizophrenia patients. The research used machine learning to analyze behavioral data and predict schizophrenic relapses up to one month before they occurred.

A study, conducted over the past few months in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, has found fans of apocalyptic and horror films are reporting less distress and greater resilience during this time compared to those who don’t like such genres.

Four years after it was announced, the results of a controversial clinical trial have been published, finding a testosterone-reducing drug, originally developed for prostate cancer, lowered sexual interest in children for men with pedophilic disorder.

Scientists in Finland have conducted a study investigating the root causes of fearfulness in dogs, uncovering a previously unknown link between urban living environments and social fearfulness in dogs.

Scientists have already observed that rats will readily share food with other rats who are hungry. A new study now suggests that they do so not just based on what the other rat does, but also on how it smells.