After a 25-year focus on the cellular mechanisms of pain modulation (how does morphine work? and related questions), my laboratory’s energy is now focused on the biological basis of empathy and helping. Important questions include:
Do rats help another in distress? Yes
Who do they help? Strangers and familiars alike, as long as they know the type (strain) of rat
What motivates rats to help another in distress? This is a work in progress but right now, it looks as though the motivation is a rodent version of empathy
What are the brain circuits that support affective communication between two individuals? We are using a variety of methods to go into the brain and understand the circuits underlying pro-social behavior
In addition to leading a research laboratory, I am committed to teaching neurobiology to anyone that will listen. As the first “neuroevangelist,” I tweet as @NeuroMOOC and blog at http://thebrainissocool.com. I am also thrilled to be able to teach neurobiology to the interested public through a massively open online course (MOOC) on Coursera (https://www.coursera.org/course/neurobio). My initial session of Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life was offered in 2014 and attracted more than 55,000 students; a second session will be starting up in early 2015. I welcome all to come join in the neuro-fun!
Lessons from helping behavior in rats.
Lessons from helping behavior in rats. Curr Opin Neurobiol. 2021 06; 68:52-56.
PMID: 33498010
The bystander effect in rats.
The bystander effect in rats. Sci Adv. 2020 07; 6(28):eabb4205.
PMID: 32923593
The bystander effect in rats.
The bystander effect in rats. Sci Adv. 2020 Jul; 6(28).
PMID: 32937520
Behavioral Tests for Mouse Models of Autism: An Argument for the Inclusion of Cerebellum-Controlled Motor Behaviors.
Behavioral Tests for Mouse Models of Autism: An Argument for the Inclusion of Cerebellum-Controlled Motor Behaviors. Neuroscience. 2021 05 10; 462:303-319.
PMID: 32417339
A valence-free definition of sociality as any violation of inter-individual independence.
A valence-free definition of sociality as any violation of inter-individual independence. Proc Biol Sci. 2017 Nov 15; 284(1866).
PMID: 29118128
Nicotinic modulation of descending pain control circuitry.
Nicotinic modulation of descending pain control circuitry. Pain. 2017 Oct; 158(10):1938-1950.
PMID: 28817416
Anxiolytic Treatment Impairs Helping Behavior in Rats.
Anxiolytic Treatment Impairs Helping Behavior in Rats. Front Psychol. 2016; 7:850.
PMID: 27375528
With a little help from our friends: how the brain processes empathy.
With a little help from our friends: how the brain processes empathy. Cerebrum. 2014 Sep-Oct; 2014:14.
PMID: 26034521
Pro-social behavior in rats is modulated by social experience.
Pro-social behavior in rats is modulated by social experience. Elife. 2014; 3:e01385.
PMID: 24424411
Caffeine accelerates recovery from general anesthesia.
Caffeine accelerates recovery from general anesthesia. J Neurophysiol. 2014 Mar; 111(6):1331-40.
PMID: 24375022