不同年龄大鼠学习记忆能力及旷场行为比较

目的：实验对２２日龄、１月龄、５月龄、１０月龄、２４月龄的ＳＤ大鼠的行为学进行比较。方法：采用水迷宫及旷场分析法对上述五种不同年龄组的大鼠进行研究,数据采用多因素方差分析处理。结果：幼鼠（２２日龄、１月龄）及老年鼠（２４月龄）游泳所用时间及错误次数比成年鼠（５月龄、１０月龄）多,差异显著（Ｐ＜０．０５）。幼鼠及老年鼠的空间认知能力显著低于成年鼠,并且对新异环境的适应性差,更加紧张（Ｐ＜０．０５）。结论：动物的学习记忆能力,空间认知能力及兴奋性存在着年龄上的差异,青壮年大鼠学习记忆能力及对新异环境的适应性均强于幼年及老年大鼠     

不同气味对虎皮鹦鹉取食行为影响

研究发现许多鸟类具有发育良好的嗅觉系统,但气味是否影响鸟类取食行为的研究报道较少。本研究开展了长尾林鸮（Strix uralensis）、金雕（Aquila chrysaetos）、家犬和家猫的粪便气味以及香水和香烟的气味对虎皮鹦鹉（Melopsittacus undulates）取食行为影响的比较研究。研究发现,虎皮鹦鹉在香水气味下的取食意图显著低于长尾林鸮粪便气味和无气味对照;在金雕粪便、猫粪便、香水及香烟气味下的取食频次显著低于无气味对照,同时香水及香烟气味下的取食频次显著低于长尾林鸮粪便气味,说明虎皮鹦鹉可能通过气味识别潜在的风险,进而调整取食行为。     

高体鳑鲏化学预警响应与“个性”行为的关联

化学通讯是水生动物最原始、最普遍和最主要的通讯方式之一。对捕食风险源的回避可以使猎物减少被捕食风险,但如果出现的化学信息并不代表真正的威胁,那么就会导致猎物减少觅食或求偶的机会,从而降低适合度。因此基于能量代价-生态收益的权衡可能导致动物行为决策与化学通讯模式的分化。"个性"行为（Personality）已被证实与动物的行为决定有关,然而,有关鱼类化学预警通讯与"个性"行为关联的研究至今鲜见报道。推测："个性"行为是鱼类的化学通讯模式多样化的重要内因。采捕了广泛分布于我国淡水水域的野生高体鳑鲏（Rhodeus ocellatus）并于半自然状态下探究了：（1）实验鱼对不同化学信息（池水对照组、柠檬新奇信息组、高浓度和低浓度化学预警信息（Chemical alarm cues,CAC）组）的行为响应,（2）实验鱼在新异环境（被转入新栖息地）、新异刺激（新异物理刺激）、新异食物资源下的"个性"行为及其与化学预警响应的关联。结果发现：（1）不同溶液化学信息对实验鱼静止时间与爆发游泳的变化以及摄食个体的比例等参数均有显著影响（P < 0.05）。其中,柠檬组（未知"假风险"）与对照组相比无显著差异（P > 0.05）,实验鱼对不同浓度CAC（已知"真风险"）表现出不同程度的行为响应,高浓度和低浓度CAC均导致摄食个体比例下降（P < 0.05）,但只有高浓度CAC导致静止时间和爆发游泳的变化增加（P < 0.05）。可见,实验鱼对外源化学信息有准确高效的行为应答。（2）实验鱼静止时间比对不同溶液化学预警响应的变化与新异刺激下的活跃性显著负相关（P < 0.05）,但与新异环境下的活跃性无关（P > 0.05）,提示"个性"行为与化学预警响应有关但这种关联可能又有一定的环境依赖性（例如测试环境的稳定性与可预测性）。     

虎皮鹦鹉(Melopsittacus undulatfus)的振动敏感性研究

本文研究了虎皮鹦鹉对正弦振动的敏感性,旨在探索其腿部存在赫氏小体,和阐明其震前声行为反应与地面振动的关系提供依据。虎皮鹦鹉对５０－８０Ｈｚ的正弦振动不敏感,振动位移约２００－５０μｍ才可能激起声行为反应．但对１００－２５０Ｈｚ的正弦振动具有显著的敏感性,反应阈值约１０－２μｍ。对１３０－１７０Ｈｚ和２００－２５０Ｈｚ阈值反应,约７０％的潜伏期（ＬＰ）分别为ＬＰ＜３０５和ＬＰ＜１５ｓ。     

实验时间对老年Sprague-Dawley大鼠认知行为的影响

为了探明老年Sprague-Dawley(SD)大鼠的学习记忆能力是否受到实验时间的影响,我们将老年SD大鼠随机分为两组:一组在上午(8:00~11:00)进行行为学实验(上午组,AM组),另一组则在下午(15:00~18:00)进行行为学实验(下午组,PM组)。结果显示,在开场实验中,PM组的活动量显著高于AM组;此外,在Morris水迷宫任务的训练阶段,PM组比AM组表现出更好的空间学习记忆能力,而且在检测(probe-test)过程中,PM组也表现出更强的空间记忆能力;而在新异个体识别(social discrimination)行为实验中,两组大鼠没有表现出显著性差异。以上结果表明,实验时间是老年SD大鼠在水迷宫任务中表现的影响因素,但并不是新异个体识别任务的影响因素。提示实验时间对老年大鼠不同的学习记忆任务具有不同的影响。     

不同脊椎动物消化道内5-羟色胺免疫染色细胞的分布

用过氧化物酶——抗过氧化物酶（PAP）法,对乌鳢（Ophiccephalus argus）、中华大蟾蜍（Bufo bufo garaaarizans）、黄喉水龟（Clemmys mutica）、虎皮鹦鹉（Melopsittacus undulatus）和小白鼠（Mus musculus albula）五种脊椎动物消化道内的5-羟色胺（5-hydroxytryptamine,简称5-HT）免疫染色细胞的分布进行了研究。发现各种动物胃肠道（虎皮鹦鹉胃、乌鳢肠及胃贲门除外）均含有5-HT免疫染色细胞,并首次发现黄喉水龟和中华大蟾蜍食道内含有5-HT免疫染色细胞。一般地,各种动物胃内5-HT免疫染色细胞密度最高,十二指肠和大肠次之,小肠最低。5-HT免疫染色细胞位于粘膜上皮或腺上皮细胞间,常有一个或一个以上的细胞突起伸入固有层或肠腔面（或腺腔面）,有些细胞的一端突起伸入固有层,另一端突起伸入肠腔面,表明5-HT免疫染色细胞兼具内分泌或分泌功能。     

环境丰容对笼养葵花凤头鹦鹉（Cacatua galerita）行为的影响

2009年7月-8月对上海动物园3只葵花凤头鹦鹉进行展区环境丰容试验,包括悬挂玩具、制作道具及增加取食难度等,采用瞬时扫描法记录并分析丰容前后葵花凤头鹦鹉的行为节律及对环境空间的利用特征.研究结果表明：葵花凤头鹦鹉的警戒、休息和走动行为在不同个体间存在显著差异（Kruskal Wallis test,P＜0.01）;环境丰容对葵花凤头鹗鹉的日常行为在时间分配和空间分布上均存在显著影响（Goodness of Fit test,P＜0.05）.主要表现为休息行为减少,活动增加;丰容区域利用增多,非丰容区域利用减少.环境丰容有利于减少动物的刻板行为、增加行为多样性,提高动物福利,同时应基于不同个体的特征和习性,有针对性的开展相应的丰容措施.     

非人灵长类的自我觉察能力综述

自我觉察是动物个体通过线索觉察到镜像与自己的联系,并利用线索来验证镜像与自身关联的能力.近三十年来,随着各学科的研究范式和方法的发展,关于非人灵长类的自我觉察研究不断深入,并涌现出大量新的研究成果.这方面的相关研究不仅能够为探索更深层、复杂的认知能力提供解释基础,而且能为人类互动行为和认知研究提供参照.目前,国外相关研究较为广泛,而国内却依然十分薄弱.本文重在介绍非人灵长类自我觉察研究的镜子实验这一基本范式,以及根据这一范式所得出的检验自我觉察能力的行为指标、相关推理过程、理论及研究;同时也回顾了自我觉察在猴类方面的研究进展以及其在人类与黑猩猩的物种间发展性比较研究;总结了录像法、脸部识别的认知神经科学范式等较新近的自我觉察研究方法和范式特点和优势、最新进展;最后对于自我觉察研究提出了完善概念界定、整合研究工具与实验范式、结合多学科多物种研究策略的展望,旨在拓展国内的相关研究领域,为其他物种的相关研究提供范例.     

昆虫联想学习记忆研究的几种双通道范式

昆虫的大多数行为一直被认为是生来就有的本能行为,然而,近年来的研究已经证明大多数昆虫具有高度的学习记忆能力,并表现出对环境的适应行为。这些研究主要是采取了联想学习记忆的双通道范式。这些双通道范式,在学习记忆神经机制的研究中起到了重要的作用。本文主要综述近年来关于昆虫学习记忆研究的进展,重点介绍昆虫联想学习记忆研究的几种双通道范式。这对充分理解昆虫联想学习记忆的神经机制以及进一步深入开展学习与记忆功能的研究有重要的科学意义。     

长序虎皮楠果实中的一个新的生物碱（英文）

从长序虎皮楠（Daphniphyllum longeracemosum）果实的甲醇提取物中分离得到一个新的虎皮楠生物碱和三个已知的环烯醚萜苷型虎皮楠生物碱。通过现代波谱解析技术鉴定为daphlongeranine F（1）,caldaphnidine F（2）,daphcalycinosidine B（3）and daphcalycinosidine C（4）。其中,三个环烯醚萜苷虎皮楠生物碱系首次从该种分离得到。     

Mathematical properties of neuronal TD-rules and differential Hebbian learning: a comparison

A confusingly wide variety of temporally asymmetric learning rules exists related to reinforcement learning and/or to spike-timing dependent plasticity, many of which look exceedingly similar, while displaying strongly different behavior. These rules often find their use in control tasks, for example in robotics and for this rigorous convergence and numerical stability is required. The goal of this article is to review these rules and compare them to provide a better overview over their different properties. Two main classes will be discussed: temporal difference (TD) rules and correlation based (differential hebbian) rules and some transition cases. In general we will focus on neuronal implementations with changeable synaptic weights and a time-continuous representation of activity. In a machine learning (non-neuronal) context, for TD-learning a solid mathematical theory has existed since several years. This can partly be transfered to a neuronal framework, too. On the other hand, only now a more complete theory has also emerged for differential Hebb rules. In general rules differ by their convergence conditions and their numerical stability, which can lead to very undesirable behavior, when wanting to apply them. For TD, convergence can be enforced with a certain output condition assuring that the δ-error drops on average to zero (output control). Correlation based rules, on the other hand, converge when one input drops to zero (input control). Temporally asymmetric learning rules treat situations where incoming stimuli follow each other in time. Thus, it is necessary to remember the first stimulus to be able to relate it to the later occurring second one. To this end different types of so-called eligibility traces are being used by these two different types of rules. This aspect leads again to different properties of TD and differential Hebbian learning as discussed here. Thus, this paper, while also presenting several novel mathematical results, is mainly meant to provide a road map through the different neuronally emulated temporal asymmetrical learning rules and their behavior to provide some guidance for possible applications.     

Learning set formation in a group of Guinea baboons (Papio papio): Importance of the behavioral variable measured

A recent report of one-trial learning in a group of saddle-back tamarins (Saguinus fuscicollis) conflicted with views of learning set formation based on traditional techniques employing isolated subjects. An experiment is reported in which a group of Guinea baboons (Papio papio) was given a series of discrimination and habit reversal tasks. Both one-trial learning and learning set formation occurred. Analysis of spatial behavior revealed that the group learned in a single trial to discriminate stocked from unstocked zones. Improvement in successes (reinforced “digging”) was progressive but not rapid, indicating learning set formation. It appears that outcomes depend on the behavioral variables chosen.     

Learning multiple routes in homing pigeons

The aerial lifestyle of central-place foraging birds allows wide-ranging movements, raising fundamental questions about their remarkable navigation and memory systems. For example, we know that pigeons (Columba livia), long-standing models for avian navigation, rely on individually distinct routes when homing from familiar sites. But it remains unknown how they cope with the task of learning several routes in parallel. Here, we examined how learning multiple routes influences homing in pigeons. We subjected groups of pigeons to different training protocols, defined by the sequence in which they were repeatedly released from three different sites, either sequentially, in rotation or randomly. We observed that pigeons from all groups successfully developed and applied memories of the different release sites (RSs), irrespective of the training protocol, and that learning several routes in parallel did not impair their capacity to quickly improve their homing efficiency over multiple releases. Our data also indicated that they coped with increasing RS uncertainty by adjusting both their initial behaviour upon release and subsequent homing efficiency. The results of our study broaden our understanding of avian route following and open new possibilities for studying learning and memory in free-flying animals.     

Prosimian learning capacities

A survey of the literature on learning by prosimian primates contradicts a traditional view that they are untrainable. They learn simple operants such as bar pressing readily, work well for the usual rewards, and respond in predictable fashion on schedules of partial reinforcement. Two-dimensional visual discriminations involving pattern and brightness also are learned, as are three-dimensional object discriminations. In the area of complex learning, they not only acquire a variety of difficult tasks, but they also reach a final level of performance that is at or near the level of anthropoids. In each of the following areas, at least one experiment is described in which a prosimian species did as well as one or more anthropoid species: object discrimination learning set, discrimination reversal, delayed response, instrumentation, oddity, and relational problems. The anthropoids to which they are most apt to compare favorably are New World monkeys, a group which they resemble physically, especially with respect to degree of manipulativeness, cortical development, and visual acuity.     

Transfer index and mediational learning in tufted capuchins (Cebus apella)

The transfer index (TI) is a discrimination reversal paradigm that requires the achievement of a given prereversal criterion of accuracy. The mediational learning (ML) paradigm is a modification of the TI procedure that features the presentation of three different reversal conditions designed to assess whether prereversal learning is based on purely associative processes or mediated by the use of a strategy (win-stay/lose-shift). These two paradigms have been used with apes and several Old World monkey species, proving to be effective tools for the comparison of species on the basis of their transfer abilities and the nature of their learning processes. However, among New World monkeys, only the squirrel monkey has been tested. Capuchin (Cebusspp.) adaptability and their mastery in using tools have led to controversial interpretations of their cognitive and learning skills. We evaluated their mode of learning and the transfer of learning using the TI and the ML paradigms. We tested four tufted capuchins (Cebus apella)in a WGTA using a variety of stimulus object pairs. The results show that they possess rather good transfer abilities and one subject showed an associative learning mode. None of the subjects showed evidence of learning mediated by a win-stay/lose-shift strategy.     

Selectivity in social and asocial learning: investigating the prevalence,effect and development of young children's learning preferences

Culture evolution requires both modification and faithful replication of behaviour, thus it is essential to understand how individuals choose between social and asocial learning. In a quasi-experimental design, 3- and 5-year-olds (176), and adults (52) were presented individually with two novel artificial fruits, and told of the apparatus'' relative difficulty (easy versus hard). Participants were asked if they wanted to attempt the task themselves or watch an experimenter attempt it first; and then had their preference either met or violated. A significant proportion of children and adults (74%) chose to learn socially. For children, this request was efficient, as observing a demonstration made them significantly quicker at the task than learning asocially. However, for 5-year-olds, children who selected asocial learning were also found to be highly efficient at the task, showing that by 5 years children are selective in choosing a learning strategy that is effective for them. Adults further evidenced this trend, and also showed selectivity based on task difficulty. This is the first study to examine the rates, performance outcomes and developmental trajectory of preferences in asocial and social learning, ultimately informing our understanding of innovation.     

Budding biology teachers: what have botanical gardens got to offer inquiry learning

Teachers conceptualise inquiry learning in science learning differently. This is particularly evident when teachers are introduced to inquiry pedagogy within a new context. This exploratory study draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with eight pre-service secondary biology teachers following a day visit with university tutors to the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. Emerging findings were: first, pre-service biology teachers’ views of inquiry learning range in sophistication from simple notions of ‘learning from doing’ to complex multi-notions such as student generated questions, developing curiosity and encouraging authentic scientific practices. Second, similarly their views of inquiry learning opportunities in botanical gardens ranged from simply places that offered ‘memorable experiences’ to enabling autonomous learning due to the organism diversity and multiple climates. Pre-service teachers categorised as having unsophisticated views of inquiry learning had limited expectations of botanical gardens as productive learning environments. Third, the majority of pre-service teachers were concerned about managing inquiry learning. A tension was identified between how open-ended an inquiry activity could be whilst ensuring student focus. Further, participants were concerned about the practical management of inquiry learning. We discuss implications for teacher educators and botanical garden educators and the requirement for curriculum development and promotion.     

Learning strategies in matching to sample: if-then and configural learning by pigeons

Pigeons learned a matching-to-sample task with a split training-set design in which half of the stimulus displays were untrained and tested following acquisition. Transfer to the untrained displays along with no novel-stimulus transfer indicated that these pigeons learned the task (partially) via if-then rules. Comparisons to other performance measures indicated that they also partially learned the task via configural learning (learning the gestalt of the whole stimulus display). Differences in the FR-sample requirement (1 vs. 20) had no systematic effect on the type of learning or level of learning obtained. Differences from a previous study [Wright, A.A., 1997. Concept learning and learning strategies. Psychol. Sci. 8, 119-123] are discussed, including the effect of displaying the stimuli vertically (traditional display orientation) or horizontally from the floor.