Lectures will be given in the weeks 1 to 12, each with a specific topic. In the following four weeks, research reports using animal behavioral models will be discussed, which will be initialized with oral presentation from student.

1. Introduction and history of the study of animal behavior

2. the theories behind animal behaviors

3. animal behaviors typed in reflexive and non-associative

4. animal cognition: learning and memory

5: animal cognition: cost/benefit analysis, risk choice, and decision making

6. animal behavior of emotion

7. test 1

8. Animal models of Pain – Assessment of Analgesics

9. Animal models for determining reinforcing effects of abused drugs – Focus on self-administration

10; Animal models for determining reinforcing effects of abused drugs – Focus on conditioned place preference

11. Animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders (I) – Assessment of antidepressants

12.. Animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders (II) – Assessment of antipsychotics

13. test 2

14 – 17. discussion of research articles (oral presentation by student)

18. final report

N/A

Final grade will be dtermined by two tests (40%), the oral presentation (25%), a term paper (25%) and class performance (10%).

Books:

Methods of Behavior Analysis in Neuroscience by J. J. Buccafusci (2001), published by CRC.

Methods in Behavioral Pharmacology by F. van Harren (1993), published by Elsevier.

Animal Models in Psychopharmacology by B. Oliver, J. Mos, & J. L. Slangen (1991), published by Birkhaüser.

Animal Behavior (6th Ed.) by J. Alock (1998), Published by Sinauer Associates Inc.

Research Journals:

Behavioral Processes

Behavioral Brain Research

Behavioral Neuroscience

Behavioral Pharmacology

Brain Research

European Journal of Neuroscience

European Neuropsychopharmacology

International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology

International Journal of Psychopharmacology

Journal of Neuroscience

Nature Neuroscience

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

Neuron

Neuropharmacology

Neuropsychopharmacology

Neuroscience

Psychopharmacology

Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior

Review Journals:

Current Opinions in Neurobiology

Current Opinions in Pharmacology

Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences

Progress in Neurobiology

Nature Review Neuroscience

Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews

Trends in Neuroscience

Trends in Pharmacology and Toxicology

Pharmacology and Therapeutics