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Author Milgram, N.W.; Head, E.; Muggenburg, B.; Holowachuk, D.; Murphey, H.; Estrada, J.; Ikeda-Douglas, C.J.; Zicker, S.C.; Cotman, C.W.
Title Landmark discrimination learning in the dog: effects of age, an antioxidant fortified food, and cognitive strategy Type Journal Article
Year 2002 Publication Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Abbreviated Journal Neurosci Biobehav Rev
Volume 26 Issue 6 Pages 679-695
Keywords Age Factors; Aging/*physiology; Analysis of Variance; Animals; Antioxidants/*pharmacology; Blood Chemical Analysis/methods; Cognition/*physiology; *Diet; Discrimination Learning/*drug effects/*physiology; Distance Perception/drug effects/physiology; Dogs/physiology; Female; Male; Psychomotor Performance/physiology; Retention (Psychology)/drug effects/physiology; Spatial Behavior/*drug effects/*physiology; Task Performance and Analysis; Time Factors; Vitamin E/blood
Abstract The landmark discrimination learning test can be used to assess the ability to utilize allocentric spatial information to locate targets. The present experiments examined the role of various factors on performance of a landmark discrimination learning task in beagle dogs. Experiments 1 and 2 looked at the effects of age and food composition. Experiments 3 and 4 were aimed at characterizing the cognitive strategies used in performance on this task and in long-term retention. Cognitively equivalent groups of old and young dogs were placed into either a test group maintained on food enriched with a broad-spectrum of antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors, or a control group maintained on a complete and balanced food formulated for adult dogs. Following a wash-in period, the dogs were tested on a series of problems, in which reward was obtained when the animal responded selectively to the object closest to a thin wooden block, which served as a landmark. In Experiment 1, dogs were first trained to respond to a landmark placed directly on top of coaster, landmark 0 (L0). In the next phase of testing, the landmark was moved at successively greater distances (1, 4 or 10 cm) away from the reward object. Learning varied as a function of age group, food group, and task. The young dogs learned all of the tasks more quickly than the old dogs. The aged dogs on the enriched food learned L0 significantly more rapidly than aged dogs on control food. A higher proportion of dogs on the enriched food learned the task, when the distance was increased to 1cm. Experiment 2 showed that accuracy decreased with increased distance between the reward object and landmark, and this effect was greater in old animals. Experiment 3 showed stability of performance, despite using a novel landmark, and new locations, indicating that dogs learned the landmark concept. Experiment 4 found age impaired long-term retention of the landmark task. These results indicate that allocentric spatial learning is impaired in an age-dependent manner in dogs, and that age also affects performance when the distance between the landmark and target is increased. In addition, these results both support a role of oxidative damage in the development of age-associated cognitive dysfunction and indicate that short-term administration of a food enriched with supplemental antioxidants and mitochondrial cofactors can partially reverse the deleterious effects of aging on cognition.
Address Life Science Division, University of Toronto at Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough, Ont., Canada M1C 1A4. milgram@psych.utoronto.ca
Corporate Author Thesis
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title (up) Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0149-7634 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:12479842 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2806
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Author Poti, P.
Title Chimpanzees' constructional praxis (Pan paniscus, P. troglodytes) Type Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Primates Abbreviated Journal Primates
Volume 46 Issue 2 Pages 103-113
Keywords Animals; *Cognition; *Discrimination Learning; Female; Male; Pan troglodytes/*physiology; Psychomotor Performance/*physiology; Spatial Behavior/*physiology; Species Specificity
Abstract This study investigated chimpanzees' spontaneous spatial constructions with objects and especially their ability to repeat inter-object spatial relations, which is basic to understanding spatial relations at a higher level than perception or recognition. Subjects were six chimpanzees-four chimpanzees and two bonobos-aged 6-21 years, all raised in a human environment from an early age. Only minor species differences, but considerable individual differences were found. The effect of different object samples was assessed through a comparison with a previous study. A common overall chimpanzee pattern was also found. Chimpanzees repeated different types of inter-object spatial relations such as insertion (I), or vertical (V), or next-to (H) relations. However chimpanzees repeated I or V relations with more advanced procedures than when repeating H relations. Moreover, chimpanzees never repeated combined HV relations. Compared with children, chimpanzees showed a specific difficulty in repeating H relations. Repeating H relations is crucial for representing and understanding multiple reciprocal spatial relations between detached elements and for coordinating independent positions in space. Therefore, the chimpanzees' difficulty indicates a fundamental difference in constructive space in comparison to humans. The findings are discussed in relation to issues of spatial cognition and tool use.
Address Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione, CNR, via U. Aldrovandi 16b, 00197, Rome, Italy. p.poti@istc.cnr.it
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title (up) Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0032-8332 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:15378424 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 2811
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Author Range, F.; Bugnyar, T.; Schlogl, C.; Kotrschal, K.
Title Individual and sex differences in learning abilities of ravens Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Behavioural Processes Abbreviated Journal Behav. Process.
Volume 73 Issue 1 Pages 100-106
Keywords Animals; Behavior, Animal/*physiology; *Crows; Discrimination Learning/*physiology; Exploratory Behavior/physiology; Female; *Individuality; Male; Sex Factors; Spatial Behavior
Abstract Behavioral and physiological characteristics of individuals within the same species have been found to be stable across time and contexts. In this study, we investigated individual differences in learning abilities and object and social manipulation to test for consistency within individuals across different tasks. Individual ravens (Corvus corax) were tested in simple color and position discrimination tasks to establish their learning abilities. We found that males were significantly better in the acquisition of the first discrimination task and the object manipulation task, but not in any of the other tasks. Furthermore, faster learners engaged less often in manipulations of conspecifics and exploration of objects to get access to food. No relationship between object and social manipulation and reversal training were found. Our results suggest that individual differences in regard to the acquisition of new tasks may be related to personalities or at least object manipulation in ravens.
Address Konrad Lorenz Research Station, A-4645 Gruenau 11, Austria. friederike.range@univie.ac.at
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title (up) Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0376-6357 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:16675158 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4146
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Author Jensen, G.D.; Gordon, B.N.; Wolfheim, J.
Title Nursing behavior in infant monkeys: a sequence analysis Type Journal Article
Year 1975 Publication Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Behaviour
Volume 55 Issue 1-2 Pages 115-127
Keywords Animals; Dependency (Psychology); *Feeding Behavior; Female; *Macaca; Male; Sensory Deprivation; Social Behavior; Spatial Behavior
Abstract
Address
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title (up) Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0005-7959 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:1191212 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4153
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Author Clutton-Brock, T.H.; Greenwood, P.J.; Powell, R.P.
Title Ranks and relationships in Highland ponies and Highland Cows Type Journal Article
Year 1976 Publication Zeitschrift für Tierpsychologie Abbreviated Journal Z. Tierpsychol.
Volume 41 Issue 2 Pages 202-216
Keywords Agonistic Behavior; Animals; *Cattle; Female; Grooming; *Horses; Male; *Social Dominance; Spatial Behavior
Abstract Recent studies of primates have questioned the importance of dominance hierarchies in groups living under natural conditions. In a herd of Highland ponies and one of Highland cattle grazing under free-range conditions on the Isle of Rhum (Inner Hebrides) well defined hierarchies were present. The provision of food produced a marked increase in the frequency of agonistic interactions but had no effect on the rank systems of the two herds. While rank was clearly important in affecting the distribution of agonistic interactions, it was poorly related to behaviour in non-agonistic situations.
Address
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title (up) Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0044-3573 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:961125 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 661
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Author Hamilton, W.D.
Title Geometry for the selfish herd Type Journal Article
Year 1971 Publication Journal of theoretical biology Abbreviated Journal J. Theor. Biol.
Volume 31 Issue 2 Pages 295-311
Keywords Animals; Anura; *Behavior, Animal; Breeding; Communication; Evolution; Fear; Metallurgy; *Models, Biological; Probability; Snakes; *Spatial Behavior
Abstract This paper presents an antithesis to the view that gregarious behaviour is evolved through benefits to the population or species. Following Galton (1871) and Williams (1964) gregarious behaviour is considered as a form of cover-seeking in which each animal tries to reduce its chance of being caught by a predator.

It is easy to see how pruning of marginal individuals can maintain centripetal instincts in already gregarious species; some evidence that marginal pruning actually occurs is summarized. Besides this, simply defined models are used to show that even in non-gregarious species selection is likely to favour individuals who stay close to others.

Although not universal or unipotent, cover-seeking is a widespread and important element in animal aggregation, as the literature shows. Neglect of the idea has probably followed from a general disbelief that evolution can be dysgenic for a species. Nevertheless, selection theory provides no support for such disbelief in the case of species with outbreeding or unsubdivided populations.

The model for two dimensions involves a complex problem in geometrical probability which has relevance also in metallurgy and communication science. Some empirical data on this, gathered from random number plots, is presented as of possible heuristic value.
Address
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Language English Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title (up) Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-5193 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes PMID:5104951 Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 771
Permanent link to this record