Neurobiology of behaviour

Abstract

The neurobiology of behavior covers all aspects of neural mechanisms that control behavior. It is neither the techniques nor the level of analysis but the emphasis on behavior that distinguishes this field from other fields of neuroscience. Both intracellular studies of single neurons and the behavioral level of analysis are necessary for understanding behavior. Reflecting this characterization of the field, the present issue contains topics ranging from the neural basis of operant conditioning in mollusks to avian behavior that occurs every twelve months. We selected the topics partly because of our interest and expertise in them and partly because of the emphasis on behavior in the chosen subjects. The animal groups that have been prominent in the study of neural mechanisms of natural behavior include mollusks, insects, electric fish, songbirds, and bats. Nematodes and barn owls can be added to this list, but studies on them have been reviewed in recent years 1. and 2.. The first group of animals is attractive for the study of brain and behavior, because the neural substrates for their distinct behavior are known. The same genes control the development of organs such as legs in Drosophila and vertebrates. Such rules of body organization might even apply to behavior. The best example of this is that the same genes control circadian rhythm in many different animals. Aggression and sophisticated learning in invertebrates are interesting from a genetic point of view too. Finally, we picked the circannual rhythm, because we should learn how the brain controls such long-term behavioral events.

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