The following lists of journal publications, research conference presentations, and student research projects are representative of the scope of opportunities available for students to conduct high quality neuroscience research.
Pittman, D. W., Smith, K. R., Crawley, M. E., & Corbin, C. H. (2008). Fatty acid taste in obesity-prone and -resistant rats: Strain and sex differences. Chemical Senses, 33(5):449-60. (Faculty advisor: Dr. Pittman)
Reid, A. K., Dixon, R. A., & Gray, S. (2008). Variation and selection in response structures. In N. Innis (Ed.). Reflections on Adaptive Behavior: Essays in Honor of J. E. R. Staddon (pp. 51-85). MIT Press: Cambridge, MA. (Faculty advisor: Dr. Reid)
Pittman, D. W., Crawley, M. E., Corbin, C. H. & Smith, K. R. (2007). Chorda tympani nerve transection impairs the gustatory detection of free fatty acids in male and female rats. Brain Research, 1151, 74-83. (Faculty advisor: Dr. Pittman)
Bachá-Méndez, G., Reid, A. K., & Mendoza-Soylovna, A. (2007). Resurgence of integrated behavioral units. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 87, 5-24. (Faculty advisor: Dr. Reid)
Bachá-Méndez, G., & Reid, A. K. (2006). Acquisition of simple response patterns. Mexican Journal of Behavior Analysis, 32, 155-177. (Faculty advisor: Dr. Reid)
Pittman, D. W., Labban, C. E., Anderson, A. A., & O'Connor, H. E. (2006). Linoleic and oleic acids alter the licking responses to sweet, salt, sour, and bitter tastants in rats. Chemical Senses, 31, 835-843. (Faculty advisor: Dr. Pittman)
McCormack, D. N., Clyburn, V. L., & Pittman, D. W. (2006). Detection of free fatty acids following a conditioned taste aversion in rats. Physiology & Behavior, 87, 582-594. (Faculty advisor: Dr. Pittman)
Reid, R. A., & Reid, A. K. (2005). Route finding by rats in an open arena. Behavioural Processes, 68, 51-67. (Faculty advisor: Dr. Reid)
GABAergic Influences Increase Ingestion across All Taste Categories. [Fall 2008]Students: Mazi Alimohamed, Brittney Getz, Molly McGinnis, Elizabeth Miller, Lindsey Richardson, & Amanda Ruscin
Research Mentor: Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
The Potential Effectiveness of UBP 302 as a Kainite Receptor Antagonist in Suppressing ATPA- Elicited Feeding in the Lateral Hypothalamus. [Fall 2008]Students: Jamie Nichols, Ashley Carr, & Cameron Simmons
Research Mentor: Dr. Stacey Hettes, Associate Professor of Biology
Sequential Dependencies Produced When Learning Response Sequences. [Fall 2008]Students: Jenny Amsden, Kelley Crawford, Tom Glazebrook, & Chelsea Nill
Research Mentor: Dr. Reid, Professor of Psychology
Sound Production in a Parasitoid Wasp. [Fall 2008]Student: Samantha Hall
Research Mentor: Dr. John Moeller, Associate Professor of Biology
Influence of a high-fat diet on the detection threshold for avoiding linoleic acid following a conditioned taste aversion in obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rat strains. [Spring 2008]Students: Tia Anders, Covington Avent, Christina Jackson, Phillip Neill, Chelsea Nill, Cameron Simmons, & David Trant
Research Mentor: Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
Characterization of the afferent gustatory responsiveness of the chorda tympani nerve to tastants with and without linoleic acid in obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rat strains. [Spring 2008]Student: Kimberly Smith
Research Mentor: Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
The role of discriminative stimuli and motivation level in a three response sequence. [Spring 2008]Students: Kara Bennewitz, Tye Tindal, & Wendelyn West
Research Mentor: Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology
Chowing down: Do rats eat less when they eat slower? [Spring 2008]Students: Elise Boos, Prashant Patel, and Margaret Strom
Research Mentor: Dr. G.R. Davis, Professor of Biology
Effects of benzodiazepines on short- and long-term feeding patterns: A role for GABAergic processing of taste information. [Fall 2007]Students: Hannah Dinnen and Ivy Farr
Research Mentor: Dr. David Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
The role of glutamate receptor activation within the hypothalamus in the stimulation of feeding behavior. [Fall 2007] Students: Kalee Clausen, Mary Wheeler, Daniel West, and Josh Smith
Research Mentor: Dr. Stacey Hettes, Associate Professor of Biology
Deciphering the magic number 7: The effect of focus switching on working memory capacity. [Fall 2007]Students: Crystal Burnette and Leigh Anne Campbell
Research Mentor: Dr. Kara Bopp, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Anti-Anxiety Drugs Increase Sweet Taste in Obese-prone & Obese-resistant Female Rats. [Spring 2007]Students: Timothy Bradford, McCown Bridges, Kelley Crawford, Laura Depko, Lynne Sparrow, and Amanda Ruscin
Research Mentor: Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
The Effects of Extrinsic Reward on Intrinsic Motivation. [Spring 2007]Student: Leandra Parris
Research Mentor: Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology
A Successive Approximations Approach to Producing Complex Phonemes. [Spring 2007]Students: Rachel Hyatt, Mary Catherine McClain, Megan Propst, and Kelsey Roth
Research Mentor: Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology
Does daily limited access to a highly palatable food induce binge eating in rats? [Spring 2007]Presented by: Pres Garrett, Katie Isbell, and Robynn Mackechnie on behalf of BIO250
Research Mentor: Dr. G.R. Davis, Professor of Biology
Working memory and Aging: Examination of item similarity effect. [Fall 2006]Students: Ashley Clary and Ashley Zais
Research Mentor: Dr. Kara Bopp, Assistant Professor of Psychology
A Behavioral Analysis of Lateral Hypothalamic Regulated Feeding: A Syringe Full of Medicine Helps the Milk Mash Go Down. [Fall 2006]Students: Phillip Hutchinson, Laura Smith, and Michael Greene
Research Mentor: Dr. Stacey Hettes, Assistant Professor of Biology
Differences in Taste Sensitivity to Linoleic Acid between Male & Female Rats. [Fall 2006]Students: Cameron Corbin, Rebecca Dover, Brittany Lewis, and Kimberly Smith
Research Mentor: Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
Effects of Palatability on Food, Caloric, and Macronutrient Intake in a Three-Course Meal. [Spring 2006]Students: Tim Beckner, Michelle Bertling, Jai-Sheena Garnett, Allison Thomas, and Kim Trimble
Research Mentor: Dr. G.R. Davis, Professor of Biology
The Effects of Supplemental Stimuli within Response Sequences. [Spring 2006]Student: Kim Collins
Research Mentor: Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology
Stimulus Value in Higher Order Sign Tracking. [Spring 2006]Students: Lauren Bayne, Mo Roberts, Becky Sasso
Research Mentor: Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology
Overeating Induced by Injection of the Glutamate Receptor Antagonist, CNQX, within the Nucleus Accumbens of Satiated Rats. [Spring 2006]Students: Amelia Keaton and Tyler Stinnett
Research Mentor: Dr. Stacey Hettes, Assistant Professor of Biology & Dr. G.R. Davis, Professor of Biology
A Role for Taste in the Detection of Free Fatty Acids. [Fall 2005]Students: Ashley Adamson, Mallory Bramlett, Sarah Evans, Lauren Gasque, and Ryn Lister
Research Mentor: Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
Does Nucleus Accumbens Activation Regulate Overeating? A Sensory Specific Satiety Study. [Fall 2005]Students: Mallori McAllister, Nicole Graver, and Elizabeth Norman
Research Mentor: Dr. Stacey Hettes, Assistant Professor of Biology
The Role of Discriminative Stimuli in Response Sequences. [Spring 2005]Students: Erin Higgenbotham, Caroline Labban, Meghan Lijewski, Kim Collins
Research Mentor: Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology
Duration of Stimulus Presentation affects Oleic Acid Detection in Rats. [Spring 2005]Students: Lauren Murchison (Leah Harris, Hayley O’Connor, Sara Shields, Jennifer Wallace)
Research Mentor: Dr. Dave Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
Stimulus Value in Higher Order Autoshaping. [Fall 2004]Students: Rachel Ashton, Lizzie Davis, Lindsay Barnard
Research Mentor: Dr. Alliston Reid, Professor of Psychology
The Effects of Simulated Microgravity on Sensory Specific Satiety in Rats Using the Hindlimb Unloading Model. [Fall 2004]Students: Elizabeth Gowan, Casey Skinner, and Tyler Stinnett
Research Mentor: Dr. G.R. Davis, Professor of Biology
Role of the Chorda Tympani Nerve in the Gustatory Detection of Free Fatty Acids. [Fall 2004]Students: Leah Harris, Lauren Murchison, Sara Shields, and Jennifer Wallace
Research Mentor: Dr. David Pittman, Associate Professor of Psychology
Mini-size Me! Suppressing a Rat's Urge to Overeat via Injection of Glutamate Receptor Antagonists into the Lateral Hypothalamus. [Fall 2004]Students: Jaya Abraham, Katie Laser, and Kelly Moxley
Research Mentor: Dr. Stacey Hettes, Assistant Professor of Biology