Experimental Neurobehavioral Study

An experimental neurobehavioral study is a type of scientific investigation that explores how the brain influences behavior through controlled manipulation of variables. These studies are central to behavioral neuroscience and are used to establish causal links between neural processes and behavioral outcomes.

• Design: Involves experimental manipulation (e.g., pharmacological, electrical, or behavioral interventions) with one or more independent variables and observation of their effects on dependent behavioral or neurological variables.
• Subjects: Typically conducted on human participants or animal models (e.g., rodents, non-human primates).
• Methods:
  • Neuroimaging (e.g., fMRI, PET)
  • Electrophysiology (e.g., EEG, MEG)
  • Brain stimulation (e.g., TMS, DBS)
  • Pharmacological manipulation
  • Lesion studies or optogenetics (in animal models)
• Behavioral assessments: Memory tasks, reaction time, decision-making, emotional response, motor activity, etc.

To investigate:

• The neural basis of cognitive and emotional processes
• The effects of brain lesions or stimulation on behavior
• The impact of drugs or environmental variables on brain-behavior relationships
• Neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes

• Testing how stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex affects working memory.
• Evaluating the impact of dopamine agonists on impulsivity in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
• Investigating how early life stress modifies fear conditioning in rodents.
• Studying the effects of sleep deprivation on prefrontal cortex activity during decision-making tasks.

• Neuropsychiatric research (e.g., depression, schizophrenia, addiction)
• Cognitive enhancement strategies
• Brain injury rehabilitation
• Drug development and psychopharmacology

• behavioral neuroscience
• cognitive neuroscience
• experimental psychology
• animal models in neuroscience
• functional neuroimaging
• electrophysiology