Visual attention and cognitive performance in sheep

Cognitive probes are increasingly being used as an inferred measure of the emotional (and thus welfare) status of the animal. This reflects the bidirectional and interactive nature of emotional and cognitive systems. To date, cognitive paradigms have focused on how the emotional system biases expected outcome of prospective actions within goal-orientated scenarios. Evidence, however, suggests that negative affective state can also modulate attentional mechanisms. Measuring attention alongside other current tests of cognitive bias may provide greater resolution in the measurement of animal welfare. As a starting point for developing cognitive tasks of attentional control, we decided to assess the basic relationship between visual attention and cognitive performance in a farm animal species (sheep). Variation in visual attention and cognitive performance was sought through testing of four different breeds of upland and lowland sheep (Beulah, Bluefaced Leicester, Texel and Suffolk; n = 15/breed) on a visual attention task and a two-choice visual discrimination task (to measure cognitive performance). Cognitive performance and visual attention differed significantly between breeds (F 3,46 = 4.70, p = 0.006 and F3,5o = 6.05, p < 0.001 respectively). The least visually attentive breed of sheep (Blue face Leicester) had the lowest level of cognitive performance and the most visually attentive breed (Suffolk) had the highest level of cognitive performance. A weak but significant relationship between vigilance/fearfulness and visual attention was also observed (t44 = 3.91, p = < 0.001; r2 = 0.23) that appeared to adhere to the Yerkes-Dodson law, with both high and low levels of vigilance/fearfulness having a negative effect on visual attention. These results demonstrate a discernible relationship between visual attention and cognitive performance that provides a basis for further exploring attention systems in the context of changes in animal affective state and thus animal welfare.CHDI Inc

Automatic motor activation in the executive control of action

Although executive control and automatic behavior have often been considered separate and distinct processes, there is strong emerging and convergent evidence that they may in fact be intricately interlinked. In this review, we draw together evidence showing that visual stimuli cause automatic and unconscious motor activation, and how this in turn has implications for executive control. We discuss object affordances, alien limb syndrome, the visual grasp reflex, subliminal priming, and subliminal triggering of attentional orienting. Consideration of these findings suggests automatic motor activation might form an intrinsic part of all behavior, rather than being categorically different from voluntary actions

Building Capacity for Sustainability through Curricular and Faculty Development: A Learning Outcomes Approach

Portland State University has made integration of sustainability across its academic programs an institutional priority. This article describes the strategies that have been used to engage faculty in developing sustainability curricula, including adopting sustainability as one of eight campus-wide learning outcomes, incorporating sustainability into the general education program, providing faculty development, and developing a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability. The article shares lessons learned and next steps planned to advance Portland State\u27s sustainability curricula

Characterization of microtubule-associated protein tau isoforms and Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology in normal sheep (Ovis aries):Relevance to their potential as a model of Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that accounts for up to 80% of all dementias. Characterised by deteriorations of memory and cognitive function, the key neuropathological features are accumulations of β-amyloid and hyperphosphorylated tau, as ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’, respectively. Despite extensive study, however, the exact mechanism underlying aggregate formation in Alzheimer’s disease remains elusive, as does the contribution of these aggregates to disease progression. Importantly, a recent evaluation of current Alzheimer’s disease animal models suggested that rodent models are not able to fully recapitulate the pathological intricacies of the disease as it occurs in humans. Therefore, increasing attention is being paid to species that might make good alternatives to rodents for studying the molecular pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. The sheep (Ovis aries) is one such species, although to date, there have been few molecular studies relating to Alzheimer’s disease in sheep. Here, we investigated the Alzheimer’s disease relevant histopathological characteristics of 22 sheep, using anti-β-amyloid (Abcam 12267 and mOC64) and phosphorylation specific anti-tau (AT8 and S396) antibodies. We identified numerous intraneuronal aggregates of both β-amyloid and tau that are consistent with early Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology. We confirmed the expression of two 3-repeat (1N3R, 2N3R) and two 4-repeat (1N4R, 2N4R) tau isoforms in the ovine brain, which result from the alternative splicing of two tau exons. Finally, we investigated the phosphorylation status of the serine396 residue in 30 sheep, and report that the phosphorylation of this residue begins in sheep aged as young as 2 years. Together, these data show that sheep exhibit naturally occurring β-amyloid and tau pathologies, that reflect those that occur in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. This is an important step towards the validation of the sheep as a feasible large animal species in which to model Alzheimer’s disease. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00018-022-04572-z