Wild Minds Talk: The Social Lives of Prairie Voles

Admission: $12.00 (Free with museum admission)

Prairie voles are known as pest animals, but their biology is quite unusual for mammals because they are known for their social monogamy which includes the formation of life-long bonds. For this reason, these animals are invaluable for studies trying to understand mechanisms of social behaviors.

In particular, Andrey E. Ryabinin, Ph.D. (Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University) is the first to use these animals for studies on mechanisms of social aspects of alcoholism. Much research has been done on physiological aspects of alcoholism, but there have been very few mechanistic studies on its social aspects. His work with prairie voles is providing a first glimpse into complex and sometimes unexpected interactions between social behaviors and alcohol abuse.

For more information, visit http://www.omsi.edu.