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Öğe Current directions in laboratory experiments in the social sciences(IGI Global, 2024) Ünal, BengiSocial scientific disciplines such as psychology, sociology, political science, and economics have been rampantly utilizing experimental designs in the last decades. However, the pace of adoption of experimental methods followed historically different trends in these disciplines. This chapter discusses the strength of experimentation in social sciences in drawing cause and effect relationships between studied phenomena and highlights ethical issues that deserve detailed consideration while getting ready for experimental studies. The chapter particularly focuses on laboratory experiments and discusses recent examples of laboratory experiments in these disciplines.Öğe Investigations of motor performance with neuromodulation and exoskeleton using leader-follower modality: a tDCS study(Springer, 2024) Okasha, Amr; Sengezer, Saba; Kılınç, Hasan; Pourreza, Elmira; Fincan, Ceren; Yılmaz, Tunahan; Boran, Hürrem E.; Çağrı, Ünal; Ünal, BengiThis study investigates how the combination of robot-mediated haptic interaction and cerebellar neuromodulation can improve task performance and promote motor skill development in healthy individuals using a robotic exoskeleton worn on the index finger. The authors propose a leader-follower type of mirror game where participants can follow a leader in a two-dimensional virtual reality environment while the exoskeleton tracks the index finger motion using an admittance filter. The game requires two primary learning phases: the initial phase focuses on mastering the pinching interface, while the second phase centers on predicting the leader's movements. Cerebral transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with anodal polarity is applied to the subjects during the game. It is shown that the subjects' performance improves as they play the game. The combination of tDCS with finger exoskeleton significantly enhances task performance. Our research indicates that modulation of the cerebellum during the mirror game improves the motor skills of healthy individuals. The results also indicate potential uses for motor neurorehabilitation in hemiplegia patients.Öğe Neuroanatomical Correlates of Memory Strategies in Rats(Wiley, 2025) Balcı, Aysu; Cankurtaran, Buse Pınar; Akyel, Aybüke; Arıkan, Kutluk Bilge; Ünal, Bengi; Ünal, Çağrı TemuçinNavigation incorporates a continuum of strategies, where the allocentric strategy relies on relationships between environmental landmarks resulting in a cognitive map, and the egocentric strategy revolves around the body position and stimulus response chains with the body as a reference. Although multiple brain regions contribute to navigation, the hippocampus dominates allocentric navigation, whereas the striatum is key for egocentric navigation. Neuromodulators, such as dopamine and acetylcholine, regulate both the hippocampus and striatum to influence behavior, yet their influence on navigational strategy has not been determined. Interindividual differences in strategy preference are known to exist. Building on these pre-existing interindividual differences, this study explored the neuroanatomical underpinnings on navigational strategy variations in rats through a dual-solution T-maze and immunocytochemistry. Surprisingly, interindividual variations eluded explanation through the density of cholinergic neurons supplying acetylcholine to the hippocampus and striatum. Similarly, the soma morphologies of these neurons exhibited no discernible differences. Dopaminergic cell densities in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), projecting to the hippocampus, and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), projecting to the striatum, failed to account for individual variations as well. Nevertheless, allocentric rats displayed higher VTA/SNpc dopamine neuron fusiformity indexes, potentially contributing to computational distinctions underlying interindividual variations in navigation strategies. This study delves into potential explanations and charts promising avenues for future research. A graphical abstract summarizing the main findings of this study is provided.Öğe The link between learning performance, immobility in the forced swim test, and hippocampal glia(2022) Özcan, Tuba; Sara, Yildirim; Arıkan, Kutluk Bilge; Ünal, Bengi; Ünal, Çağrı TemuçinAim: To obtain maximal translational insights from animal models of depression, we need to know the\rmeaning of behavioral parameters of animal models. The extent of construct and face validities of behavioral\rdespair in the form of behavioral immobility in forced swim test (FST) is disputed. In this study, learning\rperformance in a dual solution T-Maze and immobility on the 2nd day of FST was compared to shed light on\rthis debate. Furthermore, we aimed to inspect the relationship between hippocampal glial densities and\rbehaviors observed.\rMethod: Twelve adult male Sprague Dawley rats were tested in the dual-solution T-Maze and in FST.\rSubsequently, hippocampal slices were obtained, astrocyte and microglia cells were stained, and the densities\rwere calculated for each subject.\rResults: The rats utilized different learning strategies to solve the T-Maze. But irrespective of strategy, the\rrats that exhibited an overall efficiency in their learning performance, remained immobile for longer durations\ron the 2nd day of the FST. No significant relationship was detected between hippocampal microglia and\rbehavioral indices in T-Maze and FST. However, we detected a significant positive correlation with CA1\rastrocyte density and T-Maze learning and dentate gyrus CA1 astrocyte density and headshake behavior in\rFST.\rConclusions: The subjects showing a better cognitive performance in the T-Maze were immobile longer in\rthe FST. This observation raises doubts about immobility as depression index and posits that it might reflect\rbetter learning. Our results also suggest that hippocampal glia cell types are differentially involved in cognition\rand affect.
