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Robert E. Johnston

Professor

  • 278E Uris Hall
  • Cornell University
  • Ithaca NY 14853-7601
    Office Hours:
    T 4:20-5:00; F 1:00 - 2:00

Interests

Research interests: Animal behavior and mechanisms of social behavior; olfactory communication, especially in mammals; social recognition and memory (kin recognition, individual recognition, and recognition of sex, species and social status); sense of smell and the neural and hormonal mechanisms of behavior; central nervous system mechanisms of social recognition and memory; scent marking and especially scent over-marking as a sexually selected trait; field studies of social communication and social organization (presently on ground squirrels); cognitive approaches to social behavior in animals

Teaching interests: My largest undergraduate course is called The Evolution of Human Behavior, and includes sections on human evolution and evolutionary theory, comparative cognition, evolutionary psychology, and some cultural anthropology. The focus of the course is to put humans in the context of evolution and the evolution of behavior in general, especially (but not exclusively) as shown by findings in vertebrates, especially other primates when possible.

I also teach a course in Olfaction, Pheromones and Behavior which covers a wide array of topics, including behavioral studies of olfactory communication in invertebrates and vertebrates (including humans), the nature of odor signals (pheromones and other types of signals), the molecular biology of olfaction, the olfactory and vomeronasal systems and their functions, etc.

Graduate seminars: always changing, but recently have included ones on the olfactory system, olfactory communication, and social recognition and memory. I also periodically organize a biopsychology discussion group with a different theme each time (new techniques, hot new research findings or areas, etc.)

Now recruiting graduate students for IMAGINE, the Ithaca-Manhattan Graduate Initiative in Neuroscience. This NIH-funded training program is jointly sponsored by Cornell University and Weill Cornell Medical College.

Behavioral & Evolutionary Neuroscience
Perception, Cognition & Development

Selected Publications

  • Johnston, R.E. 1993. Memory for individual scent in hamsters as assessed by habituation methods. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 107, 201-207.

  • Johnston, R.E., Derzie, A., Chiang, G., Jernigan, P. & Lee, H-C. 1993. Individual scent signatures in golden hamsters: evidence for specialization of function. Animal Behaviour, 45, 1061-1070.

  • Johnston, R.E. & Robinson, T. 1993. Cross-species discrimination of individual odors by hamsters. Ethology, 94, 317-325.

  • Reasner, D.S., Johnston, R.E. & DeVoogd, T. 1993. Alteration of the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) in young female Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus campbelli) exposed to adult males. Behavioral and Neural Biology, 60, 251-258.

  • Ferkin, M.H. & Johnston, R.E. 1993. Roles of gonadal hormones in control of 5 sexually attractive odors of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Hormones and Behavior, 27, 523-538.

  • Pfeiffer, C.A.. & Johnston, R.E. 1994. Hormonal and behavioral responses of male hamsters to females and female odors: roles of olfaction, vomeronasal system and sexual experience. Physiology and Behavior, 55, 129-138.

  • Johnston, R.E. & Jernigan, P. 1994. Golden hamsters recognize individuals, not just individual scents. Animal Behaviour, 48, 129-136.

  • Johnston, R.E., Chiang, G. & Tung, C. 1994. The information in scent over-marks of golden hamsters. Animal Behaviour, 48, 323-330.

  • Ferkin, M.H., Sorokin, E.S., Renfroe, M.W., & Johnston, R.E. 1994. Attractiveness of male odors to females varies directly with plasma testosterone concentration in meadow voles. Physiology and Behavior, 55, 347-353.

  • Lai, S-C. & Johnston, R.E. 1994. The repertoire of individual odors in Djungarian hamsters, Phodopus campbelli. Ethology, 96, 117-126.

  • Ferkin, M.H. & Johnston, R.E. 1995. Meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) use multiple sources of scent for sex recognition. Animal Behaviour, 39, 37-44.

  • Petrulis, A. & Johnston, R.E. 1995. A re-evaluation of dimethyl disulfide as a sexual attractant in golden hamsters. Physiology and Behaviour, 57, 779-784.

  • Johnston, R.E., Munver, R. & Tung, C. 1995. Scent counter marks: selective memory for the top scent by golden hamsters. Animal Behaviour, 49, 1435-1442.

  • Ferkin, M.H. & Johnston, R.E. 1995. Effects of pregnancy, lactation, and postpartum estrous on odour signals and the attraction to odours in female meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus. Animal Behaviour, 49, 1211-1217.

  • Petrulis, A. & Johnston, R.E. 1995. Odor modulation of female hamster scent marking. In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 7, Ed. by R. Apfelbach, D. Müller-Schwarze, K. Reutter & E. Weiler. (Elsevier, Oxford), pp 353-360.

  • Johnston, R.E. 1995. Responses to individual signatures in scent counter-marks: a striking new phenomenon. In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates 7, Ed. by R. Apfelbach, D. Müller-Schwarze, K. Reutter & E. Weiler. (Elsevier, Oxford), pp 361-369.

  • Ferkin, M.H., Sorokin, E.S., & Johnston, R.E. 1995. Seasonal changes in scents and responses to them in meadow voles: evidence for the co-evolution of signals and response mechanisms. Ethology, 100, 89-98.

  • Wilcox, R.M. & Johnston, R.E. 1995. Scent counter-marks: Strategic perception and response mechanisms to individual odors by golden hamsters. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 109, 349-356.

  • Innes, K.E. & Johnston, R.E. 1995. Cooperative breeding in the white- throated magpie jay. I. How do auxiliaries influence nesting success? Animal Behaviour, 51, 801-810.

  • Ferkin, M.H., Sorokin, E.S. & Johnston, R.E. 1996. Self-grooming as a sexually dimorphic communicative behavior in meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus. Animal Behavior, 51, 801-810.

  • Lai, S-C., Vasilieva, N.Yu., & Johnston, R.E. 1996. Odors providing sexual information in Djungarian hamsters: evidence for an across-odor code. Hormones and Behavior, 30, 26-36.

  • Petrulis, A. & Johnston, R.E. 1997. Causes of scent marking in female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus): specific signals or classes of information? Journal of Comparative Psychology, 111, 25-36.

  • Ferkin, M.H. Sorokin, E.S. & Johnston, R.E. 1997. Effect of prolactin on the attractiveness of male odors to females in meadow voles: independent and additive effects with testosterone. Hormones and Behavior, 31, 55-63.

  • Ferkin, M.H., Sorokin, E.S., Johnston, R.E. & Lee, C.J. 1997. Attractiveness of scents varies with protein content of the diet in meadow voles. Animal Behavior, 53, 133-141.

  • Johnston, R.E., Sorokin, E.S., & Ferkin, M.H. 1997a. Scent counter-marking by male meadow voles: females prefer the top-scent male. Ethology, 103, 443-453.

  • Johnston, R.E., Sorokin, E.S., & Ferkin, M.H. 1997b. Scent counter-marking: female meadow voles discriminate individual male's marks and prefer top-scent males. Animal Behaviour, 54, 679-690.

  • Todrank, J., Heth, G. & Johnston, R.E. 1998. Kin recognition in golden hamsters: evidence for kinship odours. Animal Behaviour, 55, 377-386.

  • Heth, G., Todrank, J. & Johnston, R.E. 1998. Kin recognition in hamsters: evidence for phenotype matching. Animal Behaviour, 56, 409-417.

  • Petrulis, A., DeSouza, I., Schiller, M. & Johnston, R.E. 1998. The role of frontal cortex in social odor discrimination and scent-marking in female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Behavioral Neuroscience, 112, 199-212.

  • Johnston, R.E. & Bhorade, A. 1998. Perception of scent over-marks: novel mechanisms for determining which individual's mark is on top. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 112, 230-243.

  • Johnston, R.E. 1998. Pheromones, the vomeronasal system, and communication: from hormonal responses to individual recognition. Olfaction and Taste XII, An International Symposium. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 855, 333-348.

  • Johnston, R.E. 1999. Scent over-marking: How do hamsters know whose scent is on top and why should it matter? In: Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates, Ed. by R.E. Johnston, D. Müller-Schwarze & P.W. Sorensen. (Plenum Press, New York), pp. 227-238.

  • Johnston, R.E., Müller-Schwarze, D., & Sorensen, P.W. 1999. Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates, Plenum Press, New York.

  • Petrulis, A., Peng, M., & Johnston, R.E. 1999. Lateral olfactory tract transections impair discrimination of individual odors, sex odor preferences, and scent marking in male golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates, Ed. by R.E. Johnston, D. Müller-Schwarze & P.W. Sorensen. (Plenum Press, New York), pp. 549-561.

  • Todrank, J., Heth, G., & Johnston, R.E. 1999. Kin and individual recognition: odor signals, social experience and mechanisms of recognition. In: Advances in Chemical Signals in Vertebrates, Ed. by R.E. Johnston, D. Müller-Schwarze & P.W. Sorensen. (Plenum Press, New York), pp. 289-297.

  • Petrulis, A., Peng, M., & Johnston, R.E. 1999. Effects of vomeronasal organ removal on individual odor discrimination, sex-odor preference, and scent marking by female hamsters. Physiology and Behavior, 66, 73-83.

  • Ferkin, M.H., Dunsavage, J., & Johnston, R.E. 1999. What kind of information do meadow voles, Microtus pennsylvanicus, use to distinguish between the top and bottom scent of an over-mark? Journal of Comparative Psychology, 113, 43-51.

  • Petrulis, A., Peng, M., & Johnston, R.E. 1999. Lesions centered on the medial amygdala impair scent-marking and sex odor recognition but spare discrimination of individual odors in female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Behavioral Neuroscience, 113, 345-357.

  • Heth, G., Todrank, J., & Johnston, R.E. 1999. Similarity in qualities of individual odors among kin and species in Turkish (Mesocricetus brandti) and golden (Mesocricetus auratus) hamsters. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 113, 321-326.

  • Todrank, J., Heth, G., & Johnston, R.E. 1999. Social interaction is necessary for discrimination and memory for odours of close relatives in golden hamsters. Ethology, 105, 771-782.

  • Mateo, J.M. & Johnston, R.E. 2000. Retention of social recognition after hibernation in Belding's ground squirrels. Animal Behavior, 59, 491-499.

  • Johnston, R.E. 2000. Chemical communication and pheromones: The types of chemical signals and the role of the vomeronasal system. In The Neurobiology of Taste and Smell, 2nd edition. Ed. by T.E. Finger, W.L. Silver & D. Restrepo. Wiley, NY, pp. 99-123.

  • Mateo, J.M. & Johnston, R.E. 2000. Kin recognition and the 'armpit effect': Evidence of self-referent phenotype matching. Proc. Royal Soc. London, 267, 695-700.

  • Petrulis, A., Peng, M., & Johnston, R.E. 2000. The role of the hippocampal system in social odor discrimination and scent-marking in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Behav. Neuroscience, 114, 184-195

  • Vasilieva, N.Yu., Lai, S-C., Petrova, E.V., & Johnston, R.E. 2000. Development of species preferences in hamsters (Phodopus sp.). Ethology, in press.

  • Johnston, R.E. & Peng, M. 2000. The vomeronasal organ is involved in discrimination of individual odors by males but not by females in golden hamsters. Physiol. Behav., 70, in press.

  • Johnston, R.E. & Bullock, T. 2000. Individual recognition and the nature of individual representations in golden hamsters. Animal Behavior, in press.

  • Johnston, R.E. 2000. Neural mechanisms of communication: From pheromones to mosaic signals. In Chemical Signals in Vertebrates, Vol. 9. Ed. by A. Marchlewska-Koj, J.J. Lepri & D. Müller-Schwarze. Plenum, NY, in press.

  • Selected abstracts:
    Petrulis, A., deSouza & Johnston, R.E. 1995. Orbital cortex damage does not impair individual odor discrimination in golden hamsters. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 21, 455. (San Diego, Nov. 11-16).

  • Johnston, R.E. & Petrulis, A. 1996. Neural mechanisms of individual discrimination: roles of vomeronasal organ, orbital cortex, and medial and cortical amygdala. Chemical Senses, 21, 619-620.

  • Johnston, R. E., Bhorade, A. & Cohen, A. 1996. Perception of scent over-marks: how do hamsters determine which scent is on top? Chemical Senses, 21, 619.

  • Petrulis, A., Schiller, M, Peng, M., & Johnston, R.E. 1996. The role of the cortico medial amygdala in hamster social odor recognition. Society for Neuroscience Abstracts, 22, 1416. (Washington, D.C., Nov. 16-21).

  • Johnston, R.E. 1997. Pheromones, the vomeronasal system, and communication: from hormonal responses to individual recognition. Chemical Senses, 22, 711.

  • Petrulis, A., Peng, M., & Johnston, R.E. 1998. The role of the hippocampal system in social odor recognition in female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Society for Neuroscience, 24, 1905.

  • Johnston, R.E. 1999. Odours, scent over-marking and mate preferences. ACIAR Technical Reports 45: Rodent biology and management. Ed. by Zhang, Z-b., Hinds, L., Singleton, G., & Wang, Z-W. Australian Center for International Agricultural Research, Canberra.

  • Johnston, R.E. & Petrulis, A. 1999. Neural substrates for sex and individual recognition by odors in female golden hamsters. Chemical Senses, 24, 567.

  • Johnston, R.E., Todrank, J., Heth, G., & Mateo, J. 1999. Individual and kin recognition by odours: New approaches and findings. Advances in Ethology 34: Supplements to Ethology, 64.

  • Mayeaux, D.J. & Johnston, R.E. 1999. The role of lateral entorhinal cortex in discrimination of individuals and sex in female golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Society for Neuroscience, 25, 346.

  • Agrawal, P., Mayeaux, D.J., Johnston, R.E., & Adkins-Regan, E. 2000. Combined lesions of basolateral and central amygdala eliminate avoidance of opponent after social defeat in male hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Society for Neuroscience, 30.

  • Johnston, R.E. 2000. Vomeronasal organ of golden hamsters is involved in discrimination of individual odors by males but not by females. Society for Neuroscience, 30.

  • Mayeaux, D.J., Johnston, R.E., & Clancy, B. 2000. Is lateral entorhinal area essential for discrimination of individual odors? Society for Neuroscience, 30.

Links

updated on Wednesday, Sep 23 2009 @ 3:25pm