Day, Lainy

Research Interests
My interest are fairly broad but are centered on understanding the evolution, function, and neuroendocrinology of brain regions involved in spatial and motor learning, principally the hippocampus and cerebellum  Currently, I am involved in three projects that revolve around steroid induced neuroplasticity in the avian cerebellum.  Click on project titles below for a full description.  I maintain an interest in non-avian vertebrate models as well.  I welcome inquiries from potential graduate students and dedicated undergraduates that have an interest in my research or related projects in behavioral neuroscience.

For further information on joining the Day lab follow this link.

 

Current Projects

Recovery of Function and Neurogenesis after Cerebellar Damage in Zebra Finch

Brain Adaptations Related To Complex Mating Displays in Manakins

The Effects of Natural Products on Motor and Cognitive Function: Do derivatives have estrogenic, stimulant, cannabinoid, or depressant like actions?

Education:
BA, New College of Florida, Evolutionary Psychology (1992)
MA, University of Texas, Austin, Cognition and Perception (1994)
PhD. University of Texas, Austin, Behavioral Neuroscience (1999)
Postdoctoral Fellow, UC Santa Barbara, Dept. of Ecol., Evol. and Marine Biol. (2004)
Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLA, Dept. of Physiological Sciences (2006)

 

Full Curriculum Vitae

 

Selected Publications (Where available, click link)

Day LB, Fusani L, Kim C*, Schilinger BE 2011. Sexually dimorphic neural phenotypes in golden-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus). Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 77(3), 77-90.

Feng N*, Katz A, Day LB, Schlinger BA. Limb Muscles are androgen targets in an acrobatic tropical bird. Endocrinology, 151(3), 1042-1049.

Spence RD*, Zhen Y*, White S, Schlinger BA & Day LB 2009. Recovery of motor and cognitive function after cerebellar lesions in a songbird role of estrogens. European Journal of Neuroscience, 29, 1225-1234.

Schlinger BA, Day LB, & Fusani L. 2008. Natural history, behavior and neuroendocrinology of a tropical bird. General and Comparative Endocrinology. 157(3), 254-258.

Day LB, Guerra M*, Schlinger BA, Rothstein SI 2008. Sex differences in the effects of captivity on hippocampus size in brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater obscurus). Behavioral Neuroscience, 122(3), 527-534.

Day LB, Westcott DA & Olster DH 2005. Evolution of bower complexity and cerebellum size in bowerbirds. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 66, 62-72.

Day LB 2003. The importance of hippocampal-dependent non-spatial tasks in analyses of homology and homoplasy. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, 62, 96-107.