Russell Dougherty

My research focuses on identifying the neural mechanisms of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease and developing novel systems for tracking animal behavior using machine-learning. I am interested in applying frameworks and analysis methods from the fields of animal learning theory, behavioral neuroscience, and artificial intelligence to gain a deeper understanding of the processes underlying impairments in time perception and memory.

Research Interests:

• Understanding the neural computations underlying time perception and how these processes are disrupted in Alzheimer’s Disease.
• Developing novel technology for automated tracking and segmenting behavior of freely moving animals using thermal imaging and deep-learning techniques.
• Integrating neuroscience methods such as in vivo electrophysiology with machine-learning tools for tracking behavior and computational modeling of decision-making.   

Selected Publications:

• Dougherty, R., Thrailkill, E. A., Horn, S. V., Kussad, A., & Toufexis, D. J. (2025). Female rats retain goal-directed planning of action sequences after acute stress despite changes in planning structure and action sequence execution. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 220, 108063. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2025.108063
• Dougherty, R., Thrailkill, E. A., Mohammed, Z., VonDoepp, S., Hilton-Vanosdall, E., Charette, S., Van Horn, S., Quirk, A., Kraus, A., & Toufexis, D. J. (2024). Acute stress facilitates habitual behavior in female rats. Physiology & Behavior, 275, 114456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114456
• VonDoepp, S., Mohammed, Z., Dougherty, R., Hilton-Vanosdall, E., Charette, S., Kraus, A., Van Horn, S., Quirk, A., & Toufexis, D. (2024). Levonorgestrel maintains goal-directed behavior in habit-trained intact female rats. Hormones and Behavior, 158, 105468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105468  

Selected Presentations:

• Embodied Timekeeping: Stereotyped Movements Improve Interval Timing in a Rat Model of Alzheimer’s Disease in Healthy Rats - University of Arizona Psychology Graduate Student Data Blitz (2025)

Courses Taught:

TA for:

• PSY 313 - Drugs and the Brain (2025)

*Year listed indicates when this individual last taught the specified course.

Updated: 12/17/25