Behavioral Indexing of Neuroscience Data

A new approach to neuroscience databases, behavioral indexing, is presented, along with a systematic, comprehensive framework for implementing it. Every neuroscience experiment gathers data on the entire subject, not only the brain, and the brain is the behavioral, not only cognitive, organ in humans. All neuroscience data is therefore correlational: data on the neurobiology when the subject is engaging in behavior X. Behavior is a multi-faceted phenomenon that can be formally parameterized. Using the various facets of behavior as formal parameters, we define the dimensions of a space that covers the range of behaviors; specifying values of the behaviors subjects are engaging in while neuroscience data is gathered identifies the location of the data in behavior space. Having this index provides precise specification of the independent variables of the experiment, necessary information for sharing of data and comparison of results, and guides the development of theory, experiment, and interpretation of findings. The example of drug-induced compulsive sexual behavior is used to illustrate the concept and its use.