Marialba Ventricelli
Papers
1
Total Citations
38
H-Index
1
About
Marialba Ventricelli is a comparative neuroscientist whose research bridges the behavioral and neural foundations of decision-making across species. Her most cited work, "Nonhuman gamblers: lessons from rodents, primates, and robots" (2014, 38 citations), offers a pioneering synthesis of how pathological gambling in humans can be illuminated by studying analogous behaviors in nonhuman agents. By systematically reviewing studies in rodents, non-human primates, and even robotic systems, Ventricelli argues that the psychological and neural underpinnings of risky choice are not uniquely human, opening new avenues for translational research. This comparative approach has been influential in shaping how the field understands addiction and maladaptive reward-seeking, providing a framework for identifying conserved mechanisms that could be targeted therapeutically. Ventricelli’s work stands out for its interdisciplinary breadth, integrating ethology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence to challenge anthropocentric models of cognition. Her contributions have helped establish a more unified view of decision-making, demonstrating that the roots of human vulnerability to gambling can be traced across the animal kingdom.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Nonhuman gamblers: lessons from rodents, primates, and robots38 citations · 2014