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The Relationship between Psychological Stress and Emotional State in Chinese University Students during COVID-19: The Moderating Role of Physical Exercise. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11050695. [PMID: 36900700 PMCID: PMC10001233 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11050695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore the relationship between psychological stress and the emotional state of Chinese college students and the moderating effect of physical exercise. METHODS Students in a university in Jiangsu Province were randomly selected for the survey, and questionnaires were administered using the Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Profile of Mood States, and the Chinese College Student Psychological Stress Scale. A total of 715 questionnaires were distributed, and 494 valid questionnaires were returned. Among the students, there were 208 (42.1%) males and 286 (57.9%) females, with a mean age of 19.27 years (SD = 1.06). RESULTS We found a significant negative correlation between physical exercise and psychological stress (r = -0.637, p < 0.001); a significant negative correlation between physical exercise and emotional state (r = -0.032, p < 0.001); and a significant positive correlation between psychological stress and emotional state (r = 0.51, p < 0.001). Physical exercise negatively moderates the relationship between psychological stress and emotional state (B = -0.012, p < 0.01, ΔR2 = 0.007). CONCLUSION Physical exercise is negatively correlated with both emotional state and psychological stress. Physical exercise can reduce the influence of psychological stress on emotional state and promote emotional health.
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Mobility Coupled with Motivation Promotes Survival: The Evolution of Cognition as an Adaptive Strategy. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12010080. [PMID: 36671772 PMCID: PMC9855669 DOI: 10.3390/biology12010080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Morphine plays a critical regulatory role in both simple and complex plant species. Dopamine is a critical chemical intermediate in the morphine biosynthetic pathway and may have served as a primordial agonist in developing catecholamine signaling pathways. While dopamine remains the preeminent catecholamine in invertebrate neural systems, epinephrine is the major product of catecholamine synthetic pathways in vertebrate species. Given that the enzymatic steps leading to the generation of morphine are similar to those constraining the evolutionary adaptation of the biosynthesis of catecholamines, we hypothesize that the emergence of these more advanced signaling pathways was based on conservation and selective "retrofitting" of pre-existing enzyme activities. This is consistent with observations that support the recruitment of enzymatically synthesized tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), which is a cofactor for tyrosine hydroxylase, the enzyme responsible for dopamine production. BH4 is also an electron donor involved in the production of nitric oxide (NO). The links that coordinate BH4-mediated NO and catecholaminergic-mediated processes provide these systems with the capacity to regulate numerous downstream signaling pathways. We hypothesize that the evolution of catecholamine signaling pathways in animal species depends on the acquisition of a mobile lifestyle and motivationally driven feeding, sexual, and self-protective responses.
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Gilbert KM, Dureux A, Jafari A, Zanini A, Zeman P, Menon RS, Everling S. A radiofrequency coil to facilitate task-based fMRI of awake marmosets. J Neurosci Methods 2023; 383:109737. [PMID: 36341968 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2022.109737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The small common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is an ideal nonhuman primate for awake fMRI in ultra-high field small animal MRI scanners. However, it can often be challenging in task-based fMRI experiments to provide a robust stimulus within the MRI environment while using hardware (an RF coil and restraint system) that is compatible with awake imaging. NEW METHOD Here we present an RF coil and restraint system that permits unimpeded access to an awake marmoset's head subsequent to immobilization, thereby permitting the setup of peripheral devices and stimuli proximal to the head. RESULTS As an example application, an fMRI experiment probing whole-brain activation in response to marmoset vocalizations was conducted-this paradigm showed significant bilateral activation in the inferior colliculus, medial lateral geniculate nucleus, and auditory cortex. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) The coil performance was evaluated and compared to a previously published restraint system with integrated RF coil. The image and temporal SNR were improved by up to 58 % and 27 %, respectively, in the peripheral cortex and by 30 % and 3 % in the centre of the brain. The restraint-system topology limited head motion to less than 100 µm of translation and 0.30° of rotation when measured over a 15-minute acquisition. CONCLUSIONS The proposed hardware solution provides a versatile approach to awake-marmoset imaging and, as demonstrated, can facilitate task-based fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle M Gilbert
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Audrey Dureux
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Azadeh Jafari
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alessandro Zanini
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Zeman
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ravi S Menon
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Stefan Everling
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Gilbert KM, Cléry JC, Gati JS, Hori Y, Johnston KD, Mashkovtsev A, Selvanayagam J, Zeman P, Menon RS, Schaeffer DJ, Everling S. Simultaneous functional MRI of two awake marmosets. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6608. [PMID: 34785685 PMCID: PMC8595428 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26976-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Social cognition is a dynamic process that requires the perception and integration of a complex set of idiosyncratic features between interacting conspecifics. Here we present a method for simultaneously measuring the whole-brain activation of two socially interacting marmoset monkeys using functional magnetic resonance imaging. MRI hardware (a radiofrequency coil and peripheral devices) and image-processing pipelines were developed to assess brain responses to socialization, both on an intra-brain and inter-brain level. Notably, the brain activation of a marmoset when viewing a second marmoset in-person versus when viewing a pre-recorded video of the same marmoset-i.e., when either capable or incapable of socially interacting with a visible conspecific-demonstrates increased activation in the face-patch network. This method enables a wide range of possibilities for potentially studying social function and dysfunction in a non-human primate model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle M Gilbert
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.
| | - Justine C Cléry
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Joseph S Gati
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Yuki Hori
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kevin D Johnston
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Alexander Mashkovtsev
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Janahan Selvanayagam
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Zeman
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Ravi S Menon
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Medical Biophysics, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - David J Schaeffer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Stefan Everling
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Vassiliadis P, Derosiere G, Dubuc C, Lete A, Crevecoeur F, Hummel FC, Duque J. Reward boosts reinforcement-based motor learning. iScience 2021; 24:102821. [PMID: 34345810 PMCID: PMC8319366 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Besides relying heavily on sensory and reinforcement feedback, motor skill learning may also depend on the level of motivation experienced during training. Yet, how motivation by reward modulates motor learning remains unclear. In 90 healthy subjects, we investigated the net effect of motivation by reward on motor learning while controlling for the sensory and reinforcement feedback received by the participants. Reward improved motor skill learning beyond performance-based reinforcement feedback. Importantly, the beneficial effect of reward involved a specific potentiation of reinforcement-related adjustments in motor commands, which concerned primarily the most relevant motor component for task success and persisted on the following day in the absence of reward. We propose that the long-lasting effects of motivation on motor learning may entail a form of associative learning resulting from the repetitive pairing of the reinforcement feedback and reward during training, a mechanism that may be exploited in future rehabilitation protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Vassiliadis
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, 53, Avenue Mounier, Brussels 1200, Belgium
- Defitech Chair for Clinical Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics (CNP) and Brain Mind Institute (BMI), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Gerard Derosiere
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, 53, Avenue Mounier, Brussels 1200, Belgium
| | - Cecile Dubuc
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, 53, Avenue Mounier, Brussels 1200, Belgium
| | - Aegryan Lete
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, 53, Avenue Mounier, Brussels 1200, Belgium
| | - Frederic Crevecoeur
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, 53, Avenue Mounier, Brussels 1200, Belgium
- Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Electronics and Applied Mathematics, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve 1348, Belgium
| | - Friedhelm C. Hummel
- Defitech Chair for Clinical Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics (CNP) and Brain Mind Institute (BMI), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
- Defitech Chair for Clinical Neuroengineering, Center for Neuroprosthetics (CNP) and Brain Mind Institute (BMI), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Sion (EPFL), Sion 1951, Switzerland
- Clinical Neuroscience, University of Geneva Medical School (HUG), Geneva 1202, Switzerland
| | - Julie Duque
- Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, 53, Avenue Mounier, Brussels 1200, Belgium
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Schaeffer DJ, Liu C, Silva AC, Everling S. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Marmoset Monkeys. ILAR J 2021; 61:274-285. [PMID: 33631015 PMCID: PMC8918195 DOI: 10.1093/ilar/ilaa029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) for neuroscientific research has grown markedly in the last decade. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has played a significant role in establishing the extent of comparability of marmoset brain architecture with the human brain and brains of other preclinical species (eg, macaques and rodents). As a non-invasive technique, MRI allows for the flexible acquisition of the same sequences across different species in vivo, including imaging of whole-brain functional topologies not possible with more invasive techniques. Being one of the smallest New World primates, the marmoset may be an ideal nonhuman primate species to study with MRI. As primates, marmosets have an elaborated frontal cortex with features analogous to the human brain, while also having a small enough body size to fit into powerful small-bore MRI systems typically employed for rodent imaging; these systems offer superior signal strength and resolution. Further, marmosets have a rich behavioral repertoire uniquely paired with a lissencephalic cortex (like rodents). This smooth cortical surface lends itself well to MRI and also other invasive methodologies. With the advent of transgenic modification techniques, marmosets have gained significant traction as a powerful complement to canonical mammalian modelling species. Marmosets are poised to make major contributions to preclinical investigations of the pathophysiology of human brain disorders as well as more basic mechanistic explorations of the brain. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of the practical aspects of implementing MRI and fMRI in marmosets (both under anesthesia and fully awake) and discuss the development of resources recently made available for marmoset imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Schaeffer
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - CiRong Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Afonso C Silva
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Stefan Everling
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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Abstract
The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World primate, is receiving substantial attention in the neuroscience and biomedical science fields because its anatomical features, functional and behavioral characteristics, and reproductive features and its amenability to available genetic modification technologies make it an attractive experimental subject. In this review, I outline the progress of marmoset neuroscience research and summarize both the current status (opportunities and limitations) of and the future perspectives on the application of marmosets in neuroscience and disease modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; .,Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
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Nagano A. Rats' (Rattus norvegicus) tool manipulation ability exceeds simple patterned behavior. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0226569. [PMID: 31841554 PMCID: PMC6913977 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have attempted to shed light on the ability of non-human animals to understand physical causality by investigating their tool-use behavior. This study aimed to develop a tool-manipulation task for rodents in which the subjects could not manipulate the tool in the direction of the reward by simple patterned behavior. Eight rats had to use a rake-shaped tool to obtain a food reward placed beyond their reach. During the training, the rats never moved the rakes laterally to obtain the reward. However, in the positional discrimination test, the rake was placed at the center of the experimental apparatus, and the reward was positioned on either the left or right side of the rake. Interestingly, this test indicated that some rats were able to manipulate the rake toward the reward without relying on a patterned behavior acquired during the training. These results suggested that rats have the primitive ability to understand causal relationships in the physical environment. The findings indicate that rats can potentially serve as an animal model to investigate the mechanisms of evolution and development of the understanding of physical causality in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akane Nagano
- Organization for Research Initiatives and Development, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Japan
- Faculty of Psychology, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Fox DM, Mundinano IC, Bourne JA. Prehensile kinematics of the marmoset monkey: Implications for the evolution of visually-guided behaviors. J Comp Neurol 2019; 527:1495-1507. [PMID: 30680739 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2018] [Revised: 01/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Throughout the primate lineage, there is a wide diversity of prehensile capacity that is thought to stem from individual species foraging patterns. While many studies have explored primates with precise hand grips, such as higher apes, few have considered primates that lack opposition movements. The New World marmoset monkey occupies an intriguing niche, displaying adept control of their hand movements yet their absence of opposable digits results in relatively imprecise grasping actions when compared with those observed in Old World monkeys, apes, and humans. The marmoset monkey offers a unique composition of ancestral primate corticospinal organization combined with skilled hand use to explore the evolution and development of visually-guided actions. In this study, four adult marmosets were trained to perform a series of visually-guided tasks, designed to assess their control over locating and retrieving objects of differing dimensions. Two of these animals received a neonatal lesion of the inferior pulvinar (unilateral), a thalamic nucleus previously demonstrated to be involved in visuomotor development. The kinematics of their reaching and grasping patterns were recorded for offline analysis. Predictive modeling revealed that maximum grip aperture, time to reach peak velocity and hand use were reliable predictors of distinguishing between cohorts. A consistent feature observed across all tasks was that they do not precisely scale their grip according to the dimensions of the target object which may be attributed to their lack of independent digit control. Therefore, the marmoset monkey represents a previously understudied position in the evolution of primate reach and grasp behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan M Fox
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Inaki-Carril Mundinano
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - James A Bourne
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Seki F, Hikishima K, Komaki Y, Hata J, Uematsu A, Okahara N, Yamamoto M, Shinohara H, Sasaki E, Okano H. Developmental trajectories of macroanatomical structures in common marmoset brain. Neuroscience 2017; 364:143-156. [PMID: 28939259 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Morphometry studies of human brain development have revealed characteristics of some growth patterns, such as gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM), but the features that make human neurodevelopment distinct from that in other species remain unclear. Studies of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World primate, can provide insights into unique features such as cooperative behaviors complementary to those from comparative analyses using mouse and rhesus monkey. In the present study, we analyzed developmental patterns of GM, WM, and cortical regions with volume measurements using longitudinal sample (23 marmosets; 11 male, 12 female) between the ages of one and 30months. Regional analysis using a total of 164 magnetic resonance imaging datasets revealed that GM volume increased before puberty (5.4months), but subsequently declined until adulthood, whereas WM volume increased rapidly before stabilizing around puberty (9.9months). Cortical regions showed similar patterns of increase and decrease, patterns with global GM but differed in the timing of volume peak and degree of decline across regions. The progressive-regressive pattern detected in both global and cortical GM was well correlated to phases of synaptogenesis and synaptic pruning reported in previous marmoset studies. A rapid increase in WM in early development may represent a distinctive aspect of human neurodevelopment. These findings suggest that studies of marmoset brain development can provide valuable comparative information that will facilitate a deeper understanding of human brain growth and neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiko Seki
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan; Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, Brain Science Institute RIKEN, Wako, Japan
| | - Keigo Hikishima
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan; Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Yuji Komaki
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Junichi Hata
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan; Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, Brain Science Institute RIKEN, Wako, Japan
| | - Akiko Uematsu
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan; Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, Brain Science Institute RIKEN, Wako, Japan
| | - Norio Okahara
- Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan
| | | | | | - Erika Sasaki
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan; Laboratory for Marmoset Neural Architecture, Brain Science Institute RIKEN, Wako, Japan.
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Gilbert KM, Gati JS, Klassen LM, Zeman P, Schaeffer DJ, Everling S, Menon RS. A geometrically adjustable receive array for imaging marmoset cohorts. Neuroimage 2017; 156:78-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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Tool manipulation by rats (Rattus norvegicus) according to the position of food. Sci Rep 2017; 7:5960. [PMID: 28729626 PMCID: PMC5519611 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06308-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Tool-use behaviour has been observed in nonhuman animals in the wild and in experimental settings. In the present study, we investigated whether rats (Rattus norvegicus) could manipulate a tool according to the position of food to obtain the food in an experimental setting. Eight rats were trained to use a rake-shaped tool to obtain food beyond their reach using a step-by-step protocol in the initial training period. Following training, the rake was placed at the centre of the experimental apparatus, and food was placed on either the left or right side of the rake. Rats learned to manipulate the rake to obtain food in situations in which they could not obtain the food just by pulling the rake perpendicularly to themselves. Our findings thus indicate that the rat is a potential animal model to investigate the behavioural and neural mechanisms of tool-use behaviour.
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