How’s your 2024 Bingo card looking so far? Does it have “rats find joy in driving” on it? Because the scientists who taught rats how to drive are back, and their latest research suggests rats enjoy the open road as much as we do, with a new video showing one revving motor of its little car in anticipation of a joyride.
Kelly Lambert, the University of Richmond neuroscientist who developed the initial experiment, conducted new tests to determine whether rats performed a task (e.g., driving) simply for a physical reward (e.g., Froot Loop) or for an emotional one (e.g., happiness).
In the original university research study, the lab rats were taught the absolute basics, such as getting into the vehicle and grabbing a small wire that acted as the throttle. The “car” was equally basic, manufactured from a plastic cereal container. That rudimentary rat car eventually evolved to include steering via three copper bars that signified left, center, and right for steering. The reward, though, was always the sweet crunch of a Froot Loop.
The catalyst for the updated cognitive test was the rats’ behavior, which resembled eagerness and anticipation when Lambert arrived at the lab. In an essay written for The Conversation, Lambert writes: “The three driving-trained rats eagerly ran to the side of the cage, jumping up like my dog does when asked if he wants to take a walk.”
For the new tests, the rats received a new car: Rat Car II. Courtesy of the university’s robotics department, the redesigned rat-operated vehicle, or ROV, featured rat-proof wiring and tires as well as ergonomic driving levers. Lambert said the little EVs were “akin to a rodent version of Tesla’s Cybertruck.”
According to Lambert, the rats had already supported the idea of neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to continually adapt and change in response to life experiences. After all, driving a car requires more brain activity and complex thought processes than wandering through a maze. Trial and error will eventually get you to the snackies, but driving requires additional skill and anticipation.
As for the updated test, the rats were given a choice: a short or long route to the Froot Loop. The rats could scurry to sweetness, which was a much shorter journey, or they could take the long way via car. To the team’s surprise, two of the three rats took the scenic route. Not only that but in other tests, the rats would hop into the car and immediately hit the throttle before the vehicle was placed back on the ground.
“This response suggests that the rats enjoy both the journey and the rewarding destination,” Lambert said. Relatable.
The rats’ raised tails were also an indicator of excitement, similar to a dog wagging its tails happy. Lambert contacted other neuroscientists regarding the raised rattails. Apparently, the S-shaped curl exhibited by Lambert’s rats resembled a “gentler form” of what’s known as the Straub tail. The reaction was typical of rodents that had been given opioids and linked to increased dopamine.
Lambert says that studying positive experiences and how they shape the brain is just as important as researching negative emotions, which we often focus on minimizing rather than elevating. Emotions like anger, fear, and stress.
“In a world of immediate gratification, these rats offer insights into the neural principles guiding everyday behavior,” Lambert concluded. “Rather than pushing buttons for instant rewards, they remind us that planning, anticipating, and enjoying the ride may be key to a healthy brain.”
Now, that’s one rat race I can get behind.
This post was originally published on here
