Development of a control task for clarifying the neural mechanisms underlying tool-use behavior in rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Nagano, Akane

doi:10.1016/j.mex.2019.11.022

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Testing the nocturnal rodents during the dark phase would be needed to detect their cognitive abilities more appropriately in future studies ( Balcombe, 2010 ). Moreover, only male rats were used as the subjects in the present studies, as were the previous rat studies ( Nagano and Aoyama, 2017a , b ; Nagano, 2019a , b , 2021 ). To testify about the generality of the relationship between the motion control and tool-manipulation, testing with female rats would be needed in future studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent studies have investigated tool-use behavior in relatively low-visual-acuity rodents ( Prusky et al, 2002 ), including rats ( Rattus norvegicus ) ( Nagano and Aoyama, 2017a , b ; Nagano, 2019a , b , 2021 ) and degus ( Octodon degus ) ( Okanoya et al, 2008 ; Kumazawa-Manita et al, 2013 ) in controlled experimental settings. Previous studies on rats have reported that these rodents manipulated a rake-shaped tool based on the position of the food reward placed beyond their reach after undergoing tool-use training ( Nagano and Aoyama, 2017b ; Nagano, 2019b ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A raking tool was used for the behavioral task for rats in the present study because the previous studies have reported that degus and rats could use rake-shaped tools ( Kumazawa-Manita et al, 2013 ; Nagano and Aoyama, 2017a , b ; Nagano, 2019a , b , 2021 ), and the animals in the present study were expected to learn to use the raking tool in a shorter period because it is easier for them to handle the tool with their forelimbs. Tool-use behavior in rats in the wild has never been reported ( Bentley-Condit and Smith, 2010 ), and spontaneous tool-use behavior has never been observed in the experimental settings ( Nagano and Aoyama, 2017a , b ; Nagano, 2019a , b , 2021 ). However, rats are skillful in using their forelimbs dexterously to pull strings to obtain a food ( Blackwell et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Training of Motion Control May Not Improve Tool-Manipulation Ability in Rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Nagano

2022

Front. Psychol.

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In recent times, previous studies have reported the manipulation of tools by rats and degus in controlled experimental settings. However, a previous study reported that only one out of eight experimentally naïve rats could manipulate a rake-shaped tool according to the position of a food reward without prior experience of obtaining the reward with the tool before the test. The present study aimed to improve the training of rats and investigate rodents’ ability to manipulate tools according to food position. Stricter criteria were employed when training the rats to promote the rats’ monitoring of their own tool manipulation. Additional training was introduced to give them the opportunity to learn that the reward moved closer to them by pulling an object connected to the reward. The present study showed that only one of eight rats could manipulate a tool according to the position of the reward without prior experience of obtaining the reward with the tool or perceiving that part of the tool came in contact with the reward, as the previous study showed. The change in training did not enhance the rats’ tool-manipulation ability according to the food position. These procedures should be conducted in a wider variety of animals to investigate whether the training in motion control can promote the subjects’ effective tool-use behavior.

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