The effects of acute foot shock stress on empathy levels in rats

Karakiliç, Aslı; Kızıldağ, Servet; Kandiş, Sevim; Güvendi, Güven; Koç, Başar; Camsari, Gamze Balci; Camsari, Ulas M.; Ateş, Mehmet; Arda, Sevil Gönenç; Uysal, Nazan

doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2018.04.043

Cited by 30 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Empathy is affected by many factors, such as stressful situations, pain, depression, and autism (11,15). We showed that empathy increased with low-intensity acute stress in our last experiment (16). Empathy is a significant variable in the effectiveness of sporting activities.…”

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confidence: 56%

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Regular Aerobic Voluntary Exercise Increased Oxytocin in Female Mice: Cause to Decrease Anxiety and Increase Empathy-Like Behaviors

et al. 2019

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Background: It is known that regular physical activity reduces anxiety. Low anxiety levels affect mood, emotions, and empathy. Oxytocin is a powerful hormone that regulates social interaction, sexual reproduction, maternal–infant bonding, milk release, empathy, and anxiety. Empathy is an important behavior in the living community; and also important for sportsmen during sportive competition and daily living life, because sportsmen are also role model of people. Aims: To investigate the effects of voluntary physical activity on oxytocin, anxiety, and empathy levels as well as the relationship between them. Study Design: Animal experiment. Methods: Male and female mice were made to exercise in running wheel cages for 6 weeks. Their empathy and anxiety levels were evaluated by using Helping Behavior test and elevated plus maze and open field test, respectively. And then the brain and blood oxytocin levels were measured. Results: Empathy-like behavior was improved in both genders of the exercise groups (door-opening time decreased in both genders of exercise groups, p for both=0.0001). As a response to exercise, both the brain and serum oxytocin levels increased in female mice (both of p=0.0001); however, in males, oxytocin levels increased in only the brain (p<0.05). Anxiety levels decreased in all the exercise groups (increased time spent in the middle area of open field test, both genders, p=0.002; increased time spent in the open arms of elevated plus maze test, females p=0.004, males p=0.0001). There was a strong negative correlation between serum oxytocin levels and door opening time of helping behavior equipment, and moderate negative correlation was found between the brain oxytocin levels and door-opening time of helping behavior equipment in females. However, there was no correlation between both the brain and serum oxytocin levels and empathy behavior in males. But there were very strong positive correlations between low anxiety indicators and both the brain and serum oxytocin levels in both the genders. Conclusion: Voluntary physical activity decreases anxiety and increases empathy-like behavior in mice; which is associated with increased oxytocin levels in female mice but not in male mice. Further research is required to investigate the mechanisms of exercise effect on anxiety and empathic brain pathways in males.

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confidence: 56%

“…Following the exercise period, all mice (including controls) were subjected to the Helping Behavior test during an 11-day training period. Previously described experimental equipment was used to test empathy-like behavior (16,20). Opening the door and saving the cage-mate was defined as empathy-like behavior.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regular Aerobic Voluntary Exercise Increased Oxytocin in Female Mice: Cause to Decrease Anxiety and Increase Empathy-Like Behaviors

et al. 2019

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“…In our recent study, low intensity stress improved empathic behavior whereas high intensity stress did not. Our group demonstrated that low intensity stress caused a surge in vasopressin levels in both prefrontal cortex and amygdalae; oxytocin was only found to be increased in the prefrontal cortex (58).…”

Section: Various Areas For Translational Consideration Empathy and Stmentioning

confidence: 84%

Empathy as a Concept from Bench to Bedside: A Translational Challenge

Uysal

Camsari

Ateş

et al. 2019

Archives of Neuropsychiatry

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Empathy is a multidimensional paradigm, and there currently is a lack of scientific consensus in its definition. In this paper, we review the possibility of compromising data during behavioral neuroscience experiments, including but not limited to those who study empathy. The experimental protocols can affect, and be affected by, empathy and related processes at multiple levels. We discuss several points to help researchers develop a successful translational pathway for behavioral research on empathy. Despite varying in their focus with no widely accepted model, current rodent models on empathy have provided sound translational explanations for many neuropsychiatric proof-of-concepts to date. Research has shown that empathy can be influenced by many parameters, some of which are to be reviewed in this paper. We emphasize the future importance of consistency in modeling proof of concept; efforts to create a multidisciplinary group which would include both bench scientists and clinicians with expertise in neuropsychiatry, and the consideration of empathy as an independent variable in animal behavioral experimental designs which is not the mainstream practice at present.

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“…In conclusion, there are multiple factors involved in the motivation to the opening behavior in the protocol proposed by Ben-Ami Bartal et al (2011) and used in the present study. This outcome is relevant as there is an increasing number of studies that used the original or modified versions of the releasing task with the purpose of studying empathy or prosocial behavior in rodents ( Ben-Ami Bartal et al, 2014 , 2016 ; Silberberg et al, 2014 ; Hachiga et al, 2018 ; Kandis et al, 2018 ; Karakilic et al, 2018 ; Fontes-Dutra et al, 2019 ; Yamagishi et al, 2019 ). Our study provided data that ruled out the desire for social contact or the exploration of the restraint box as key motivators, at least under our experimental conditions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are There Multiple Motivators for Helping Behavior in Rats?

Silva

Lima

et al. 2020

Front. Psychol.

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Empathy is the ability to (a) be affected by and share the emotional state of another; (b) assess the reasons for the other’s state; and (c) identify with the other, adopting their perspective. This phenomenon has been shown to exist in several species and is proposed as a motivator for prosocial behavior. The experimental study of this feature in laboratory rodents is a more viable alternative in comparison to wild animals. A recent report showed that rats opened a door to free their cage mate from a restraint box. Although this behavior has been suggested to be motivated by empathy, this fact has been questioned by several studies that proposed other motivators for the releasing behavior. In the present study, we use an adaptation of the protocol of releasing behavior to investigate aspects of empathy and pro-sociality such as familiarity and reciprocity. In addition, we addressed some potential motivational factors that could influence this behavior. The main results showed that (1) rats opened the restraint box to free conspecifics most of the time; (2) direct reciprocity or past restriction experience did not improve releasing performance, probably due to a ceiling effect; (3) after a series of trials in the presence of a restricted conspecific, the free rat continues to open the restraint box even if it is empty; (4) in general, the opening performance improves across trials and phases, resembling learning curves; (5) if the first series of trials occurs with the empty box, the opening behavior does not occur and is modest in subsequent trials with a trapped animal; (6) the exploratory drive toward the restraint box and desire for social contact do not seem to function as key motivators for releasing behavior. In conclusion, our findings do not support that the opening behavior is exclusively related to empathic motivation. While multiple factors might be involved, our study suggests that task learning triggered (and possibly reinforced) by the presence of the restricted rat can function as a motivator. Further investigations are required to fully understand the mechanisms and motivation factors guiding the releasing behavior.

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The effects of acute foot shock stress on empathy levels in rats

Cited by 30 publications

References 38 publications

Regular Aerobic Voluntary Exercise Increased Oxytocin in Female Mice: Cause to Decrease Anxiety and Increase Empathy-Like Behaviors

Regular Aerobic Voluntary Exercise Increased Oxytocin in Female Mice: Cause to Decrease Anxiety and Increase Empathy-Like Behaviors

Empathy as a Concept from Bench to Bedside: A Translational Challenge

Are There Multiple Motivators for Helping Behavior in Rats?

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