Rats show empathy and help unconscious friends

Scientists have found that mice naturally help their unconscious companions without any training or rewards, challenging long-term assumptions about animal altruism and revealing surprising similarities between rodents and human social behavior.

When placed near anesthetized mouse, observer mice display obvious signs of pain and quickly begin to modify and lick their unconscious companions. According to a study published on April 23 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The study marks the first time scientists have mapped the exact brain pathways that lead to this spontaneous helping behavior, which may shed light on the biological roots of empathy across species.

“This study shows that mice exhibit spontaneous rescue behaviors that promote recovery of anesthetics without prior training or external rewards,” the researchers wrote in the paper.

Although altruistic behavior has been well demonstrated in larger mammals such as elephants and dogs, and even in insects such as ants, evidence of this trend remains controversial until now.

The research team, by Dr. Hu Li of the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Chen Zhoufeng of the University of Washington School of Medicine and Shenzhen School of Medical Research and Translation, used advanced technologies including genetically modified mice, chemical genetics, optical genetics, optical genetics, and fiber optic components, thus revealing the biological institutions of this behavior.

Their findings identified oxytocin (often called the “prosocial hormone” of humans), a key molecule that coordinates the key players in response through two different brain pathways.

Oxytocin neurons in the parahyaluromyte nucleus were activated when observer mice encountered an anesthetized partner. The released oxytocin then coordinates the emotional and physical aspects of the helping behavior through parallel pathways.

An approach through the central amygdala can handle emotional components, thereby identifying the distress of unconscious mice. At the same time, the second passes through the back bedn

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