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Can Male Mice Develop Preference Towards Gentle Stroking by an Experimenter?

C Cho1, C Chan2, L J Martin3

  • 1Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L1C6, Canada.

Neuroscience
|January 1, 2021
PubMed
Summary

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Gentle stroking is rewarding for mice, as shown by a new tactile conditioned place preference paradigm. This study reveals that tactile touch can establish an affiliative bond between mice and humans, impacting reward pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Science
  • Socio-emotional processing

Background:

  • Affective touch, like gentle stroking, is crucial for inter-individual communication and has hedonic value.
  • C-tactile (CT) fibers are thought to transmit these positive touch sensations in humans, with analogous systems proposed in rodents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel tactile conditioned place preference paradigm in mice to assess the rewarding properties of gentle stroking.
  • To investigate the link between tactile preference and innate sociability in mice.
  • To explore the potential for gentle stroking to foster affiliative relationships between mice and humans.

Main Methods:

  • A novel tactile conditioned place preference paradigm was employed using mice.
  • Mice were subjected to the classic three-chambered social approach test.
Keywords:
affective touchconditioned place preferencegentle strokingmouse model

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  • Experimenter's gentle stroking was used as the tactile stimulus.

    • Main Results:

    • Mice demonstrated that gentle stroking by an experimenter is a rewarding experience.
    • Mice showed a significant preference for the experimenter's hand during the social approach test.
    • These findings indicate that tactile stimuli can influence reward and preference behaviors.

    Conclusions:

    • Gentle stroking by an experimenter plays a significant role in reward and preference in mice.
    • This tactile interaction can establish an affiliative relationship between mice and humans.
    • The developed model offers a platform for future research into specific fiber involvement and reward system activation.