Do Rats Really Laugh?
WouterResearchers at the Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, have analyzed brain activity of tickled lab rats to see if tickling actually causes rats to laugh. The researchers discovered that the tickling caused activity in a certain brain region linked to ticklishness. When these neurons are activated, rats will make high-pitched “giggles.”
Researchers have noted that rats laugh when they are excited or anticipating something happy. These vocalizations resemble those made by children and are similar to those made by young rodents. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism of laughter is still not clear. Scientists continue to study the animal’s behavior. The basic idea is that rat laughter is a form of emotional expression that helps it communicate with other animals.
To study this phenomenon, scientists conducted several experiments. They used a special microphone to record the rats’ high-pitched chirping sounds. While these sounds are not related to human laughter, they suggest a correlation between tickling and happiness. But these results are still a ways off from conclusive findings. Ultimately, this research may help to improve animal welfare.
The study also aimed to understand the reason for why we laugh when tickled. To start, scientists first established whether rats were ticklish. The study showed that tickling rats could cause them to laugh when sufficiently jostled. Next, they wanted to understand if tickling actually made them feel happy.
