Abstract
Patients with brain function disorders due to stroke or dementia may show inability to recognize themselves in the mirror. Although the cognitive ability to recognize mirror images has been investigated in many animal species, the animal species that can be used for experimentation and the mechanisms involved in recognition remain unclear. We investigated whether mice have the ability to recognize their mirror images. Demonstrating evidence of this in mice would be useful for researching the psychological and biological mechanisms underlying this ability. We examined whether mice preferred mirrors, whether plastic tapes on their heads increased their interest, and whether mice accustomed to mirrors learnt its physical phenomenon. Mice were significantly more interested in live stranger mice than mirrors. Mice with tape on their heads spent more time before mirrors. Becoming accustomed to mirrors did not change their behaviour. Mice accustomed to mirrors had significantly increased interest in photos of themselves over those of strangers and cage-mates. These results indicated that mice visually recognized plastic tape adherent to reflected individuals. Mice accustomed to mirrors were able to discriminate between their images, cage-mates, and stranger mice. However, it is still unknown whether mice recognize that the reflected images are of themselves.
Highlights
Many scientists have used mirrors to investigate whether animals have visual self-cognitive abilities
The first method evaluates whether a self-directed reaction suggesting that the animal recognizes the mirror image as its own reflection is seen, and the second is whether the animal passes the mark test
A mark is made on the body of the target animal, and the animal is put in front of a mirror
Summary
Many scientists have used mirrors to investigate whether animals have visual self-cognitive abilities. In an animal, when investigating the presence of the cognitive ability to recognize the mirror image of itself, two methods of verification are used. The first method evaluates whether a self-directed reaction suggesting that the animal recognizes the mirror image as its own reflection is seen, and the second is whether the animal passes the mark test. The animal is observed to see whether it inspects the mark or tries to touch it with a part of its body [1] Using this test, it is possible to judge whether animals understand that the marks reflected in the mirror are attached to their own bodies and not to other individuals. Apart from humans, chimpanzees [4], bonobos [5], orangutans [6], gorillas [7], bottlenose dolphins [8], Asian elephants [9], and Castellus magpies have been shown to pass the mark test [10]
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