Abstract
In this study, we aimed to develop a behavioral task that measures pro-social decision making in rats. A fully automated, operant pro-social two-choice task is introduced that quantifies pro-social preferences for a mutual food reward in a set-up with tightly controlled task contingencies. Pairs of same-sex adult Wistar rats were placed in an operant chamber divided into two compartments (one rat per compartment), separated by a transparent barrier with holes that allowed the rats to see, hear, smell, but not touch each other. Test rats could earn a sucrose pellet either for themselves (own reward) or for themselves and the partner (both reward) by means of lever pressing. On average, male rats showed a 60 % preference for the lever that yielded a food reward for both themselves and their partner. In contrast, females did not show lever preference, regardless of the estrous cycle phase. Next, the impact of juvenile environmental factors on male rat social decision making was studied. Males were group-housed from postnatal day 26 onwards in complex housing Marlau™ cages that provided social and physical enrichment and stimulation in the form of novelty. Complex housed males did not show a preference for the pro-social lever.
Highlights
Pro-social behavior, defined as behavior that is aimed to benefit others, is a key element in many aspects of everyday life
There was a lot of individual variation, we show that overall in males there is a preference for the option that yields a reward for both rats, suggesting that rats are sensitive to food reward delivery to a conspecific
In our paradigm the rats remained in the complex housing condition throughout the experiment and we have reported earlier that these rats become quite active, quickly habituate to new situations, and -impor tantly- have diminished behavioral control and are less interested in conspecifics (Kentrop et al, 2018; van der Veen et al, 2015)
Summary
Pro-social behavior, defined as behavior that is aimed to benefit others, is a key element in many aspects of everyday life. A number of studies have examined vicarious freezing behavior as an indicator of empathy in rodents (Atsak et al, 2011; Carrillo et al, 2019; Cruz et al, 2020; Han et al, 2020; Jeon et al, 2010; Pereira et al, 2012). In these studies usually an observer witnesses a demonstrator experience some kind of threat, most often a foot shock. Conspe cific USVs can evoke emotional contagion, both for positive and nega tive emotions, to change the affective states in receivers (Saito et al, 2016)
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