123ArticleOnline Logo
Welcome to 123ArticleOnline.com!
ALL >> General >> View Article

Brains May Have A Playfulness Switch

Profile Picture
By Author: Anton Bluman
Total Articles: 46
Comment this article
Facebook ShareTwitter ShareGoogle+ ShareTwitter Share

Blocking the activity of certain cells reduces play behavior in rats.


Rats are extremely playful creatures.They love playing chase and they literally jump for joy when tickled. Central to this play- fulness, a new study finds, are nerve cells in a specific region of the brain.

Neurons in the periaqueductal gray, or PAG, are active in rats during different kinds of play, scientists report July 28 in Neuron. Blocking the activity of those neurons makes the rodents much less playful.

The results give insight into a poorly understood behavior, particularly in terms of how play is controlled in the brain.

When scientists tickled lab rats (one shown) and played a game with them, nerve cells in a brain region called the PAG became active. The team suspects that this region controls playfulness.“There are prejudices that it’s childish and not important, but play is an underrated behavior,” says Michael Brecht, a neuro- scientist at Humboldt University of Berlin.

Scientists think play helps animals develop resilience. Some researchers even relate the behavior to optimal functioning, For ...
... people, “when you’re playing, you’re being your most creative, thoughtful, interactive self)” says Jeffrey Burgdorf, a neuroscientist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., who was not involved in the study. This is the opposite of some depressive states, and Burgdorf’s own research aims to turn understanding of the neuroscience of play into new therapies for mood disorders. In the study, Brecht and colleagues got lab rats used to being tickled and played with in a game of chase-the-hand.

Get More Info :
Lens Neurofeedback Near Me

Total Views: 434Word Count: 255See All articles From Author

Add Comment

General Articles

1. Developing An Effective Nutrition Plan As Part Of Your Personal Training Program
Author: steffy

2. Rent A Bike And Explore The Beach Shacks In Goa
Author: Rentmybike

3. Exploring The Old City Of Hyderabad
Author: Rentmybike

4. Modern Stylish Toilet Paper Holder For Office & Home
Author: Uddeshya Singh

5. Wisdom Teeth Extraction Myths Debunked
Author: SriSatya

6. Clase Turista De Turkish Airlines Colombia
Author: viajeaereo

7. Coinbase Clone Development - Explore The Future Of Cryptocurrency Exchanges
Author: Isabel Grey

8. Buy Security Camera Systems
Author: Affinitech Store

9. The Ultimate Guide To Carpet Cleaning In Bellingham: Keeping Your Home Fresh And Clean
Author: Carpet Cleaning

10. What Mandatory Procedures Are Required For The Iso 17034 Accreditation Process?
Author: John

11. Benefits Of Partnering With An Authorized Software Expert
Author: Abloom Technocrats

12. Send Diwali Gifts To Pune With Same Day Free Delivery
Author: Manoka Bhatta

13. Join The Indian Army: A Path Of Honor, Courage, And Service
Author: Alpharegiment

14. Cloud4c: Google Cloud Apac Specialist
Author: Ben Gross

15. Capita3 Acquires Empoweru To Boost Youth Success
Author: Ben Gross

Login To Account
Login Email:
Password:
Forgot Password?
New User?
Sign Up Newsletter
Email Address: