Social modulation of pain as evidence for empathy in mice.

Bibliographic Collection:

MOCA Reference, APE

Publication Type: Journal Article

Authors: Langford, Dale J; Crager, Sara E; Shehzad, Zarrar; Smith, Shad B; Sotocinal, Susana G; Levenstadt, Jeremy S; Chanda, Mona Lisa; Levitin, Daniel J; Mogil, Jeffrey S

Year of Publication: 2006

Journal: Science

Volume: 312

Issue: 5782

Pagination: 1967-70

Date Published: 2006 Jun 30

Publication Language: eng

ISSN: 1095-9203

Keywords: Altruism, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Cues, Empathy, Female, Formaldehyde, Hot Temperature, Male, Mice, pain, Pain Measurement, Social Behavior

Abstract:

Empathy is thought to be unique to higher primates, possibly to humans alone. We report the modulation of pain sensitivity in mice produced solely by exposure to their cagemates, but not to strangers, in pain. Mice tested in dyads and given an identical noxious stimulus displayed increased pain behaviors with statistically greater co-occurrence, effects dependent on visual observation. When familiar mice were given noxious stimuli of different intensities, their pain behavior was influenced by their neighbor's status bidirectionally. Finally, observation of a cagemate in pain altered pain sensitivity of an entirely different modality, suggesting that nociceptive mechanisms in general are sensitized.

DOI: 10.1126/science.1128322

Custom 1:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16809545?dopt=Abstract

Alternate Journal: Science

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