Similar to human teenagers, young rats like to play fight.
Researchers have found that immune cells in the rat’s brains help transition the adolescent horseplay to solemn adult behavior.
Young rats like to race around, jump, climb and roughhouse with their siblings. Of course this activity is actually practicing attacking and defending themselves for when they become adults. This kind of play activates dopamine which is a feel good chemical. As they get older, their brains changes and this dopamine spike disappears.
The immune system works to keep the body from harm by destroying foreign bacterial and viral infections. This works by removing dead neuron nerve cells in the brain and attacking germs. Part of the process is trimming the ends of healthy neurons. Neurons are specialized cells that pass messages back and forth.
As the rats age, old connections aren’t needed anymore, so they are pruned off for new ones to emerge. As the rats age to adulthood, this process stops the surge in dopamine when the rats play fight and fighting becomes a fight or flight response.
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