Research Scientists at University of Richmond Teach Rats to Drive

Rats have learned how to jump through hoops, solve mazes, and even play hide and seek. Now they can drive cars. Researchers at the University of Richmond (Va.) taught rats to drive a tiny car made of a plastic food container as part of a study on mental health.

Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience Kelly Lambert and colleagues just published this research in the Behavioural Brain Research journal article “Enriched Environment Exposure Accelerates Rodent Driving Skills.”

This research explores how performing complex tasks, like driving, may further inform the science community about treatment for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

“We already knew that rodents could recognize objects, press bars and find their way around mazes, but we wondered if rats could learn the more complex task of operating a moving vehicle,” Lambert said.

The research team built a tiny car for the rats out of a clear plastic food container on wheels, with an aluminum floor and three copper bars functioning as a steering wheel. A total of 17 rats were trained to drive in rectangular arenas. Rats that passed driver’s education were rewarded with Froot Loops.

“They learned to navigate the car in unique ways and engaged in steering patterns they had never used to eventually arrive at the reward,” says Lambert. Results from this study included:

The University of Richmond has video of rats driving cars. Download from “online extras” on the PCT Online homepage or directly at https://buff.ly/2vuBHDT. 

Source: University of Richmond