[HTML][HTML] When the individual comes into play: The role of self and the partner in the dyadic play fighting of rats

EJM Achterberg, CJ Burke, SM Pellis - Behavioural Processes, 2023 - Elsevier
Social play in rats is rewarding and important for the development of brain and social skills.
There are differences in the amount of play behavior displayed among individuals, with …

Quality not quantity: Deficient juvenile play experiences lead to altered medial prefrontal cortex neurons and sociocognitive skill deficits

JR Ham, M Szabo, J Annor‐Bediako… - Developmental …, 2024 - Wiley Online Library
Reduced play experience over the juvenile period leads to adults with impoverished social
skills and to anatomical and physiological aberrations of the neurons found in the medial …

Play partner preferences among groups of unfamiliar juvenile male rats

JR Ham, SM Pellis - Scientific Reports, 2024 - nature.com
Like many mammals, as juveniles, rats engage in play fighting, which in the laboratory is
typically studied in dyads, and consequently, it is the researcher who determines a rat's play …

Long-term tracking of social structure in groups of rats

M Nagy, JD Davidson, G Vásárhelyi, D Ábel… - Scientific Reports, 2024 - nature.com
Rodents serve as an important model for examining both individual and collective behavior.
Dominance within rodent social structures can determine access to critical resources, such …

[PDF][PDF] Animals in search of stimulation and information: a review of over 10 years of our research on spontaneous exploration in rats as a response to novelty in low …

W Pisula, K Modlinska - Animal Behavior …, 2023 - animalbehaviorandcognition.org
This article comprehensively reviews our studies that analyzed novelty-related behaviors in
rats. We developed and utilized techniques and equipment during these studies to ensure …

[HTML][HTML] The role of the dopamine D1 receptor in anticipatory pleasure and social play

KM Witt, DN Harper, BA Ellenbroek - Neuropharmacology, 2025 - Elsevier
Social play is a highly rewarding activity seen across mammalian species that is vital for
neurobehavioural development. Dysfunctions in social play are seen across psychiatric and …

To Play or Not to Play? Effects of Playmate Familiarity and Social Isolation on Social Play Engagement in Three Laboratory Rat Strains

IC Orsucci, KD Becker, JDA Lee, SM Bowden, JR Ham… - bioRxiv, 2024 - biorxiv.org
Social play is a motivating and rewarding behavior displayed by juveniles of many
mammalian species, including humans and rats. Social play is vital to the development of …