A study by the University of Minnesota found that rats create mental maps of threatening locations and revisit these places in their minds when experiencing anxiety. Researchers used a robot predator to simulate threats and observed that rats' brains mapped out danger zones, potentially contributing to anxiety. The drug diazepam reduced anxiety and altered brain activity, suggesting that modifying these brain maps could offer potential treatments for anxiety disorders.
A study revealed that rats form mental maps of locations associated with threats and revisit these places in their minds when showing signs of anxiety.The research done by a team at the University of Minnesota studied how rats respond to threats and rewards using a robot predator. They found that rats’ brains map out locations of danger, which may contribute to anxiety.
The researchers were able to map which place cells were connected to the location of the food or the robot by closely examining their activity.Hippocampus encodes anxietyThe researchers discovered that the place cells linked to the robot’s and the food’s locations were more active when the rats paused as they approached the food. According to researchers, it might stand in for the dilemma between worrying about the robot and wanting the food.
ANXIETY BRAIN MAPS NEUROSCIENCE HIPPOCAMPUS PLACE CELLS
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