Cited by 82Neuroendocrine regulation and behaviorPrimate Behavior and EcologyChild and Animal Learning Development

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Play fighting and the development of the social brain: The rat’s tale

Pellis, Sergio M., Pellis, Vivien C., Ham, Jackson R., Stark, Rachel A.·2023·Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

DOI 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105037

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Abstract

The benefits gained by young animals engaging in play fighting have been a subject of conjecture for over a hundred years. Progress in understanding the behavioral development of play fighting and the underlying neurobiology of laboratory rats has produced a coherent model that sheds light on this matter. Depriving rats of typical peer-peer play experience during the juvenile period leads to adults with socio-cognitive deficiencies and these are correlated with physiological and anatomical changes to the neurons of the prefrontal cortex, especially the medial prefrontal cortex. Detailed analysis of juvenile peer play has shown that using the abilities needed to ensure that play fighting is reciprocal is critical for attaining these benefits. Therefore, unlike that which was posited by many earlier hypotheses, play fighting does not train specific motor actions, but rather, improves a skill set that can be applied in many different social and non-social contexts. There are still gaps in the rat model that need to be understood, but the model is well-enough developed to provide a framework for broader comparative studies of mammals from diverse lineages that engage in play fighting.

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Taylor, A. J., Carrasco-Gutiérrez, R., Olea-Araya, A., Moya, P. R., & Dagnino‐Subiabre, A. (2026) · Developmental Psychobiology · doi:10.1002/dev.70205
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Ham, J., Daiswal, D., Achterberg, M., & Pellis, S. (2026) · Animal Behavior and Cognition · doi:10.26451/abc.13.04.01.2026
Self-citation

Authors: Pellis, S. M., Pellis, V. C., Ham, J. R., & Stark, R. A.
Affiliations: University of Lethbridge (CA)
Corresponding author: Pellis, Sergio M.
ORCID: Pellis, Sergio M.
Pellis, Vivien C.
Ham, Jackson R.
Venue: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2023-02
Volume: 145
Pages: 105037
ISSN: 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105037
OpenAlex: W4313561537
Semantic Scholar: 535b631680e0a26eb89259858bbefea2d79dfe67
Cited by: 76
References: 219
Citations by year: 2026: 16 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 16
FWCI: 22.03
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
www.elsevier.com/legal/tdmrep-license (tdm)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-017 (stm-asf)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-037 (stm-asf)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-012 (stm-asf)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-029 (stm-asf)
doi.org/10.15223/policy-004 (stm-asf)
Locations: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (2018-03706)
Topics: Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Primate Behavior and Ecology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
Keywords: play fighting, social brain, social cognition, social deprivation, medial prefrontal cortex, reciprocal behavior, social behavior development, rats
MeSH terms: Animals, Brain, Mammals, Neurons, Play and Playthings, Social Behavior, Prefrontal Cortex, Rats

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Play fighting and the development of the social brain: The rat’s tale

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