Tickling induces reward in adolescent rats.
Abstract
In adolescent rats, 50-kHz vocalizations are most evident during tickling and rough-and-tumble play. The following experiments evaluated whether 50-kHz vocalizations reflect positive social affect by determining (1) if tickling is a rewarding event, (2) if social or isolate housing conditions differentially influence the response (since housing condition has been found to effect the reward magnitude of social encounters), and (3) if drugs that work on mu-opiate receptors, which has been hypothesized to control positive social affect, modulate tickling. Tickling was positively reinforcing as demonstrated by elevated operant behavior, conditioned place preference, and approach measures. A significant negative correlation between vocalization rate and approach latency measures was found. Social housing reduced tickle-induced vocalizations and approach speeds compared to isolate housing. Naloxone (1 mg/kg) increased vocalization in the socially housed rats and decreased it in isolated Subjects (Ss). These findings suggest that tickling can be used to induce positive social affect in rodents, and that it is modulated by endogenous opioids.
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Tickling is rewarding and is associated with positive affect.
“confirming previous research showing that tickling is rewarding and is associated with positive affect (Burgdorf & Panksepp, 2001).”
From Play in Rats: Association across Contexts and Types, and Analysis of Structure (2014) · cites this paper as Burgdorf & Panksepp, 2001
Rats find tickling rewarding, as tickled rats show reduced latency for approaching the human hand and can be trained to perform operant responses for tickling.
“Other evidence suggests that rats find tickling rewarding as in addition to production of USVs, tickled rats show a reduced latency for approaching the human hand and can be trained to perform operant responses for tickling ( Burgdorf & Panksepp, 2001; LaFollette et al., 2017).”
From Stage 2 Registered Report: Refinement of tickling protocols to improve positive animal welfare in laboratory rats (2025) · cites this paper as Burgdorf & Panksepp, 2001
The results suggest that females prefer tickling where pinning is minimised, whereas males do not discriminate across treatments varying in amount of pinning, on the basis of USV production.
“These results suggest that females prefer tickling where pinning is minimised, whereas males do not discriminate across treatments varying in amount of pinning, on the basis of USV production, a well-validated indicator of positive affective states in rats ( Burgdorf & Panksepp, 2001).”
From Stage 2 Registered Report: Refinement of tickling protocols to improve positive animal welfare in laboratory rats (2025) · cites this paper as Burgdorf & Panksepp, 2001
Increased USV production indicates a positive effect on rats' affective state.
“Our results confirm that tickling reliably induces increased USV production indicating a positive effect on rats’ affective state, in both male and female rats.”
From Stage 2 Registered Report: Refinement of tickling protocols to improve positive animal welfare in laboratory rats (2025) · cites this paper as Burgdorf & Panksepp, 2001
Cites
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Self-citationHerman, B. H., & Panksepp, J. (1978) · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/0091-3057(78)90167-3 · Cited by 330 · see citing works
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Tzschentke, T. M. (2007) · Addiction Biology · doi:10.1111/j.1369-1600.2007.00070.x · Cited by 1,336 · see citing works
Ultrasonic vocalizations as indices of affective states in rats
Knutson, B., Burgdorf, J., & Panksepp, J. (2002) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.128.6.961 · Cited by 618 · see citing works
Self-citationBurgdorf, J., Kroes, R. A., Moskal, J. R., Pfaus, J. G., Brudzynski, S. M., & Panksepp, J. (2008) · Journal of Comparative Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0012889 · Cited by 469 · see citing works
Self-citationIsgor, C., Kabbaj, M., Akil, H., & Watson, S. J. (2004) · Hippocampus · doi:10.1002/hipo.10207 · Cited by 341 · see citing works
Burgdorf, J., Panksepp, J., & Moskal, J. R. (2011) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.11.011 · Cited by 258 · see citing works
Self-citationLaboratory environments and rodents' behavioural needs: a review
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Rat tickling: A systematic review of applications, outcomes, and moderators.
LaFollette, M. R., O’Haire, M. E., Cloutier, S., Blankenberger, W. B., & Gaskill, B. N. (2017) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0175320 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Social interactions and 50kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in adolescent and adult rats
Willey, A. R., Varlinskaya, E. I., & Spear, L. P. (2009) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2009.03.025 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Play in Rats: Association across Contexts and Types, and Analysis of Structure
Melotti, L., Bailoo, J., Murphy, E., Burman, O., & Wurbel, H. (2014) · Animal Behavior and Cognition · doi:10.12966/abc.11.06.2014 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
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Sex differences in 50 kHz call subtypes emitted during tickling-induced playful behaviour in rats.
Tivey, E. K. L., Martin, J. E., Brown, S. M., Bombail, V., Lawrence, A. B., & Meddle, S. L. (2022) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-022-19362-7 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
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“Other evidence suggests that rats find tickling rewarding as in addition to production of USVs, tickled rats show a reduced latency for approaching the human hand and can be trained to perform operant responses for tickling (Burgdorf & Panksepp, 2001; LaFollette et al., 2017).”
- Authors
- Burgdorf, J., & Panksepp, J.
- Affiliations
- Bowling Green State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Panksepp, Jaak
- ORCID
- Burgdorf, Jeffrey
- Venue
- Physiology & Behavior
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2001-01
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 1-2
- Pages
- 167-173
- ISSN
- 0031-9384 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2031508158
- Cited by
- 269
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 6.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physiology & Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Keywords
- tickling, 50-kHz vocalizations, reward, adolescent rats, social housing, isolation, mu-opioid receptor, naloxone, conditioned place preference, approach behavior, rough-and-tumble play
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Anxiety, Separation, Behavior, Animal, Brain Chemistry, Endorphins, Female, Male, Naloxone, Narcotic Antagonists, Physical Stimulation, Play and Playthings, Reward, Sexual Behavior, Animal, Social Environment, Vocalization, Animal, Receptors, Opioid, mu, Rats, Long-Evans, Rats
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