Neural correlates of ticklishness in the rat somatosensory cortex
Abstract
Rats emit ultrasonic vocalizations in response to tickling by humans. Tickling is rewarding through dopaminergic mechanisms, but the function and neural correlates of ticklishness are unknown. We confirmed that tickling of rats evoked vocalizations, approach, and unsolicited jumps (Freudensprünge). Recordings in the trunk region of the rat somatosensory cortex showed intense tickling-evoked activity in most neurons, whereas a minority of cells were suppressed by tickling. Tickling responses predicted nontactile neural responses to play behaviors, which suggests a neuronal link between tickling and play. Anxiogenic conditions suppressed tickling-evoked vocalizations and trunk cortex activity. Deep-layer trunk cortex neurons discharged during vocalizations, and deep-layer microstimulation evoked vocalizations. Our findings provide evidence for deep-layer trunk cortex activity as a neural correlate of ticklishness.
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Activation of the cortical area in response to touch influences USV production.
“The similar amount of physical contact for all individuals is important, since activation of the cortical area in response to touch has been shown to influence USV production ( Ishiyama & Brecht, 2016).”
From Stage 2 Registered Report: Refinement of tickling protocols to improve positive animal welfare in laboratory rats (2025) · cites this paper as Ishiyama & Brecht, 2016
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Primary somatosensory cortex discriminates affective significance in social touch
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Electric current stimulates laughter
Fried, I., Wilson, C. L., MacDonald, K. A., & Behnke, E. J. (1998) · Nature · doi:10.1038/35536 · Cited by 227 · see citing works
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The power of play: A pediatric role in enhancing development in young children
Yogman, M., Garner, A., Hutchinson, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., COMMITTEE ON PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF CHILD AND FAMILY HEALTH, & COUNCIL ON COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA (2018) · Pediatrics · doi:10.1542/peds.2018-2058 · Cited by 758 · see citing works
Social touch promotes interfemale communication via activation of parvocellular oxytocin neurons
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Who’s laughing? Play, tickling and ultrasonic vocalizations in rats.
Burke, C. J., Pellis, S. M., & Achterberg, E. J. M. (2022) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B · doi:10.1098/rstb.2021.0184 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
Sex differences in 50 kHz call subtypes emitted during tickling-induced playful behaviour in rats.
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Bombail, V., Brown, S. M., Beyts, C., Martin, J. E., Li, T., Meddle, S. L., Mendl, M., Robinson, E. S., Hammond, T. J., Nielsen, B. L., et al. (2025) · F1000Research · doi:10.12688/f1000research.166417.2 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
“Their cage mate was then immediately placed in the arena for testing and the same tickling treatment repeated.”
- Authors
- Ishiyama, S., & Brecht, M.
- Affiliations
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Brecht, M.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2016-11-11
- Volume
- 354
- Issue
- 6313
- Pages
- 757-760
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2550726007
- Cited by
- 86
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 4.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- BCCN Berlin
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (SFB665)
- Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural dynamics and brain function
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
- Keywords
- ticklishness, tickling, somatosensory cortex, ultrasonic vocalizations, play behavior, deep-layer neurons, microstimulation, dopaminergic reward, rats
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Male, Reward, Somatosensory Cortex, Touch, Ultrasonics, Vocalization, Animal, Rats, Inbred LEC, Rats, Dopaminergic Neurons
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