Rats raised their entire lives in laboratory cages showed a surprising change in behavior after being placed in controlled natural environments.
By living for a short time in open fields, with grass, dirt and space to explore, these animals began to demonstrate much lower levels of anxiety and, in some cases, the fear virtually disappeared.
This discovery is part of a study led by scientists at Cornell University and published on December 15 in the scientific journal Current Biology. The research analyzed how experiences outside of the restricted laboratory environment can alter already established emotional responses in animals.
In the experiment, the researchers divided the mice into two groups. One of them continued to live in traditional cages, as is the case in most scientific studies.
The other group was moved to fenced natural fields, where the animals could run freely, dig, climb and forage for food – behaviors not possible inside a cage.
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Before and after this change, the scientists assessed the animals’ anxiety levels using a very common test in rodent research: the elevated cross-shaped maze.
In this test, rats can choose between closed areas, where they feel more protected, and open, elevated areas, which tend to arouse fear. The less time the pet spends in open spaces, the higher the anxiety level tends to be.
The results attracted attention. Rats that lived in the fields began to explore more of the open areas of the maze, indicating a marked reduction in fear.
According to the researchers, these animals showed a much weaker anxiety response – or even no response – compared to those that remained in the cages.
Fenced natural field where laboratory rats lived during the experiment
The most surprising thing is that this change also occurred in rats that already showed strong signs of anxiety before the experiment. According to the study, just one week in the natural environment was enough to reverse these behaviors, causing the animals to return to lower levels of fear.
Scientists explain that a richer environment offers rats something essential: a variety of stimuli and greater control over their own actions. By being able to explore, hide, dig, and respond to the environment, animals develop a type of adaptation that appears to reduce exaggerated reactions to fear.
Although the research was carried out only on rats, the authors point out that the results raise the question to what extent the behavior observed in the laboratory actually represents the natural behavior of animals. Additionally, the study reinforces the importance of the environment in how the brain responds to stress and anxiety.
The researchers now intend to study how long exposure to nature is needed to maintain these effects, whether the age of the animals interferes with the results, and what changes occur in the brain during this process.
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