By Jason Matthews
According to a new study from the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Mice possess the same cognitive abilities as humans. The research team developed and tested an innovative technique that allowed them to reveal that mice use abstract categorizing tactics to learn and process their environment, just like us.
Follow us on social media:
Image Credit: MainelyPhotos via Shutterstock / HDR tune by Universal-Sci
Simplifying our world
The world is a complex place. Researchers estimate our senses deliver almost a terabyte of information to our brains every day. Our brains are remarkable accomplishments of evolution, but we could not process that much data and operate effectively in day-to-day life. So, to enable us to function and still make sense of the world, we have developed strategies to deal with the deluge of data we receive. One method is to categorize some of this information into recognizable groups. Categorizing is an efficient way for our brains to process and store abstract information and quickly make decisions when presented with new scenarios.
For example, when we are young and learning about the world, we quickly acquire the ability to recognize new objects. We do not need to re-learn that each dog we see is a dog because it is a different breed or color from the ones we have seen before. Our brains categorize all the things that make a dog "a dog". Then we use that information to help us recognize the same animal species again, even if it is a breed we have never seen before.
We use this abstract categorizing technique for almost everything in our lives, from language, concepts, and communicating to everyday objects like animals and furniture. Sandra Reinert, lead author of the research study, explains that each time a child encounters a chair, it stores the experience. In accordance with similarities between the chairs, the child's brain will abstract the properties and functions of chairs by forming the category 'chair'. This allows the child to later quickly link new chairs to the category and the knowledge it contains.
Image Credit: Parilov via Shutterstock / HDR tune by Universal-Sci
Testing for abstract categorization
In experiments designed by Dr. Serina Hafner, the team presented mice with various objects in different spatial arrangements and noted where they looked, smelled, or touched each item. After this initial test phase, the researchers moved some of these objects around so that it was no longer possible for them to rely on simple cues such as smell or sight; instead, they had to rely on abstract categorizing strategies like shape or pattern recognition. The results showed that mice could learn these abstract categories and apply them correctly even with the objects rearranged.
"When we change the presentation order of objects in a room, mice have to reorganize their knowledge about the world around them," explained Dr. Hafner. "This is a hallmark of abstract categorization."
A common technique among mammals?
Humans and mice share similar cognitive and spatial abilities, but it was not easy to examine their abilities in a laboratory setting. In past research, humans were given different tasks to test their spatial understanding, but these were mostly memory or visual perception tests. The new experimental approach used by Dr. Hafner offers entirely new insight into how humans and animals learn about their surroundings - by showing that mice can categorize objects just like humans do. The Max Planck researchers believe they can use this method on a broader scale in other species, such as primates.
Dr. Hafner and her team published their study in the Nature Communications Journal. The work on mice was undertaken at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology in Martinsried, Germany and the University of Siegen in Germany, and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Sources and further reading:
If you enjoy our selection of content, consider subscribing to our newsletter
FEATURED ARTICLES:
