日本研究人員3月26日說(shuō),，老鼠等嚙齒動(dòng)物經(jīng)過(guò)訓(xùn)練，也能學(xué)會(huì)使用工具并理解工具的用途,?？茖W(xué)家此前普遍認(rèn)為，只有靈長(zhǎng)類動(dòng)物和一些鳥(niǎo)類能使用工具,。
日本理化研究所研究人員選取6只成年八齒鼠作為實(shí)驗(yàn)對(duì)象,，訓(xùn)練它們用微型T型耙取食物。八齒鼠原產(chǎn)智利,，是一種體型較小的老鼠,。整個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)為期60天。這些八齒鼠在實(shí)驗(yàn)最后階段全部能夠熟練使用T型耙,，它們能抓住T型耙,，順利將前方的食物耙到自己身邊。
研究人員認(rèn)為,，這項(xiàng)研究顯示,，動(dòng)物能否使用工具，最重要的是“社會(huì)-生態(tài)學(xué)”因素。主持這項(xiàng)研究的岡屋和夫(音譯)說(shuō)：“傳統(tǒng)觀點(diǎn)認(rèn)為,，使用工具是一種高級(jí)能力,。但屬于嚙齒動(dòng)物綱的動(dòng)物如果經(jīng)過(guò)相應(yīng)訓(xùn)練，也可以做到這一點(diǎn),。”岡屋說(shuō),，這項(xiàng)研究意味著種類相當(dāng)廣泛的動(dòng)物存在學(xué)會(huì)使用工具的可能。
研究人員還發(fā)現(xiàn),，八齒鼠還能識(shí)別有用的工具。在一項(xiàng)測(cè)試中,，他們?cè)谶@些八齒鼠面前放上兩種耙子,，一種耙子可以實(shí)際使用，八齒鼠也較為熟悉,；另一種耙子沒(méi)有耙釘,，或者耙釘凸起，沒(méi)有實(shí)際功能,。
結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn),，在大多數(shù)情況下，八齒鼠會(huì)毫不猶豫地選擇具有實(shí)際功能的耙子,，而且它們?cè)谧鞒稣_選擇時(shí),，不會(huì)受工具顏色或大小的干擾。
研究人員說(shuō),，成功使用系統(tǒng)方法訓(xùn)練嚙齒動(dòng)物操作工具,、理解工具用途，這在世界上尚屬首次,。
這項(xiàng)研究成果發(fā)表在美國(guó)《公共科學(xué)圖書(shū)館·綜合》（PLoS ONE）上,。（來(lái)源：新華網(wǎng)）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
（PLoS ONE），doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001860,，Kazuo Okanoya,，Atsushi Iriki
Tool-Use Training in a Species of Rodent: The Emergence of an Optimal Motor Strategy and Functional Understanding
Kazuo Okanoya1, Naoko Tokimoto1,2, Noriko Kumazawa2, Sayaka Hihara2, Atsushi Iriki2*
1 Laboratory for Biolinguistics, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan2 Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan
Abstract
Background
Tool use is defined as the manipulation of an inanimate object to change the position or form of a separate object. The expansion of cognitive niches and tool-use capabilities probably stimulated each other in hominid evolution. To understand the causes of cognitive expansion in humans, we need to know the behavioral and neural basis of tool use. Although a wide range of animals exhibit tool use in nature, most studies have focused on primates and birds on behavioral or psychological levels and did not directly address questions of which neural modifications contributed to the emergence of tool use. To investigate such questions, an animal model suitable for cellular and molecular manipulations is needed.
Methodology/Principal Findings
We demonstrated for the first time that rodents can be trained to use tools. Through a step-by-step training procedure, we trained degus (Octodon degus) to use a rake-like tool with their forelimbs to retrieve otherwise out-of-reach rewards. Eventually, they mastered effective use of the tool, moving it in an elegant trajectory. After the degus were well trained, probe tests that examined whether they showed functional understanding of the tool were performed. Degus did not hesitate to use tools of different size, colors, and shapes, but were reluctant to use the tool with a raised nonfunctional blade. Thus, degus understood the functional and physical properties of the tool after extensive training.
Conclusions/Significance
Our findings suggest that tool use is not a specific faculty resulting from higher intelligence, but is a specific combination of more general cognitive faculties. Studying the brains and behaviors of trained rodents can provide insights into how higher cognitive functions might be broken down into more general faculties, and also what cellular and molecular mechanisms are involved in the emergence of such cognitive functions.
