Mice have been shown to be able to provide first aid for resuscitation

A new study has found surprising behavior in mice that attempt to “revive” unconscious members of their own species. Scientists say the experimental observations suggest that the instinct to help others in distress may be deeply rooted in our mammalian heritage.

During the experiments, the scientists noticed activation of brain regions responsible for involuntary functions and hormonal signals, which, according to the authors, plays a critical role in resuscitation. Although the actions of the mice can be characterized as "first aid", their methods differ significantly from those of humans: instead of the usual routine actions that people are accustomed to, the rodents use more physical and aggressive techniques. One of the effective techniques revealed during the experiment was pulling out the tongue of their comrades, which, as the scientists showed, helps to widen the airways and speed up recovery.

Similar rescue behavior has previously been observed in large-brained mammals such as dolphins and elephants, but it has not yet been studied in detail among smaller mammals. The study found that while mice are prone to helping others, their actions may be driven by a personal attachment to those in need, as they are more likely to try to resuscitate familiar mice.

Using different experimental scenarios, the researchers placed dead or immobile rodents, including both familiar and unfamiliar mice, into cages. As a result of these observations, it was found that in 50 percent of cases, the mice tried to pull their tongues out of the mouths of their immobile mice.

Physiologist Li Zhang describes the process, noting that the mice began by examining and sniffing their mates, then moved on to more intense physical interactions, including tongue extension. It should be noted that such rescue operations were observed only in those who were truly “dead” or unconscious, not in those who were sleeping.

The neuroscientists also drew attention to their findings about how certain areas of the brain are activated in response to actions that can be considered "first aid." Changes in activity in the medial amygdala indicate a special mechanism for important responses to real threats, which is different from the reactions when interacting with animals experiencing stress.

Oxytocin, known as the “love hormone,” was also found to be highly secreted in the paraventricular nucleus of mice attempting to resuscitate their fellow mice. This hormone plays an important role in social attachment and caregiving, highlighting the importance of interpersonal interactions even in the animal kingdom.

The results of this study confirm that the urge to help others under stress is not unique to humans, but is common to many species, including mice. As neuroscientists William Sheeran and Zoe Donaldson comment, the findings challenge traditional ideas about how deeply ingrained caregiving instincts are in the animal kingdom, suggesting a new direction for further research.