- Experts isolated the brain circuits that coordinate predatory hunting
- Switching on targeted neurons signalled mice to use their jaws to bite
- Mice took on qualities of ‘walkers’ from The Walking Dead
- But the analogy is limited – mice only wanted to bite when hungry and did not attack their peers
They’re known for their timidity and love of cheese, but scientists have tapped into the ‘killer instinct’ of mice, to turn them into aggressive ‘zombies’.
Researchers isolated the brain circuitry in mice that coordinates predatory hunting, including one set of neurons in the amygdala – the brain’s centre of emotion and motivation, making the animal pursue prey.
They also ‘switched on’ another set in the brain region signalling the animal to use its jaw and neck muscles to bite anything in its path – a little like a fictional zombie…
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