By Scottie Andrew, CNN, October 23, 2019
Hormones found in their feces showed improved emotional resilience
In sifting through their fecal matter, Lambert found both groups of rats trained to drive secreted higher levels of corticosterone and DHEA, hormones that control stress responses.
Corticosterone is a hormone animals could secrete in high-stakes scenarios like running from a wild animal or defending themselves from predators, but it can also be expressed in lower-risk tasks like doing taxes or worrying about a loved one (though rats likely aren't advanced enough to form a government, let alone impose taxes on fellow rats).
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