Mouse

The response of C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice to increased housing density

Increased numbers of mice housed per cage (that is, increased housing density) is seen as 1 way to reduce the costs of conducting biomedical research. Current empirically derived guidelines are based on the area provided per mouse depending on body...

Year Published: 2009Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Nicholson, A., Malcolm, R. D., Russ, P. L. et al. 2009. The response of C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice to increased housing density . Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science] 48(6), 740-753.

There’s a rat in my room! Now what? Mice show now chronic physiological response to the presence of rats

The study concluded that housing rats and mice in the same room is at least less disturbing than cage cleaning.

Year Published: 2009Animal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Meijer, M. K., van Loo, P. L. P., Baumans, V. 2009. There's a rat in my room! Now what? Mice show now chronic physiological response to the presence of rats. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 12, 293-305.

Organic wheatgrass as environmental enrichment

Environmental enrichment must be provided for the various animal species that are housed in laboratory animal facilities. Wheatgrass can be used as a natural form of enrichment that requires minimal preparation and effort. Wheatgrass is appropriate enrichment for cats, rabbits,...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Cat, Chicken, Finch, Guinea Pig, Mouse, Other Bird, Parrot, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Brown, C. 2010. Organic wheatgrass as environmental enrichment. Lab Animal 39(3), 74-75.

Enrichment and behavioral management programs around the world

To do justice to the diverse approaches to enrichment and behavioral management around the world would entail a discussion beyond the limits of this publication. Therefore, guidelines and regulations in a representative sample of countries in select regions of the...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: All/General, Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Bayne, K. 2010. Enrichment and behavioral management programs around the world. Enrichment Record 4, 4-7.

Housing mice on corncob bedding verus hardwood chip may confound research models

The result demonstrates that bedding material, a variable not often considered in research, could have profound influence on the data for many studies of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, or metabolism.

Year Published: 2010Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Zahorsky-Reeves, J., Castellani, L. W. 2010. Housing mice on corncob bedding verus hardwood chip may confound research models. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 655 (Abstract #PS2).

Reporting the implementation of the three Rs in European primate and mouse research papers: Are we making progress? Alternatives to Laboratory Animals 38(6), 495-517

It is now more than 20 years since both Council of Europe Convention ETS123 and EU Directive 86/609/EEC were introduced, to promote the implementation of the Three Rs in animal experimentation and to provide guidance on animal housing and care....

Year Published: 2010Topics: Regulations & Ethical ReviewAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Rodent, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Taylor K. 2010. Reporting the implementation of the three Rs in European primate and mouse research papers: Are we making progress? Alternatives to Laboratory Animals 38(6), 495-517.

Frustration and perseveration in stereotypic captive animals: Is a taste of enrichment worse than none at all?

Stereotypic behaviours are common in animals in impoverished housing, arising from two complementary processes: (1) thwarted attempts to perform motivated behaviours; (2) forebrain dysfunction impeding normal behavioural inhibition. When enriched animals are moved to impoverished housing, they are sometimes protected...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Latham, N., Mason, G. 2010. Frustration and perseveration in stereotypic captive animals: Is a taste of enrichment worse than none at all? Behavioural Brain Research 211(1), 96-104.

Transgenerational rescue of a genetic defect in long-term potentiation and memory formation by juvenile enrichment

The idea that qualities acquired from experience can be transmitted to future offspring has long been considered incompatible with current understanding of genetics. However, the recent documentation of non-Mendelian transgenerational inheritance makes such a Lamarckian -like phenomenon more plausible. Here,...

Year Published: 2009Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Arai, J. A., Li, S., Hartley, D. M. et al. 2009. Transgenerational rescue of a genetic defect in long-term potentiation and memory formation by juvenile enrichment. Journal of Neuroscience 29, 1496-1502.

Into the comfort zone – environmental enrichment for rodent metabolism cages

Several glass shelters for mice are described and demonstrated.

Year Published: 2010Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Collier, R. D. 2010. Into the comfort zone - environmental enrichment for rodent metabolism cages. Animal Technology and Welfare 9, 183-185.

Anxiolytic effect of music exposure on BDNFMet/Met transgenic mice

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been reported to play important roles in the modulation of anxiety, mood stabilizers, and pathophysiology of affective disorders. Recently, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the BDNF gene (Val66Met) has been found to be associated...

Year Published: 2010Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Li, W. J., Yu, H., Yang, J. M. et al. 2010. Anxiolytic effect of music exposure on BDNFMet/Met transgenic mice. Brain Research 1347, 71-79.