Mouse

Assessing rodent well-being: Report of the 2001 RSPCA/UFAW rodent welfare group meeting

The meetings focused on techniques for assessing pain, suffering and sitress in mice and rats and monitoring the impact of procedures on their welfare.

Year Published: 2002Animal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P., Roughan, J., Wilson, A. et al. 2002. Assessing rodent well-being: Report of the 2001 RSPCA/UFAW rodent welfare group meeting. Animal Technology and Welfare 1, 3-12.

Assessing the welfare of genetically modified mice

The present study addresses how the welfare of genetically modified mice can be assessed.

Year Published: 2002Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Francis, R. J. 2002. Assessing the welfare of genetically modified mice. Animal Technology and Welfare 1, 19-21.

Improving housing conditions for laboratory mice: A review of ‘environmental enrichment’

We have reviewed 40 studies carried out between 1987 and 2000, in which preferences as well as the effect of housing modifications have been studied. Mice will work for access to nesting material and make use of this material to...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Olsson, I. A. S., Dahlborn, K. 2002. Improving housing conditions for laboratory mice: A review of 'environmental enrichment'. Laboratory Animals 36, 243-270.

An enriched environment increases noradrenaline concentration in the mouse brain

After being exposed to an enriched environment for 40 days, noradrenaline content was increased significantly in the parieto-temporo-occipital cortex, the cerebellum and the pons/medulla oblongata. In contrast, no changes were observed in serotonin or dopamine levels in these same regions.

Year Published: 2002Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Naka, F., Shiga, T., Yaguchi, M. et al. 2002. An enriched environment increases noradrenaline concentration in the mouse brain. Brain Research 924, 124-126.

Music, immunity and cancer

The effects of music on the immune system and cancer development were evaluated in rodents subjected to sound stress. Animals were exposed daily to broad band noise around midnight and/or music for 5 hours on the following morning. Thymus and...

Year Published: 2002Animal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Nunez, M. J., Mana, P., Linares, D. et al. 2002. Music, immunity and cancer. Life Science 71, 1047-1057.

Impact of environmental enrichment in mice

Animals at 3 weeks of age were marked and separated randomly to enriched or non-enriched cages, in groups of four, half for each housing condition. Both cages were type III Makrolon cages, only the enriched cages contained a nest box,...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Tsai, P. P., Pachowsky, U., Stelzer, H. D. et al. 2002. Impact of environmental enrichment in mice. 1: Effect of housing conditions on body weight, organ weights and haematology in different strains. Laboratory Animals 36, 441-419.

Comfortable quarters for mice in research institutions

Very useful guidelines for the species-adequate housing of mice. In providing comfortable quarters for mice, there are several '-isms' we should avoid. We should avoid speceisism and remember there is no evidence to suggest that mice do NOT have the...

Year Published: 2002Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Sherwin, C. M. 2002. Comfortable quarters for mice in research institutions. In: Comfortable Quarters for Laboratory Animals, Ninth Edition. Reinhardt, V. , Reinhardt, A. (eds.), 6-17. Animal Welfare Institute, Washington, DC.

Why every scientist should care about animal welfare: Abnormal repetitive behavior and brain function in captive animals

Barren laboratory housing also induces abnormal behaviors in many species, particularly stereotypies, fur and feather plucking, and self-mutilation. Similar behaviors in human mental disorder are correlated with dysfunction in brain areas that control the selection and sequencing of behavior. Experiments...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Abnormal/Problematic BehaviorAnimal Type: All/General, Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Garner, J. P. 2002. Why every scientist should care about animal welfare: Abnormal repetitive behavior and brain function in captive animals. Proceedings of the World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences, 95 (Abstract).

The effects of environmental enrichment on murine immune response

Breeding pairs in cages that included enrichment (nestlets, jars, a ladder) had significantly fewer litter than the pairs in cages that did not (p

Year Published: 2002Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: VandeWound, S., Rollin, M., Avery, A. 2002. The effects of environmental enrichment on murine immune response. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 41(4), 69 (Abstract).

Influence of cage enrichment on aggressive behaviour and physiological parameters in male mice

From welfare perspective group housing of mice is preferred over individual housing. Group housing of male laboratory mice, however, often leads to problems due to excessive aggressive behaviour. ... Overall, nesting material reduced aggressive behaviour, while a shelter increased aggressive...

Year Published: 2002Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Kruitwagen, C. L. J. J., Koolhaas, J. M. et al. 2002. Influence of cage enrichment on aggressive behaviour and physiological parameters in male mice. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 76, 65-81.