Rat

Effect of individual versus group caging on the incidence of pituitary and Leydig cell tumors in F344 rats: proposed mechanism

Housing rats in groups seems to be less stressful for the animals than housing them alone.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Nyska, A., Leininger, J. R., Maronpot, R. R. 1998. Effect of individual versus group caging on the incidence of pituitary and Leydig cell tumors in F344 rats: proposed mechanism. Medical Hypotheses 50, 525-529.

Investigation into the preference of laboratory rats for nest-boxes and nesting materials

Nest-boxes of opaque or semi-opaque materials were preferred to transparent ones and those with enclosed corners were preferred to nest-boxes with open ends. ... A new nest-box was designed, incorporating features apparently attractive to the animals. ... Rats were exposed...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Manser, C. E., Broom, D. M., Overend, P. et al. 1998a. Investigation into the preference of laboratory rats for nest-boxes and nesting materials. Laboratory Animals 32, 23-35.

Operant studies to determine the strength of preference in laboratory rats for nest-boxes and nesting material

It was shown that the rats would carry out more work to reach a nest-box, with or without nesting material, than to reach an empty cage.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Manser, C. E., Broom, D. M., Overend, P. et al. 1998b. Operant studies to determine the strength of preference in laboratory rats for nest-boxes and nesting material. Laboratory Animals 32, 36-41.

Anticipation of play elicits high-frequency ultrasonic vocalizations in young rats

The authors provide initial documentation that juvenile rats emit short, high-frequency ultrasonic vocalizations (high USVs, approximately 55 kHz) during rough-and-tumble play. In an observational study, they further observe that these vocalizations both correlate with and predict appetitive components of the...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Knutson, B., Burgdorf, J., Panksepp, J. 1998. Anticipation of play elicits high-frequency ultrasonic vocalizations in young rats. Journal of Comparative Psychology 112, 65-73.

Increased number and size of dendritic spines in ipsilateral barrel field cortex following unilateral whisker trimming in postnatal rats

The barrel field area of the primary somatosensory cortex of rodents is a fertile ground for investigating experience-dependent plasticity and its mechanisms, because the neurons in its layer IV are distributed in groups (barrels) which correspond somatotopically to the vibrissae...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Vees, A. M., Micheava, K. D., Beaulieu, C. et al. 1998. Increased number and size of dendritic spines in ipsilateral barrel field cortex following unilateral whisker trimming in postnatal rats. Journal of Comparative Neurology 400, 110-124.

Antistress pattern induced by oxytocin

The antistress effects caused by oxytocin may have health-promoting effects.

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Uvnas-Moberg, K. 1998. Antistress pattern induced by oxytocin. News in Physiological Science 13, 22-26.

Oxytocin may mediate the benefits of positive social interaction and emotions

During breastfeeding or suckling, maternal oxytocin levels are raised by somatosensory stimulation. Oxytocin may, however, also be released by nonnoxious stimuli such as touch, warm temperature etc. in plasma and in cerebrospinal fluid. Consequently, oxytocin may be involved in physiological...

Year Published: 1998Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Uvnas-Moberg, K. 1998. Oxytocin may mediate the benefits of positive social interaction and emotions. Psychoneuroendocrinology 23(8), 819-835.

Effect of predatory stress on sucrose intake and behavior on the plus-maze in male mice

The authors accomodated mice in the same room as rats, and noticed that these mice left a higher number of fecal boli in the elevated plus-maze test and that they showed a higher level of anxiety than control rats. It...

Year Published: 1999Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Calvo-Torrent, A., Brain, P. F., Martinez, M. 1999. Effect of predatory stress on sucrose intake and behavior on the plus-maze in male mice. Physiology and Behavior 67, 189-196.

Preliminary behaviour data for single and pair housed rats

Singly housed rats spent most of the time in the back of the cage, while pairs spent most time by the food hoppers. This may have been exacerbated by the presence of humans, as pair housed rats were more confident...

Year Published: 1999Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Heath, M. 1999. Preliminary behaviour data for single and pair housed rats. Animal Technology 50, 47-48.

Working together to improve rodent well-being

Highlights of the RSPCA/UFAW Rodent Welfare Group reports. Barn-dried, first-cut hay is pliable enough for the transgenic mice to construct ball-shaped nests, connected chambers, and runs (paper materials are not suitable). .... When supplied with hay, gerbils become very active...

Year Published: 1999Animal Type: Gerbil, Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Hawkins, P. 1999. Working together to improve rodent well-being. Lab Animal 28(2), 30-32.