Rodent

From house mouse to mouse house: the behavioural biology of free-living Mus musculus and its implications in the laboratory

We review research and pest control literatures on the free-living house mouse (Mus musculus), analysing its sensory world, developmental processes and behaviour to suggest how laboratory environments might affect mouse welfare, normalcy, test design, and behaviour.

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Latham, N., Mason, G. 2004. From house mouse to mouse house: the behavioural biology of free-living Mus musculus and its implications in the laboratory. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 86, 261-289.

Animal Research Review Panel [ARRP] Guideline 20: Guidelines for the Housing of Rats in Scientific Institutions – DRAFT

Very useful, practical guidelines for the species-appropriate care and housing of rats.

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: NewSouthWales [NSW] Agriculture 2004. Animal Research Review Panel [ARRP] Guideline 20: Guidelines for the Housing of Rats in Scientific Institutions - DRAFT. NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange, NSW.

Effect of conditioning on the increase of heart rate and body temperature provoked by handling in the mouse

Handling and restraint of mice are common procedures in the laboratory animal house. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether conditioning of mice with an acoustic stimulus (10kHz, 60dB), can reduce the stress effects of these routine...

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Kramer, K., van de Weerd, H., Mulder, A. et al. 2004. Effect of conditioning on the increase of heart rate and body temperature provoked by handling in the mouse. Alternatives to Laboratory Animals [ATLA] 32(Supplement), 177-181.

Effects of environmental enrichment on behavior and dopamine transporter function in medial prefrontal cortex in adult rats prenatally treated with cocaine

It was suggested that environmental enrichment attenuates the behavioral and neurochemical effects of prenatal cocaine.

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Neugebauer, N. M., Cunningham, S. T., Zhu, J. et al. 2004. Effects of environmental enrichment on behavior and dopamine transporter function in medial prefrontal cortex in adult rats prenatally treated with cocaine. Brain research 153, 213-223.

Partner’s stress status influences social buffering effects in rats

The relationship between a social partner's stress status and the social buffering effect was examined in adult male Wistar rats. Fear-conditioned rats were exposed to the same context along with either a shocked or nonshocked conspecific partner. Changes in body...

Year Published: 2004Animal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Kiyokawa, Y., Kikusui, T., Takeuchi, Y. et al. 2004. Partner's stress status influences social buffering effects in rats. Behavioral Neuroscience 118, 798-804.

Environmental enrichment during adolescence reverses the effects of prenatal stress on anxiety-related behaviour and stress in rats

Environmental enrichment during adolescence reverses the effects of prenatal stress on anxiety-related behavior.

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Morley-Fletcher, S., Rea, M., Laviola, G. 2004. Environmental enrichment during adolescence reverses the effects of prenatal stress on anxiety-related behaviour and stress in rats. Animal Welfare 13(S), 251 (Abstract).

Environmental enrichment options for laboratory rats and mice

Environmental enrichment is the alteration of animals' microenvironment to provide them with the opportunity to perfrom species-specific behaviors that we perceive as positive, while reducing abnormal behaviors. [p. 39] Several interesting products are now available commercially, and I will review...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Key, D. 2004. Environmental enrichment options for laboratory rats and mice. Lab Animal 33(2), 39-44.

Providing shelter does not complicate manipulation in two mouse strains

Enrichment in the form of sheltering objects [PVC tubes] does not complicate catching or handling mice and does not interfere with management or cost of laboratory animals. FVB males should not be kept together unless such enrichment is provided.

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Moons, C., Van Wiele, P., ?dberg, F. O. 2004. Providing shelter does not complicate manipulationin two mouse strains. Proceedings of the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations [FELASA] Symposium, 212 (Abstract).

Gene expression profiling in the intact and injured brain following environmental enrichment

The larger number of genes responsive to enrichment in the contralesional cortex (59 gene regulations) as compared to the analogous area (i.e. sensorimotor cortex) of the intact brain (17 gene regulations) likely reflects increased susceptibility for plastic changes due to...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Keyvani, K., Sachser, N., Witte, O. W. et al. 2004. Gene expression profiling in the intact and injured brain followingenvironmental enrichment. Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology 63, 598-609.

To enrich or not to enrich: providing shelter does not complicate handling of laboratory mice

It is argued that when laboratory mice can routinely retreat in sheltering objects when humans are present, they do not habituate to humans and continue to shy away, thereby increasing the time needed for husbandry and testing procedures. ... We...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HandlingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Moons, C., Van Wiele, P., ?dberg, F. O. 2004. To enrich or not to enrich: providing shelter does not complicate handling of laboratory mice. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 43(4), 18-21.