Effects of a cage enrichment program on heart rate, blood pressure, and activity of male sprague-dawley and spontaneously hypertensive rats monitored by radiotelemetry (2005)

Sharp, J., Azar, T., Lawson, D.

Abstract

Enrichment comprised a simulated burrow (Rodent Retreat), then a food foraging item (rat cannoli) 2 days later, and a paper bag of bedding for shredding (Nestpak) after another 2 days. Data were collected under undisturbed conditions and before and after several acute and chronic manipulations mimicking common husbandry, experimental, and stressful procedures. Enrichment often, but not always, reduced HR and SBP in male rats, suggesting decreased arousal and stress, and the effects depended on the parameter measured, strain of rat, and nature of the procedure to which animals were exposed.