Individual and group housing in N-type Ca2+ Channel a1B subunit-deficient mice differently affect motor activity (2006)

Takahashi, E., Nagasu, T.

Abstract

We evaluated the effect of a 6-wk postweaning period of either individual or group housing on the activity displayed in a novel environment with or without previous habituation. Without habituation, male homozygous a1B-deficient mice showed significantly higher activity than wild-type controls, with no influence of the housing condition. When habituated, hyperactivity was seen in individually housed but not group-housed homozygous a1B-deficient mice. The results indicate that controlling for housing condition can be important when phenotypically analyzing mutant mice.