Environmental Enrichment

Effects of different forms of environmental enrichment on behavioral, endocrinological, and immunological parameters in male mice

Animals were kept in groups of four males under three different housing conditions: (A) nonstructured Makrolon type III laboratory cages ( standard-housing = S); (B) equivalent laboratory cages that were enriched with a box and a scaffolding ( enriched-housing =...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Marashi, V., Barnekow, A., Ossendorf, E. et al. 2003. Effects of different forms of environmental enrichment on behavioral, endocrinological, and immunological parameters in male mice. Hormones and Behavior 43, 281-292.

The effect of an environmental enrichment device on individually caged rabbits in a safety assessment facility

Our study supports previous findings that interaction with enrichment devices decreases over time, thus indicating the need for frequent rotation of different enrichment devices. In addition, no adverse effects of the analyzed parameters were found, indicating that stainless-steel rabbit rattles...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Johnson, C. A., Pallozzi, W. A., Geiger, L. et al. 2003. The effect of an environmental enrichment device on individually caged rabbits in a safety assessment facility. Contemporary Topics in Laboratory Animal Science 42(5), 27-30.

Foraging as environmental enrichment for laboratory rats: A theoretical review

Foraging opportunities are a form of environmental enrichment with great potential to improve the welfare of animals in laboratories. Though commonly used with zoo animals, little evidence exists of their use in laboratories. Technicians or other laboratory staff are unlikely...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Johnson, S. R., Patterson-Kane, E. G. 2003. Foraging as environmental enrichment for laboratory rats: A theoretical review. Animal Technology and Welfare 2, 13-22.

Environmental influence on recovery after brain lesions – experimental andclinical data

Experimental studies on focal cerebral infarcts in the rat have demonstrated that postischemic environmental enrichment significantly improves functional outcome, increases dendrite branching and number of dendritic spines in the contralateral cortex, influences expression of many genes and modifies lesion-induced stem...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Johansson, B. B. 2003. Environmental influence on recovery after brain lesions - experimental andclinical data. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 41(Supplement), 11-16.

Environmental enrichment decreases nicotine-induced hyperactivity in rats

Environmental enrichment during development reduces the stimulant effect of nicotine.

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Green, T. A., Cain, M. E., Thompson, M. et al. 2003. Environmental enrichment decreases nicotine-induced hyperactivity in rats. Psychopharmacology 170, 235-241.

Enrichment enhances spatial memory and increases synaptophysin levels in aged female mice

Female C57BL/6 mice, (4 or 27-28 months), were tested in spatial and cued Morris water maze tasks. Prior to (14 days) and during testing, a subset of aged females was exposed to rodent toys and running wheels for 3h per...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Frick, K. M., Fernandez, S. M. 2003. Enrichment enhances spatial memory and increases synaptophysin levels in aged female mice. Neurobiology of Aging 24, 615-626.

Regional effects of wheel running and environmental enrichment on cell genesis and microglia proliferation in the adult murine neocortex

Voluntary wheel running, in contrast, caused an induction in the proliferation of microglia in superficial cortical layers of several brain regions.

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Ehninger, D., Kempermann, G. 2003. Regional effects of wheel running and environmental enrichment on cell genesis and microglia proliferation in the adult murine neocortex. Cerebral Cortex 13, 845-851.

Alterations of neocortical pyramidal cell phenotype in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome: effects of environmental enrichment

Pyramidal cells in environmentally enriched control animals were significantly more branched and more spinous than non-enriched controls. However, environmental enrichment had little effect on pyramidal cell structure in Ts65Dn mice.

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Dierssen, M., Benavides-Piccione, R., Martinez-Cue, C. et al. 2003. Alterations of neocortical pyramidal cell phenotype in the Ts65Dn mouse model of Down syndrome: effects of environmental enrichment. Cerebral Cortex 13, 758-765.

Male management: coping with aggression problems in male laboratory mice

We review results from the literature and our own research with regard to coping with excessive aggressive behaviour in male laboratory mice. Based on this review practical recommendations concerning the housing and care of male laboratory mice are formulated. In...

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Van Loo, P. L. P., Van Zutphen, L. F. M., Baumans, V. 2003. Male management: coping with aggression problems in male laboratory mice. Laboratory Animals 37( ), 300-313.

A systematic approach towards developing environmental enrichment for pigs

These results underline the importance of enrichment for pigs which stimulates foraging and explorative behaviour.

Year Published: 2003Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Van de Weerd, H. A., Docking, C. M., Day, J. E. L. et al. 2003. A systematic approach towards developing environmental enrichment for pigs . Applied Animal Behaviour Science 84 , 101-118.