Environmental Enrichment

Effect of environmental enrichment on the reproductive performance of FVB breeding mice

The results suggest that while the enrichment devices [transparent dome with or without activity wheel] .. provided for species-ypical behavior, their use is associated with longer inter-birth intervals and smaller litters in FVB breeding mice.

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

Citation: Martin, J., Nichols, D., Jenson, R. et al. 2004. Effect of environmental enrichment on the reproductive performance of FVB breeding mice. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 149(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.

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.

Environmental enrichment results in cortical and subcortical changes in levels of synaptophysin and PSD-95 proteins

Experience-dependent plasticity is thought to involve selective change in pre-existing brain circuits, involving synaptic plasticity. One model for looking at experience-dependent plasticity is environmental enrichment (EE), where animals are exposed to a complex novel environment. Previous studies using electron microscopy...

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

Citation: Nithianantharajah, J., Levis, H., Murphy, M. 2004. Environmental enrichment results in cortical and subcortical changes in levels of synaptophysin and PSD-95 proteins. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 81, 200-210.

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.

E2 = 3R + 2Q: Calculating species-appropriate environmental enrichment

Species appropriate environmental enrichment should be provided to improve both animal welfare and the quality of research data. For research animals, species-appropriate Environmental Enrichment (E2) can be considered as a function of the 3 R's (3R) and the Quantity and...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Sherwin, C. M. 2004. E2 = 3R + 2Q: Calculating species-appropriate environmental enrichment. Proceedings of the International Congress on Applied Ethology, 132 (Abstract).

Consequences of enhancing environmental complexity for laboratory rodents – a review with emphasis on the rat

Where the behavioural benefits of environmental enrichment justify the use of more animals [increased variabilty], better welfare should be more highly valued than a reduction in the number of animals used.

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

Citation: Sorensen, D. B., Ottesen, J. L., Hansen, A. K. 2004. Consequences of enhancing environmental complexity for laboratory rodents - a review with emphasis on the rat. Animal Welfare 13, 193-204.

The effect of environmental manipulation on behavior, salivary cortisol, and growth of piglets weaned at 14 days of age

Environmental enrichment [hanging rope and rubber tire tube] results in less anomalous behaviour, reduced fear response to humans and better growth. Environmental enrichment did not affect salivary cortisol.

Year Published: 2004Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Rodarte, L. F., Ducoing, A., Galindo, F. 2004. The effect of environmental manipulation on behavior, salivary cortisol, and growth of piglets weaned at 14 days of age. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 7, 171-179.

Environmental enrichment enhances auditory takeover of the occipital cortex in anophthalmic mice

Enrichment of the environment is an effective means of enhancing neuronal development and plasticity but its effect on the cross-modal compensation resulting from sensory deprivation has never been investigated. The present study used c-Fos immunohistochemistry and dextran-biotin neuronal tracing to...

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

Citation: Piche, M., Robert, S., Miceli, D. et al. 2004. Environmental enrichment enhances auditory takeover of the occipital cortex in anophthalmic mice. European Journal of Neuroscience 20, 3463-3472.

Long-term effects of the periadolescent environment on exploratory activity and aggressive behaviour in mice: social versus physical enrichment

The aims of the present study were (i) to investigate the effects of environmental enrichment during periadolescence on different behavioural and neurochemical responses in male CD-1 mice at adulthood and (ii) to describe the relative role of the physical and...

Year Published: 2004Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Pietropaolo, S., Branchi, I., Cirulli, F. et al. 2004. Long-term effects of the periadolescent environment on exploratory activity and aggressive behaviour in mice: social versus physical enrichment. Physiology and Behavior 81, 443-453.