Environmental Enrichment

The effects of environmental enrichment and social isolation and their reversion on anxiety and fear conditioning

Animal models of fear and anxiety provide important insight into anxiety-related symptoms in humans. Environmental physical conditions and social contact influence behavior and brain plasticity particularly at early developmental stages and have long lasting effects reaching even adulthood. The potential...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Mora-Gallegos, A., Fornaguera, J. 2019. The effects of environmental enrichment and social isolation and their reversion on anxiety and fear conditioning. Behavioural Processes 158, 59-69.

The impact of changeability of enriched environment on exploration in rats

Although the positive effect of environmental enrichment on animals' cognitive capacities is well-known, it remains unclear what role changeability plays in this context. Our study aims to analyse the impact of environmental changeability on the level of exploration and the...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Modlinska, K., Chrzanowska, A., Pisula, W. 2019. The impact of changeability of enriched environment on exploration in rats. Behavioural Processes 164, 78-85.

Executing specific foraging behaviours does not represent a general goal state of foraging in dry sows (Sus scrofa)

Intensively housed domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) have little opportunity to perform diverse foraging behaviour though they still seem strongly motivated to do so. Here, we investigated whether the execution of specific behaviours may in itself satisfy their foraging motivation. We...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Moser, J., Burla, J.-B., Gygax, L. 2019. Executing specific foraging behaviours does not represent a general goal state of foraging in dry sows (Sus scrofa). Behavioural Processes 164, 115-122.

A computerized testing system for primates: Cognition, welfare, and the Rumbaughx

Innovations in apparatus technology come about for a variety of reasons such as the need to use the same methodology with various species, the opportunity to present dynamic and carefully controlled stimuli, the goal of using automation to make data...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Perdue, B. M., Beran, M. J., Washburn, D. A. 2018. A computerized testing system for primates: Cognition, welfare, and the Rumbaughx. Behavioural Processes 156, 37-50.

Environmentally enriched pigs have transcriptional profiles consistent with neuroprotective effects and reduced microglial activity

Environmental enrichment (EE) is widely used to study the effects of external factors on brain development, function and health in rodent models, but very little is known of the effects of EE on the brain in a large animal model...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Brown, S.M., Bush, S.J., Summers, K.M. et al. 2018. Environmentally enriched pigs have transcriptional profiles consistent with neuroprotective effects and reduced microglial activity. Behavioural Brain Research 350, 6-15.

Effects of combined pre- and post-natal enrichment on anxiety-like, social, and cognitive behaviours in juvenile and adult rat offspring

The pre- and post-natal periods are characterized by unrivalled growth and are sensitive to environmental changes. A correctly stimulating early environment is essential for developing natural behaviors and maintaining affective wellness. Five litters of rat progeny were co-housed through gestation...

Year Published: 2018Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Sparling, J. E., Baker, S. L., Bielajew, C. 2018. Effects of combined pre- and post-natal enrichment on anxiety-like, social, and cognitive behaviours in juvenile and adult rat offspring. Behavioural Brain Research 353, 40-50.

Distinct environmental enrichment protocols reduce anxiety but differentially modulate pain sensitivity in rats

Environmental enrichment (EE) can alter anxiety as well as perception of nociceptive stimuli, suggesting a relationship between well-being and analgesia. Considering that, we aimed to evaluate the influence of different EE types on anxiety and peripheral pain sensitivity of male...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Faggionato Kimura, L., Mattaraia, V. G. M., Picolo, G. 2019. Distinct environmental enrichment protocols reduce anxiety but differentially modulate pain sensitivity in rats. Behavioural Brain Research 364, 442-446.

Voluntary exercise reduces plasma cortisol levels and improves transitory memory impairment in young and aged Octodon degus

Sleep deprivation (SD) has been reported to induce transient cognitive impairment in functional domains commonly affected in dementia, including memory. Indeed, sleep disturbance has been proposed as an early marker for Alzheimer's disease (AD). SD emulates many aging-related modifications, including...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Other Rodent, Rodent

Citation: Estrada, C., Cuenca, L., Cano-Fernandez, L. et al. 2019. Voluntary exercise reduces plasma cortisol levels and improves transitory memory impairment in young and aged Octodon degus. Behavioural Brain Research 373, 112066.

Music exposure attenuates anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and increases hippocampal spine density in male rats

Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that early-life stress (ELS) may lead to the development of mental disorders in adulthood. Maternal separation (MS) is a valid animal model of ELS that produces detrimental effects on brain and behavior of experimental animals....

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Papadakakis, A., Sidiropoulou, K., Panagis, G. 2019. Music exposure attenuates anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and increases hippocampal spine density in male rats. Behavioural Brain Research 372, 112023.

Three little pigs! straw, sticks and bricks: ‘I’ll blow your house down’

In order for a scientific project involving animals to run smoothly, it is essential that the Animal Technologists have a good understanding of both the animals they are dealing with and of the project itself. Therefore our input to the...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Duckett, L., Phelon, L., Wheeler, L. 2018.Three little pigs! straw, sticks and bricks: ‘I'll blow your house down'. Animal Technology and Welfare 17(3), 201-203 (IAT Congress 2018 Poster Presentation).