Effects of Cage Enrichment on Behavior, Welfare and Outcome Variability in Female Mice.

ABSTRACT: The manner in which laboratory rodents are housed is driven by economics (minimal use of space and resources), ergonomics (ease of handling and visibility of animals), hygiene, and standardization (reduction of variation). This has resulted in housing conditions that lack sensory and motor stimulation and restrict the expression of species-typical behavior. In mice, such housing conditions have been associated with indicators of impaired welfare, including abnormal repetitive behavior (stereotypies, compulsive behavior), enhanced anxiety and stress reactivity, and thermal stress. However, due to concerns that more complex environmental conditions might increase variation in experimental results, there has been considerable resistance to the implementation of environmental enrichment beyond

SUBMITTER: Bailoo JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6212514 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature