Ideal homes? Housing effects on rodent brain and behaviour
Abstract
Rodents used in biomedical research are typically reared in small cages that lack key features of their natural habitats. These conditions impose constraints on behaviour and brain development, resulting in altered brain functions. In this article, evidence for three different ways in which barren housing conditions interfere with brain development and behaviour is reviewed. Early environmental deprivation, thwarting of behavioral response rules, and disruption of habitat-dependent adaptation processes are shown to result in aberrant or maladaptive brain functions. Current standard housing conditions could therefore compromise the utility of rodents for research, especially in behavioural neuroscience. However, a better understanding of the animals' needs and of the environmental factors involved in the control of behaviour could offer a biological basis for refinement.
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Environmental enrichment reduces abnormal repetitive behaviour.
“Environmental enrichment | Reduces anxiety [196,197], stress [196,197], and abnormal repetitive behaviour [198–200]. Reduces susceptibility to epilepsy [201] and osteoarthritis [202] and modifies the pathology of neurological disorders [203]. Increases foraging behaviour in fish [204].”
From Reporting animal research: Explanation and elaboration for the ARRIVE guidelines 2.0 (2020) · cites this paper as [200]
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Self-citationHOW THE BRAIN PROCESSES SOCIAL INFORMATION: Searching for the Social Brain
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“Whether enrichment should be considered as a therapeutic intervention or the standard conditions required for developing a “normal” brain continues to be debated (Wurbel, 2001).”
Background
- Authors
- Würbel, H.
- Corresponding author
- Würbel, H
- ORCID
- Würbel, H
- Venue
- Trends in Neurosciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2001-04-01
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 207-211
- ISSN
- 0166-2236 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2056816990
- Cited by
- 471
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 26 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 26.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Trends in Neurosciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal testing and alternatives
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Keywords
- rodent housing, barren housing, animal welfare, brain development, psychobiology, environmental enrichment, animal needs
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Animals, Behavior, Animal, Environment, Housing, Animal, Research Design, Rodentia, Stereotyped Behavior, Mice, Rats
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