Effect of Environmental Enrichment on Stress Related Systems in Rats
Abstract
The aim of this study was to test whether environmental enrichment alters the status and responsiveness of pituitary‐adrenocortical and sympathetic‐adrenomedullary hormones in rats. Previous studies have shown that rats kept in an enriched environment differ from those kept in standard cages in dendritic branching, synaptogenesis, memory function, emotionality and behaviour. In male Wistar rats kept in an enriched environment for 40 days, we studied basal concentrations of hormones, endocrine responses to 5‐HT 1A challenge and responsiveness and adaptation to repeated handling. Environmental enrichment consisted of large plexiglass cages with 10 rats per cage, which contained variety of objects exchanged three times a week. Rats kept in this enriched environment had higher resting plasma concentrations of corticosterone, larger adrenals and increased corticosterone release to buspirone challenge compared to controls. Lower adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticosterone and adrenaline responses to handling were noticed in rats kept in an enriched environment. Exposure to repeated handling led to a more rapid extinction of corticosterone responses in rats kept in an enriched environment. Thus, environmental enrichment leads to pronounced changes in neuroendocrine regulation, including larger adrenals and increased adrenocortical function, which are so far considered to be indication of chronic stress.
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Independent of early life conditions, complex housing lowered body weight in both males and females.
“Independent of early life conditions, complex housing also lowered body weight in both males and females [as we and others have seen before (Moncek et al., 2004; Peña et al., 2006; Harati et al., 2013; van der Veen et al., 2015)].”
From Effects of Maternal Deprivation and Complex Housing on Rat Social Behavior in Adolescence and Adulthood (2018) · cites this paper as Moncek et al., 2004
Complex housed rats habituate faster to novel situations.
“Previously we and others have shown that complex housed rats habituate faster to novel situations (Zimmermann et al., 2001; Moncek et al., 2004; van der Veen et al., 2015)”
From Effects of Maternal Deprivation and Complex Housing on Rat Social Behavior in Adolescence and Adulthood (2018) · cites this paper as Moncek et al., 2004
Environmental enrichment paradigms that promote resilience in rodents reduce ACTH and corticosterone responses to stress.
“environmental enrichment paradigms that promote resilience in rodents also reduce ACTH and corticosterone responses to stress”
From Neurobiology of resilience (2012) · cites this paper as [84]
The reduction of ACTH and corticosterone responses by enrichment suggests a link among genetic, experience-based, and epigenetic factors.
“suggesting an interesting link among genetic, experience–based, and epigenetic factors84”
From Neurobiology of resilience (2012) · cites this paper as [84]
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- Authors
- Moncek, F., Duncko, R., Johansson, B. B., & Jezova, D.
- Affiliations
- Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK)
- Lund University (SE)
- Venue
- Journal of Neuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2004-04-29
- Volume
- 16
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 423-431
- ISSN
- 0953-8194 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2826
- OpenAlex
- W2154494913
- Cited by
- 282
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 21
- FWCI
- 5.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- European Commission
- Vedecká Grantová Agentúra MŠVVaŠ SR a SAV
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Keywords
- environmental enrichment, chronic stress, pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathoadrenal system, corticosterone, ACTH, epinephrine, 5-HT1A receptor, handling stress, adrenal gland size, neuroendocrine regulation, rats
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Adrenal Glands, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Animals, Body Weight, Buspirone, Corticosterone, Habituation, Psychophysiologic, Handling, Psychological, Housing, Animal, Male, Neurosecretory Systems, Organ Size, Play and Playthings, Social Environment, Stress, Psychological, Anti-Anxiety Agents, Rats, Wistar, Serotonin Receptor Agonists, Rats
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