1
|
Castelhano-Carlos MJ. Announcement of the V SPCAL Congress. Lab Anim 2023; 57:586-587. [PMID: 37819574 DOI: 10.1177/00236772231197935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
|
2
|
Eraslan E, Castelhano-Carlos MJ, Amorim L, Soares-Cunha C, Rodrigues AJ, Sousa N. Home-cage behavior is impacted by stress exposure in rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1195011. [PMID: 37358966 PMCID: PMC10288110 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1195011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Being social animals, rats exhibit a range of social behaviors that help them build social bonds and maintain group cohesion. Behavior is influenced by multiple factors, including stress exposure, and the expression of the impact of stress on both social and non-social behaviors may also be affected by the living conditions of rats. In this study, we explored the physiological and behavioral effects of chronic unpredictable stress on group-housed rats in the PhenoWorld (PhW), a socially and physically enriched environment closer to real-life conditions. Two independent experiments were performed: one in the control condition (PhW control, n = 8) and one in the stress condition (PhW stress, n = 8). Control animals remained undisturbed except for cage cleaning and daily handling procedures. Stress group animals were all exposed to chronic unpredictable stress. Data confirm that stress exposure triggers anxiety-like behavior in the PhW. In terms of home-cage behaviors, we found that stress affects social behaviors (by decreased playing and increased huddling behaviors) and non-social behaviors (as shown by the decrease in rearing and walking behaviors). These results are of relevance to expand our knowledge on the influence of stress on social and non-social behaviors, which are of importance to understand better species-typical behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evren Eraslan
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Türkiye
| | - Magda João Castelhano-Carlos
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Liliana Amorim
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
- P5 Clinical Digital Center, Braga, Portugal
| | - Carina Soares-Cunha
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Ana João Rodrigues
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- School of Medicine, Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's – PT Government Associate Laboratory, Guimarães, Portugal
- P5 Clinical Digital Center, Braga, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center (2CA), Braga, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Castelhano-Carlos MJ, Aslani S, Sousa N. The Impact of Physical Enrichment in the Structure of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Nucleus Accumbens of the Adult Male Rat Brain. Neuroscience 2020; 454:51-60. [PMID: 32058067 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.01.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Rodents' behavioural analysis can be influenced by several factors, including housing. The PhenoWorld (PhW) is an enriched housing and testing paradigm, which proved to be relevant for screening depressive-like behaviours in rats, being remarkably sensitive for hedonic behaviour. Herein, we assessed neuronal plasticity as a consequence of living in the PhW, by comparing the structure of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc), two brain areas involved in the circuitry regulating motivation and reward. Our findings indicate that male rats living in the PhW display increased mPFC layer II volumes, as well as increased immature spine densities and total numbers in the mPFC pyramidal neurons. The NAc volumes and NAc medium spiny neurons branching tend also to be higher in animals experiencing the physical enrichment provided in the PhW, but significant differences were not found between animals living in PhW compared to animals living in standard cages (STD6). These results demonstrate that living in a more naturalistic complex environment, closer to real life experience, impacts on the structure of brain regions implicated in complex multidimensional disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M J Castelhano-Carlos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - S Aslani
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| | - N Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal; ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Castelhano-Carlos MJ, Sousa N, Ohl F, Baumans V. Identification methods in newborn C57BL/6 mice: a developmental and behavioural evaluation. Lab Anim 2009; 44:88-103. [PMID: 19854756 DOI: 10.1258/la.2009.009044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The use of group-housed rodents in many fields of biomedical research imposes a need to identify individuals in a cage. Few studies have been designed to assess possible negative effects of identification methods of newborn mice on their development and wellbeing. In the present study, three different identification methods were applied to newborn C57BL/6J mice on postnatal day (pnd) 5 (toe clipping, toe tattoo ink puncture and subcutaneous implantation of a small transponder). All identification methods used proved to be effective for long-term marking of individual animals. Newborn mice showed the least reaction to toe clipping followed by toe tattoo ink puncture and transponder implantation was the most distressful individual identification procedure in newborn mice. Importantly, clipped toe tissue proved to be enough for genotyping purposes. No overall consistent differences in somatic and neurological reflex development during the postnatal period were shown as a result of the newborn individual identification procedures used. Further, none of the methods interfered significantly with the adult animals' general normal behaviour (e.g. ability to move, grasp, climb) and sensory-motor functions as assessed with a simplified SHIRPA battery of tests, as well as Rotarod and Elevated Plus Maze tests. Postmortem thymus and adrenal gland weights gave no indication of chronic stress as a consequence of the identification method. We conclude that toe clipping might even be advisable in newborn mice at a very young age, when genotyping is needed. Toe tattoo ink puncture is also a good identification method for newborn mice and transponder implantation should only be used in older newborns or applied at weaning.
Collapse
|
5
|
Abstract
Human interaction and physical environmental factors are part of the stimuli presented to laboratory animals everyday, influencing their behaviour and physiology and contributing to their welfare. Certain environmental conditions and routine procedures in the animal facility might induce stress responses and when the animal is unable to maintain its homeostasis in the presence of a particular stressor, the animal's wellbeing is threatened. This review article summarizes several published studies on the impact of environmental factors such as light, noise, cage cleaning and in-house transport on welfare and stress of laboratory rats. The behaviour and physiological responses of laboratory rats to different environmental housing conditions and routine procedures are reviewed. Recommendations on the welfare of laboratory rats and refinements in experimental design are discussed and how these can influence and improve the quality of scientific data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M J Castelhano-Carlos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
| | | |
Collapse
|