Abstract
Introduction: Rodent models play a major role in biomedical- and behavioral research. Inappropriate social housing conditions, which might be co
nsidered as chronically stressful for the animals, will affect the reliability of these models, since stress is known to influence emotionality fundamentally. Due to territoriality, social housing might lead to an increase in
interindividual aggression, especially in male mice, resulting in a modulation of the emotional state of the animals. Since systematic research on the eff
ects of social housing conditions on experimental behavior is lacking, we compared experimental behavior and peripheral stress hormone levels of single housed individuals with that of animals housed in social groups.
Methods experiment 1: After two weeks of distinct housing, the animals were behaviorally tested in the modified hole board test for 5 minutes. This te
st reliably monitors a variety of motivational systems in rodents, such as anxiety-related behavior, exploration, locomotor activity and social
affinity. In a first experiment, male C57BL/6 mice we re housed either singly or socially in groups of 2, 3, 4 or 5 individuals per cage. Socially housed i
ndividuals were tested in the presence of their group-mates throughout. Results: No behavioral signs of stress were found in the individually housed mice and notably, basal corticosterone levels did not differ between groups.
After exposure to the modified hole board test however, animals housed in groups of 3 to 5 individuals were characterized by an increased corticoster
one-response when compared to the individually housed animals. Methods experiment 2: Since the order of behavioral testing might have caused the response in the first experiment, we excluded this parameter in an otherwise
similar, second experiment by behaviorally testing only one animal per social group. Groups of 3 individuals were compared with individually housed males of the strains C57BL/6, BALB/c and A. Results experiment 2: Neither behavioral nor hormonal signs of stress were found in the individually housed animals. Conclusion: Individual housing appears to be non-stressful for male mice and does not impact experimental behavior.
nsidered as chronically stressful for the animals, will affect the reliability of these models, since stress is known to influence emotionality fundamentally. Due to territoriality, social housing might lead to an increase in
interindividual aggression, especially in male mice, resulting in a modulation of the emotional state of the animals. Since systematic research on the eff
ects of social housing conditions on experimental behavior is lacking, we compared experimental behavior and peripheral stress hormone levels of single housed individuals with that of animals housed in social groups.
Methods experiment 1: After two weeks of distinct housing, the animals were behaviorally tested in the modified hole board test for 5 minutes. This te
st reliably monitors a variety of motivational systems in rodents, such as anxiety-related behavior, exploration, locomotor activity and social
affinity. In a first experiment, male C57BL/6 mice we re housed either singly or socially in groups of 2, 3, 4 or 5 individuals per cage. Socially housed i
ndividuals were tested in the presence of their group-mates throughout. Results: No behavioral signs of stress were found in the individually housed mice and notably, basal corticosterone levels did not differ between groups.
After exposure to the modified hole board test however, animals housed in groups of 3 to 5 individuals were characterized by an increased corticoster
one-response when compared to the individually housed animals. Methods experiment 2: Since the order of behavioral testing might have caused the response in the first experiment, we excluded this parameter in an otherwise
similar, second experiment by behaviorally testing only one animal per social group. Groups of 3 individuals were compared with individually housed males of the strains C57BL/6, BALB/c and A. Results experiment 2: Neither behavioral nor hormonal signs of stress were found in the individually housed animals. Conclusion: Individual housing appears to be non-stressful for male mice and does not impact experimental behavior.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 15-15 |
| Number of pages | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 16 May 2008 |
| Event | 1 Centre for Physiology and Biochemical Research (CPB R) The Russian Society for BioPsychiatry (RSBP) Ukrainian Society for Biological Psychiatry (USBP) International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS) Institute of Experimental Medicine (IEM RAMS) Proceedings 11-th Multidisciplinary International Neuroscience and Biological Psychiatry Conference "Stress and Behavior" - St-Petersburg, Russian Federation Duration: 16 May 2008 → 20 May 2008 |
Conference
| Conference | 1 Centre for Physiology and Biochemical Research (CPB R) The Russian Society for BioPsychiatry (RSBP) Ukrainian Society for Biological Psychiatry (USBP) International Stress and Behavior Society (ISBS) Institute of Experimental Medicine (IEM RAMS) Proceedings 11-th Multidisciplinary International Neuroscience and Biological Psychiatry Conference "Stress and Behavior" |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Russian Federation |
| City | St-Petersburg |
| Period | 16/05/08 → 20/05/08 |