The Experts below are selected from a list of 40392 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Fred H. Gage - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Environmental Enrichment and Neuronal Plasticity
The Oxford Handbook of Developmental Neural Plasticity, 2018Co-Authors: Gregory D. Clemenson, Fred H. Gage, Craig E.l. StarkAbstract:This chapter reviews the literature on Environmental Enrichment and specifically discusses its influence on the hippocampus of the brain. In animal models, the term “Environmental Enrichment” is used to describe a well-defined manipulation in which animals are exposed to a larger and more stimulating environment. This experience has been shown to have a powerful and positive impact on hippocampal cognition and neuroplasticity in animals. In humans, however, the translation of Environmental Enrichment is less clear. Despite the fact that humans live considerably more enriching lives compared to laboratory animals, studies have shown that training and expertise (such as exercise and spatial exploration) can lead to both functional and structural changes in the human brain. This chapter is a comprehensive review of Environmental Enrichment, drawing parallels between animal models and humans to present a more complete understanding of Environmental Enrichment.
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Environmental Enrichment and neurogenesis: from mice to humans
Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 2015Co-Authors: Gregory D. Clemenson, Wei Deng, Fred H. GageAbstract:The brain is a dynamic structure that constantly undergoes cellular and molecular changes in response to the environment. Ultimately, these experience-dependent changes modify and shape behavior. One example of this neuroplasticity is the robust and continuous generation of new neurons that occurs in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. These new neurons are thought to play a fundamental role in hippocampus-dependent behavior and are modulated by experience and changes in the environment. In this review, we will focus on the cognitive and molecular relationship between Environmental Enrichment and adult neurogenesis. In addition, we discuss some of the similarities between the human and animal literature in regards to neurogenesis, hippocampus-dependent behavior, and Environmental Enrichment.
Gregory D. Clemenson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Environmental Enrichment and Neuronal Plasticity
The Oxford Handbook of Developmental Neural Plasticity, 2018Co-Authors: Gregory D. Clemenson, Fred H. Gage, Craig E.l. StarkAbstract:This chapter reviews the literature on Environmental Enrichment and specifically discusses its influence on the hippocampus of the brain. In animal models, the term “Environmental Enrichment” is used to describe a well-defined manipulation in which animals are exposed to a larger and more stimulating environment. This experience has been shown to have a powerful and positive impact on hippocampal cognition and neuroplasticity in animals. In humans, however, the translation of Environmental Enrichment is less clear. Despite the fact that humans live considerably more enriching lives compared to laboratory animals, studies have shown that training and expertise (such as exercise and spatial exploration) can lead to both functional and structural changes in the human brain. This chapter is a comprehensive review of Environmental Enrichment, drawing parallels between animal models and humans to present a more complete understanding of Environmental Enrichment.
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Environmental Enrichment and neurogenesis: from mice to humans
Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 2015Co-Authors: Gregory D. Clemenson, Wei Deng, Fred H. GageAbstract:The brain is a dynamic structure that constantly undergoes cellular and molecular changes in response to the environment. Ultimately, these experience-dependent changes modify and shape behavior. One example of this neuroplasticity is the robust and continuous generation of new neurons that occurs in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. These new neurons are thought to play a fundamental role in hippocampus-dependent behavior and are modulated by experience and changes in the environment. In this review, we will focus on the cognitive and molecular relationship between Environmental Enrichment and adult neurogenesis. In addition, we discuss some of the similarities between the human and animal literature in regards to neurogenesis, hippocampus-dependent behavior, and Environmental Enrichment.
Vera Baumans - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Environmental Enrichment for Laboratory Rodents and Rabbits: Requirements of Rodents, Rabbits, and Research
ILAR journal, 2005Co-Authors: Vera BaumansAbstract:Environmental conditions such as housing and husbandry have a major impact on the laboratory animal throughout its life and will thereby influence the outcome of animal experiments. However, housing systems for laboratory animals have often been designed on the basis of economic and ergonomic aspects. One possible way to improve the living conditions of laboratory animals is to provide opportunities for the animals to perform a species-specific behavioral repertoire. Environmental Enrichment should be regarded both as an essential component of the overall animal care program and equally important as nutrition and veterinary care. The key component of an Enrichment program is the animal staff, whose members must be motivated and educated. It is critically important to evaluate Environmental Enrichment in terms of the benefit to the animal by assessing the use of and preference for a certain Enrichment, the effect on behavior and the performance of species-typical behavior, and the effect on physiological parameters. At the same time, it is necessary to evaluate the impact on scientific outcome, how the Enrichment influences the scientific study, and whether and how the statistical power is affected. The result will depend on the parameter measured, the type of Enrichment used, and the animal strain. In this article, goals of Enrichment are defined and discussed. Animal behaviors and needs are described, along with the translation of those needs into Environmental Enrichment programs. Specific types of Environmental Enrichment are outlined with examples from the literature, and an evaluation of Environmental Enrichment is provided.
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Environmental Enrichment: room for reduction?
Alternatives to laboratory animals : ATLA, 2004Co-Authors: Heleen A. Van De Weerd, Pascalle L P Van Loo, Vera BaumansAbstract:Environmental Enrichment strategies are usually regarded as refinement. However, when the welfare of animals is enhanced through successful Enrichment programmes, a reduction in the number of animals needed can be expected, because fewer animals might be lost during the course of experiments. Several examples of studies where Enrichment can lead to reduction will be presented. They include the beneficial effects of nesting material for laboratory mice, the effects of husbandry procedures on controlling aggressive behaviour in male laboratory mice, and the effects of Enrichment on variation in the results of experiments.
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Strain specific behavioural response to Environmental Enrichment in the mouse.
Journal of experimental animal science, 1994Co-Authors: H. A. Van De Weerd, Vera Baumans, Jaap M. Koolhaas, L.f.m. Van ZutphenAbstract:The influence of Environmental Enrichment on the behaviour of the mouse has been studied in two inbred strains (C57BL and BALB/c). Male mice of each of the two strains were subjected to behavioural tests after being housed for two months either under standard housing conditions or in an enriched environment. The results of the behavioural test indicated that the C57BL mice housed in the enriched environment were more reactive and alert compared to mice housed in the standard environment. In the BALB/c mice results may be interpreted as if enriched environments lead to an increased level of anxiety. It is concluded that Environmental Enrichment has a strain specific effect on the behaviour of mice.
Alon Chen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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An Environmental Enrichment model for mice
Nature protocols, 2010Co-Authors: Yehezkel Sztainberg, Alon ChenAbstract:Environmental Enrichment for animals is a combination of complex inanimate and social stimulation and generally consists of housing conditions that facilitate enhanced sensory, cognitive, motor and social stimulation relative to standard housing conditions. One of the most robust effects of Environmental Enrichment is the reduction of anxiety levels. However, the extreme variability in Enrichment protocols may account for some of the inconsistencies in its effects and the variance among results reported by different laboratories. In this protocol, we describe a simple Environmental Enrichment strategy for the induction of a robust and replicable anxiolytic-like effect in mice. We provide detailed instructions on how to build an Enrichment cage that is specially designed for easy manipulation, cleaning and observation by the experimenter. In addition, we describe the different Enrichment items, their order in the cage, the frequency of renewal and their cleaning and sterilization procedures. The total length of the protocol is 6 weeks.
Brandi K Ormerod - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Environmental Enrichment restores neurogenesis and rapid acquisition in aged rats
Neurobiology of Aging, 2013Co-Authors: Rachel B Speisman, Ashok Kumar, Thomas C. Foster, Asha Rani, Jessica M Pastoriza, Jamie E Severance, Brandi K OrmerodAbstract:Abstract Strategies combatting cognitive decline among the growing aging population are vital. We tested whether Environmental Enrichment could reverse age-impaired rapid spatial search strategy acquisition concomitantly with hippocampal neurogenesis in rats. Young (5–8 months) and aged (20–22 months) male Fischer 344 rats were pair-housed and exposed to Environmental Enrichment ( n = 7 young, 9 aged) or housed individually ( n = 7 young, 7 aged) for 10 weeks. After 5 weeks, hidden platform trials (5 blocks of 3 trials; 15 m inter-block interval), a probe trial, and then visible platform trials (5 blocks of 3 trials; 15 m inter-block interval) commenced in the water maze. One week after testing, rats were given 5 daily intraperitoneal bromodeoxyuridine (50 mg/kg) injections and perfused 4 weeks later to quantify neurogenesis. Although young rats outperformed aged rats, aged enriched rats outperformed aged individually housed rats on all behavioral measures. Neurogenesis decreased with age but Enrichment enhanced new cell survival, regardless of age. The novel correlation between new neuron number and behavioral measures obtained in a rapid water maze task among aged rats, suggests that Environmental Enrichment increases their ability to rapidly acquire and flexibly use spatial information along with neurogenesis.
