Neely Caroline, Lane Christina, Torres Julio, Flinn Jane
Department of Psychology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
Behav Neurol. 2018 Mar 6;2018:2976014. doi: 10.1155/2018/2976014. eCollection 2018.
Environmental factors play a significant role in well-being of laboratory animals. Regulations and guidelines recommend, if not require, that stressors such as bright lighting, smells, and noises are eliminated or reduced to maximize animal well-being. A factor that is often overlooked is handling and how researchers interact with their animals. Researchers, lab assistants, and husbandry staff in animal facilities may use inconsistent handling methods when interacting with rodents, but humans should be considered a part of the animal's social environment. This study examined the effects of different handling techniques on depressive-like behavior, measured by the Porsolt forced swim test, in adult C57BL/6J male mice. The same two researchers handled the mice in a gentle, aggressive, or minimal (control) fashion over approximately two weeks prior to testing. The results demonstrated a beneficial effect of gentle handling: gentle handling reduced swimming immobility in the forced swim test compared to mice that were aggressively or minimally handled. We argue that gentle handling, rather than methodical handling, can foster a better relationship between the handlers and rodents. Although handling is not standardized across labs, consistent gentle handling allows for less challenging behavioral testing, better data collection, and overall improved animal welfare.
环境因素对实验动物的健康有着重要影响。相关法规和指南建议（即便不是要求）消除或减少诸如强光、气味和噪音等应激源，以最大限度地提高动物的健康水平。一个经常被忽视的因素是动物的饲养管理以及研究人员与动物的互动方式。动物设施中的研究人员、实验室助理和饲养人员在与啮齿动物互动时，可能会采用不一致的饲养管理方法，但人类应被视为动物社会环境的一部分。本研究通过波索尔特强迫游泳试验，考察了不同饲养管理技术对成年C57BL/6J雄性小鼠抑郁样行为的影响。在测试前约两周的时间里，由同两名研究人员分别以温和、粗暴或极少（对照）的方式处理小鼠。结果表明，温和处理具有有益效果：与受到粗暴处理或极少处理的小鼠相比，温和处理可减少强迫游泳试验中的静止不动时间。我们认为，是温和处理而非有条不紊的处理方式能够促进饲养人员与啮齿动物之间建立更好的关系。尽管各实验室的饲养管理方式并不统一，但持续的温和处理能够使行为测试更顺利、数据收集更完善，并全面改善动物福利。
