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Exp Anim

Title:		The acoustic startle reflex as a tool for assessment of odor environment effects on affective states in laboratory mice
Author(s):		Inagaki H; Ushida T;
Address:		"Multidisciplinary Pain Center, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan"
Journal Title:		Exp Anim
Year:		2021
Volume:		20201026
Issue:		1
Page Number:		119 - 125
DOI:		10.1538/expanim.20-0111
ISSN/ISBN:		1881-7122 (Electronic) 1341-1357 (Print) 0007-5124 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Apart from self and conspecific odors, odors from other species also influence the affective states in laboratory mice (Mus musculus musculus) in their home cages and during experimental procedures, possibly inducing confusion and inconsistency in experimental data. Thus, it is important to detect the types of animal odors associated with housing, husbandry, and laboratory practice that can arouse different types of affective changes in mice. Here, we aimed to test the effectiveness of the acoustic startle reflex (ASR) in detecting changes in the affective states of laboratory mice due to animal-derived-odor as it has a non-zero baseline, and can be enhanced or attenuated by positive or negative affective shifts, respectively. We used ASR to examine the affective changes in mice that were induced by bedding odors and an alarm pheromone. The odor of bedding obtained from the mice' home cages significantly attenuated the ASR, suggesting positive affective shifts in the test mice, whereas that from bedding obtained from rat cages significantly enhanced the ASR, suggesting negative affective shifts. No significant changes in ASR were observed in mice presented with the odor of bedding obtained from cages of unfamiliar conspecifics. In contrast, there was significant ASR enhancement in mice exposed to volatile components of alarm pheromones trapped in water, suggesting negative affective shifts. Thus, our findings show that ASR may be a valuable tool in assessing the effects of odors on the affective states in laboratory mice"
Keywords:		"*Acoustic Stimulation Affect/*physiology Animal Husbandry Animals Animals, Laboratory/*physiology/*psychology *Housing, Animal Male Mice, Inbred Strains/*physiology/*psychology *Odorants Pheromones Reflex, Startle/*physiology Smell/*physiology alarm phero;"
Notes:		"MedlineInagaki, Hideaki Ushida, Takahiro eng Japan 2020/10/27 Exp Anim. 2021 Feb 6; 70(1):119-125. doi: 10.1538/expanim.20-0111. Epub 2020 Oct 26"