Mouse Acclimation
Mouse Acclimation - Related Videos
09:08
Multiple-mouse Neuroanatomical Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Cited by 59 •
2011
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an increasingly popular tool for examining the phenotype of genetically altered mice. This article illustrates the methods necessary to achieve high-throughput phenotyping of genetically altered mice using multiple-mouse MRI.
09:30
Behavioral Assessment of the Aging Mouse Vestibular System
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Cited by 48 •
2014
Motor control and balance performance are known to deteriorate with age. This paper presents a number of standard noninvasive behavioral tests with the addition of a simple rotary stimulus to challenge the vestibular system and show changes in balance performance in a murine model of aging.
02:37
Ophthalmic Drug Delivery for Noninvasive Neuromodulation in a Mouse Model
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2025
Source: Zhan, J., et al. Non-invasive Strategies for Chronic Manipulation of DREADD-controlled Neuronal Activity. J. Vis. Exp. (2019)This video demonstrates a non-invasive ophthalmic drug delivery method for targeted neuromodulation. The drug is delivered via eye drops, absorbed into the circulation, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and activates specific neuronal receptors.
06:19
The Mouse Forced Swim Test
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Cited by 541 •
2012
The forced swim test is validated as an experimental approach to assess potential antidepressant efficacy in rodents. Experimental animals are placed in a tank of water and escape-related mobility behavior is quantified. The common procedures for the mouse version of this test are described.
09:26
The Monoiodoacetate Model of Osteoarthritis Pain in the Mouse
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Cited by 181 •
2016
Osteoarthritis (OA), or degenerative joint disease, is a debilitating condition associated with pain that remains only partially controlled by available analgesics. Animal models are being developed to improve our understanding of OA-related pain mechanisms. Here we describe the methodology for the monoiodoacetate model of OA pain in the mouse.
FAQs
Adjustment to a new setting can lessen physiological and behavioral responses triggered by unfamiliar temperature, lighting, noise, odors, housing conditions, or researcher contact. Reducing these responses helps separate effects caused by the experimental treatment from effects caused by environmental transition. This is especially important when measurements are sensitive to stress, including activity, pain-related behavior, immune function, or drug response.
Temperature, lighting, noise, odors, social conditions, and the handling routine can each affect how mice respond to a new environment. These factors may act together rather than independently, so an acclimation plan should account for the complete housing and researcher-contact context. Managing these conditions supports more stable behavioral and physiological measurements before data collection begins.
Researcher contact forms part of the mouse's new handling routine and can contribute to stress-related responses if it differs substantially from familiar conditions. Allowing mice to adjust to this contact before measurements helps reduce handling-related variation. The result is a more consistent experimental setting, which can improve interpretation of behavioral, physiological, and treatment-related observations.
Acclimation can influence whether an observed result reflects the experimental question or an unresolved response to environmental change. If mice remain affected by unfamiliar housing or handling, measurements such as activity, pain-related behavior, immune function, and drug responses may contain additional variation. Addressing this source of variation strengthens reproducibility and makes comparisons across experimental conditions more informative.
Planning should consider the housing environment, temperature, lighting, noise, odors, social conditions, and the intended handling routine. The mice should be allowed to adjust to the relevant combination of conditions before measurements begin. This approach connects acclimation directly to the setting in which the study will occur and helps limit environmental influences on collected data.
It is particularly relevant when studies measure outcomes that can change with stress or environmental disruption, including activity, pain-related behavior, immune function, and responses to drugs. Incorporating acclimation before data collection can improve animal welfare while reducing confounding variation. That combination supports more consistent findings, strengthens reproducibility, and promotes responsible use of laboratory animals.