Lab Animal Enrichment Outcomes and Impacts

The video discusses the challenges of using lab animals in research, highlighting issues like obesity and weak immune systems. It questions whether barren environments contribute to these problems and explores how enrichment can improve animal health and research outcomes. Studies show that enriched environments reduce disease symptoms and improve research reliability. Despite skepticism about costs and reproducibility, ongoing research aims to determine effective enrichments, potentially making enriched conditions the norm for lab animals.

What are some of the health issues lab animals face before experiments begin?

• They are more likely to succeed in human trials.

• They tend to become obese and have weak immune systems.

• They are less susceptible to cancer.

• They have strong immune systems.

Why do scientists keep lab animals in barren conditions?

• To minimize variables for more repeatable experiments.

• To ensure they are happy and healthy.

• To provide them with a variety of life experiences.

• To mimic their natural habitats.

What is the main idea behind enriching lab animals' environments?

• To make them more like wild animals.

• To reduce the cost of experiments.

• To increase the number of variables in experiments.

• To improve both animal welfare and scientific outcomes.

What was the outcome of the enrichment experiment conducted in Australia in 2000?

• Mice showed no change in health.

• Mice were less likely to develop symptoms of Huntington's-like disease.

• Mice became more aggressive.

• Mice developed more symptoms of Huntington's-like disease.

What was the 'Disneyland for Mice' experiment about?

• A large enclosure with various enrichments.

• A study on the effects of isolation on mice.

• A comparison of different types of mouse food.

• A small mouse cage with minimal enrichment.

What was a significant finding from the 'Disneyland for Mice' study?

• Mice became more aggressive.

• Mice were 80% less likely to develop certain cancers.

• Mice were 80% more likely to develop cancer.

• Mice showed no change in cancer development.

What are some concerns about enriching lab animals' environments?

• It is universally accepted by all researchers.

• It has no impact on animal welfare.

• It may compromise the reproducibility of experiments.

• It is too cheap and easy to implement.

What is the purpose of the REAL program at the University of Michigan?

• To reduce the number of lab animals used in experiments.

• To eliminate enrichment in lab animal environments.

• To determine which enrichments work and how they affect research results.

• To increase the cost of animal research.

How might enriched environments affect lab animals physiologically?

• They become less like wild animals.

• They become more aggressive.

• They become less active.

• They become more like wild animals.

What is a potential future outcome of the research on lab animal enrichment?

• Enrichment will have no impact on science.

• Enrichment will be banned in all labs.

• Enriched conditions will become the rule.

• Enriched conditions will become the exception.