Effects of chronic mild stress on sexual behavior, locomotor activity and consumption of sucrose and saccharine solutions
Many symptoms of human depressive disorders are also observed in animals after exposure to unpredictable stressors. The chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm was developed in order to better model the human situation by using chronic mild stressors over a longer period. It is claimed that the model induces anhedonia in the animals, a core symptom […]
Abnormal behaviour with a focus on stereotypies – indicators of suffering and impaired welfare?
Abnormal behaviour is a potential indicator of pain, suffering and injury in captive animals. Especially stereotypies, i.e. repetitive invariant behavioural patterns without obvious function or goal, can be observed as a consequence of inadequate housing conditions. Hence, they are often considered indicators of impaired welfare. In context of the ongoing scientific debate on captive animal […]