Neuroinflammation, body temperature and behavioural changes in CD1 Male Mice Undergoing Acute Restraint Stress: an Exploratory Study.

The hypothesis of the study was that 15 minutes of restraint stress under bright light, like those experienced by laboratory animals for procedures like repeated injections and withdrawals, would produce behavioural, physiological, and neuroimmune alterations consistent with stress, and that the effects of this could be mitigated, and therefore welfare refined, via the use of non-aversive handlings like tunnel handling and mechanoceptive handling. Our results demonstrated that stress induced by the restraint typically needed for substance administration caused behavioural and metabolic changes which might increase the risk of unexpected bias. In particular, the significant decrease in BAT temperature might affect the metabolic pathways controlled by this tissue. 15 minutes of restraint stress under bright light lowered the normal frequency of walking and rearing, increased grooming and probably caused a low-grade neuro-inflammation. Non-aversive handlings protected animals from a significant lack of weight gain after stress reduced anxiety and might be effective tools to reduce the risk of unexpected bias