Guilarte, T. R., Toscano, C. D., McGlothan, J. L. et al. 2004. Environmental enrichment: Beneficial effects in a rodent model of lead neurotoxicity. Proceedings of the 4th World Congress on Alternatives and Animal Use in the Life Sciences - Alternatives to Laboratory Animals [ATLA] 32(Supplement), 236 (Abstract).

Using a rodent model of lead-induced neurotoxicity, we show that environmental enrichment reverses cognitive and molecular deficits induced by this developmental neurotoxicant... At weaning, pups were removed from the lead exposure and housed in isolation or environmental enrichment cages (8 per cage). Enrichment cages were larger and contained toys, mazes, a running wheel, and a hammock. Rats exposed to lead and reared in an isolated environment were significantly impaired in acquiring spatial learning task. On the other hand, lead-exposed rats reared in an enriched environment perform as well as control enriched rats and better than control isolated rats... Findings suggest that the living environment is an important modifier on the effect of toxins on the central nervous system.