| Effects of Environmental Enrichment during Early Life on Motor Function and Anxiety-like Behavior in Male Rats |
| Paper ID : 1388-SPORTCONGRESS |
| Authors |
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Mohammad Yousefzadeh *1, Elham Azimzadeh2, Rana Fayazmilani2 1Shahid beheshti university 2shahid beheshti university |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: Environmental enrichment has been recognized as a significant modulator of brain development and behavior. This study specifically examined how limited-duration environmental enrichment (4 hours daily) during early life affects motor function and anxiety-like behaviors in male rats across developmental stages. Methods: 20 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to environmental enrichment (EE) or control groups during early life (postnatal days 28-49). The EE group had 4 hours daily access to enriched environments with toys, ladders, and running wheels, while housed individually in standard cages otherwise. Control rats stayed in standard cages with food and water. Motor function and anxiety-like behavior were assessed using the open field test at juvenile (day 51) and adult (day 83) stages. Results: The limited-duration environmental enrichment group demonstrated significantly improved motor function compared to controls in both juvenile (P<0.01) and adult periods (P<0.01), as measured by total distance traveled in the open field. Regarding anxiety-like behavior, enriched animals showed significantly reduced anxiety levels during the juvenile period, evidenced by increased time spent in center squares (P<0.05) and higher center entries (P<0.05). However, these anti-anxiety effects were not maintained into adulthood, with the EE group returning to control levels in the adult period. Conclusion: Limited-duration rotational environmental enrichment during early life produces distinct effects on motor and emotional development. While it effectively enhances motor function and reduces anxiety in the short term, only the motor benefits persist into adulthood. The transient nature of the anti-anxiety effects suggests that continuous or more intensive enrichment might be necessary for sustained emotional benefits. These findings highlight the critical importance of exposure duration in environmental enrichment protocols during early life for optimizing neurobehavioral outcomes. |
| Keywords |
| Limited-Duration Environmental Enrichment, Motor Function, Anxiety-like Behavior, Early Life, Open Field Test, |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
