Cages Change Mice Brains, Lab Studies Questioned Scientists rely
on lab rats and mice as models to shed light on the human
condition. But a new study suggests researchers will have to
rethink the whole process. The type of cage a mouse is housed in
affects that mouse's brain, in a "breakthrough that may require
scientists to reevaluate the way they conduct future
experiments," according to a statement about the research. "We
assume that mice used in laboratories are all the same, but they
are not," said Diego Restrepo, director of the neuroscience
program and professor of cell and developmental biology at the
University of Colorado. "When you change the cages you change
the brains, and that affects the outcomes of research." Mice are
the the most commonly used mammal for research on a range of of
issues that impact understanding of the human mind and body,
from cancer to genetics and neuroscience. A key to the process
is that no single study is typically relied on to reach firm
conclusions. Rather, researcher