Basic Science and Pathogenesis.

Background: The infectious hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggests that microbes may play a role in pathogenesis by triggering the pathologic cascade or contributing to disease progression. Herpesviruses, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), have been of high interest in AD and related neurodegenerative diseases, in part due to their ability to establish lifelong latent infection and potentially reactivate. However, further research is needed to fully understand the role of herpesviruses in these diseases.

Mouse and Rat Anesthesia and Analgesia.

Anesthesia and analgesia play pivotal roles in ethically and humanely using animal models in research, especially concerning mice and rats. These rodent species, extensively utilized in scientific investigations due to their genetic resemblance to humans, serve as invaluable tools for studying diseases and testing treatments. Proper anesthesia and analgesia not only prioritize animal welfare but also heighten experimental validity by minimizing stress-induced physiological responses.

Antimicrobial Stewardship in Laboratory Animal Facilities.

Bacterial resistance to antimicrobial drugs has become a global health crisis. Physicians and veterinarians are embracing the concept of 'antimicrobial stewardship' (AMS) to preserve the efficacy of antibiotics for future generations. Antimicrobials are used in laboratory animals to treat clinical disease, to protect populations that may be vulnerable to infection, and in research projects including studies of the microbiome and to influence expression in genetically engineered animals.

Nalbuphine, a non-controlled opioid analgesic, and its potential use in research mice.

Nalbuphine is an inexpensive, non-controlled, opioid analgesic that has been in clinical use for decades. A kappa opioid receptor agonist and mu opioid receptor antagonist, nalbuphine causes fewer adverse effects than other opioid analgesics. The author reviews the characteristics of nalbuphine, analyzes studies of nalbuphine in mice and explores the potential use of nalbuphine to treat pain in research mice.

Care and monitoring of a mouse model of melanoma.

Melanoma is a devastating form of skin cancer in humans that is rising in incidence. Animal models of melanoma continue to be instrumental for understanding the disease and for developing and testing therapies. A novel line of melanoma-bearing mice developed at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is monitored and cared for by the Animal Health Care Section.

Oxytocin in the treatment of dystocia in mice.

Physicians and veterinarians often prescribe oxytocin to treat dystocia. However, oxytocin administration to pregnant women or animals is not without risk. In the venue of laboratory animal medicine, the use of oxytocin may present confounding variables to research.

Sustained improvement of spinal muscular atrophy mice treated with trichostatin A plus nutrition.

Early treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor, trichostatin A, plus nutritional support extended median survival of spinal muscular atrophy mice by 170%. Treated mice continued to gain weight, maintained stable motor function, and retained intact neuromuscular junctions long after trichostatin A was discontinued. In many cases, ultimate decline of mice appeared to result from vascular necrosis, raising the possibility that vascular dysfunction is part of the clinical spectrum of severe spinal muscular atrophy.