Effects of Environmental Enrichment and Corticosteroid Levels on Cognitive Control in Mastomys Natalensis Rats

Abstract

This study examined the efficacy of environmental enrichment and corticosteroid levels in influencing cognitive control in Mastomys Natalensis rats. Primarily this paper assessed whether enhanced environmental conditions could influence the adverse effects of elevated corticosteroid levels on cognitive functions, particularly cognitive control associated with decision-making and impulse control. The subjects for this study were a sample of thirty (30) older adult Mastomys Natalensis rats. They were randomly selected and randomly selected to the three groups for the study, namely the Environmental Enrichment Group; the Exercise group; and the Control group. The instrument used in this experiment for the measurement of cognitive controlling is the Hebbian Maze Box (the Complex Maze). Results indicated that rats in enriched environments exhibited significantly lower corticosteroid levels compared to their counterparts in standard conditions. These rats demonstrated improved performance on cognitive tasks requiring higher-order thinking and problem-solving abilities. The findings suggest that environmental enrichment not only reduces stress-related hormonal responses but also enhances cognitive resilience against the detrimental effects of stress. Conversely, no significant difference of corticosterone was found on the groups. No significant interaction was observed between environmental enrichment and corticosterone levels on executive function. This research underscores the importance of environmental factors in shaping cognitive health and offers insights into potential interventions for influencing stress-related cognitive impairments in mammals. Future studies should explore the underlying mechanisms by which environmental enrichment influences neuroendocrine responses and cognitive function. It is recommended that meta-analytic studies should be conducted to further provide evidence for future studies.