Answer:
Explanation:There is evidence to suggest that rats that engage in enriched environments (EE) show a greater number of dendrites and dendritic spines compared to rats living in standard laboratory conditions. EE refers to an environment that provides animals with increased opportunities for physical activity, social interaction, and cognitive stimulation.
Several studies have shown that rats housed in EE exhibit a greater degree of recovery after brain injury than rats housed in standard laboratory conditions. For example, one study found that rats housed in EE showed a significant increase in dendritic spine density in the cortex following traumatic brain injury compared to rats housed in standard laboratory conditions (Jones and Schallert, 1994). Another study found that rats housed in EE exhibited greater dendritic branching in the hippocampus following brain injury compared to rats housed in standard laboratory conditions (Fowler et al., 2002).
Overall, these findings suggest that providing rats with an enriched environment may promote greater dendritic plasticity and support functional recovery after brain injury.