Behavioral Assays
Assessing neurological traits and events in rodents is an essential part of neurological research, and behavioral testing plays a vital role in evaluating these factors. These tests, which measure traits such as locomotor activity, depression-like behavior, socialization, memory, and many others, provide a complementary perspective to imaging studies in evaluating brain function. At Ekam, we offer a suite of behavioral tests to provide a comprehensive assessment of neurological function in animal models, alongside our imaging services.
Barnes Maze
The Barnes maze is a widely used behavioral test in rodents to assess spatial learning and memory. It consists of a circular platform with several holes around the perimeter, only one of which leads to an escape box. The maze is brightly lit, which makes it aversive for the rodents, and requires them to use their spatial memory to locate the escape box. The maze is typically conducted over several days, with the escape box moved to a new location each day to prevent rote learning. The time taken by the animal to locate the escape box is used as a measure of spatial learning and memory.
Open Field
The open field test is a behavioral assay used to evaluate exploratory and anxiety-like behaviors in rodents. The test involves placing a rodent in a large, open arena and measuring various behavioral parameters such as distance traveled, time spent in the center versus the periphery, and number of rearing events. The open field test is commonly used in preclinical research to assess the effects of drugs, genetic manipulations, and environmental factors on rodent behavior.
Beam Walk
The beam walk test is a behavioral test used to evaluate motor coordination and balance in rodents. The test involves placing the rodent on a narrow beam, which is elevated above the ground, and recording the time taken by the animal to traverse the beam from one end to the other. The beam can be smooth or rough, and can be of varying widths and lengths. The test requires the animal to balance and walk steadily on the beam, and the time taken to complete the task is indicative of its motor coordination and balance abilities. The beam walk test can be used in a variety of neurological studies, including those involving neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury, and drug discovery
Elevated Plus Maze
The elevated plus maze is a behavioral test used to assess anxiety-like behavior in rodents. The maze consists of a plus-shaped platform elevated above the ground with two open and two enclosed arms. Animals are placed in the center of the maze and allowed to explore for a set period of time. Measures of anxiety-like behavior include the amount of time spent in the open arms versus the enclosed arms, as well as the number of entries into each arm.
The elevated plus maze is based on the principle that rodents have a natural aversion to open spaces and a preference for enclosed spaces. Animals that spend more time in the open arms are considered less anxious and more exploratory, while animals that spend more time in the enclosed arms are considered more anxious and less exploratory. The elevated plus maze is a widely used tool in preclinical research for studying anxiety disorders and evaluating the efficacy of anxiolytic drugs.
Novel Object Preference
The Novel Object Preference (NOP) task is a behavioral test used to assess recognition memory in rodents. The test involves placing a rodent in an environment with two objects. The rodent is allowed to explore the environment and the objects for a period of time. After a delay period, one of the objects is replaced with a novel object, and the rodent is returned to the environment to explore the objects again. If the rodent has good recognition memory, it will spend more time exploring the novel object than the familiar object. This test is often used to evaluate the effects of drugs, brain damage, or genetic manipulations on recognition memory.
Conditioned Place Preference
Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) is a behavioral paradigm used in preclinical research to measure the rewarding properties of drugs, environmental cues or other stimuli. It involves pairing a specific environment or context with a drug of interest, and then measuring the preference of the animal for that environment or context, with the assumption being that the association between the drug and the environment has been learned. CPP has been used to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying drug addiction and to test the efficacy of potential treatments for substance abuse disorders.
Rota rod
The rotarod is a commonly used test in neuroscience research to assess motor coordination and balance in rodents. The animal is placed on a rotating rod which gradually increases in speed, and the time the animal is able to stay on the rod is measured. The test is often used to evaluate the effects of drugs or genetic manipulations on motor performance, and can provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of motor function and dysfunction.
Grip strength: The grip strength test is a common behavioral test used to assess the muscle strength of rodents. It involves measuring the maximal force generated by an animal’s forelimbs when they are hanging onto a grid or bar. The test is used to evaluate neuromuscular function and is often used in studies related to aging, motor neuron diseases, and other neurological disorders. In this test, the strength of the grip is measured in terms of the peak force, and the data obtained can be used to compare muscle strength between different groups of animals or to track changes over time in the same animal.
Reference:
Sadaka AH, Canuel J, Febo M, Johnson CT,Bradshaw HB, Ortiz R, Ciumo F, Kulkarni P,Gitcho MA and Ferris CF (2023) Effects ofinhaled cannabis high in Δ9-THC or CBD onthe aging brain: A translational MRI andbehavioral study.Front. Aging Neurosci. 15:1055433.
Iriah, S. C., C. Borges, U. Shalev, X. Cai, D. Madularu, P. P. Kulkarni and C. F. Ferris (2021). “The utility of maraviroc, an antiretroviral agent used to treat HIV, as treatment for opioid abuse? Data from MRI and behavioural testing in rats.” J Psychiatry Neurosci 46(5): E548-E558.
Ferris, C.F., Cai, X., Qiao, J. et al. Life without a brain: Neuroradiological and behavioral evidence of neuroplasticity necessary to sustain brain function in the face of severe hydrocephalus. Sci Rep 9, 16479 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-53042-3
