Behavioral Assays – Sensory/Motor Tests
An assortment of tests measuring sensory and motor performance can determine gross function as well as more precise targets such as lateralized motor movement and coordination.
- Balance Wall
- Measures balance, coordination, and distance traveled along a narrow platform
- Cylinder Test
- Measures cerebral asymmetry in forelimb motor function. Typically used in stroke, Parkinson’s, and brain tumor models. Suggested whenever lateralized motor abnormalities are suspected
- Grip Strength
- Quantifies grip force ability in forelimbs and hindlimbs
- Ladder Challenge
- Motor function, coordination, balance
- Neurological Screen
- Basic screen for gross sensory and locomotor function
- Open Field
- Automated evaluation of gross locomotor activity. First level assessment of motor function or for screening sedative effects of pharmacotherapy
- Optomotry
- Visual acuity and contrast thresholds
- Rotarod
- Motor function, coordination, balance
- Rotometer
- Measures rotational asymmetry following unilateral changes to the central nervous system
- Treadmill
- Motor function, coordination, agility
- Visual Cliff Test
- Determines gross visual function
Behavioral Assays – Learning and Memory
Cognitive tests utilize standard measures of learning and memory that target global or specific modalities of memory, including the 5 senses and spatial memory.
- Barnes Maze
- Hippocampal task tracking memory acquisition, retrieval, and reversal
- Fear Conditioning
- Operant conditioning task evaluating context and cue induced learning and memory
- Morris Water Maze
- Hippocampal task tracking memory acquisition, retrieval, and reversal
- Novel Object Recognition
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Object recognition memory task
- Passive Avoidance
- Examines associative learning and memory through response inhibition by an aversive event
- Y-Maze
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Standard test for measuring working spatial memory
Behavioral Assays – Complex Behaviors
Complex behaviors are measured by eliciting species-specific social or “emotional” responses from animals, such as apathy and fear. These behaviors are validated by the ability to alter them with the same known genetic markers or psychoactive drugs that mediate the behavior in humans.
- Elevated Plus Maze
- Standard screening tool for detecting antidepressant- or antianxiety-like activity in mice
- Light/Dark Box
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Tests anxiety-like behaviors in rodents
- Pre-Pulse Inhibition
- Measures natural inhibition of fear induced arousal elicited by pre-exposure to a similar arousing stimulus. This innate mechanism is disturbed in stress and schizophrenia models
- Social Interaction Apparatus
- Used in the Social Interaction, Social Recognition, and Sociability tests. These tests measure sociability markers in mice and are typically used to detect abnormalities in social development (ie autism, maternal stress, William’s syndrome)
- Spontaneous Self-Grooming
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Tests repetitive behavior in models of autism and other developmental abnormalities
- Y-Maze
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Tests perseveration in models of autism and other developmental abnormalities