This work was supported by The National Institute of Health (NIH-2RO1NS033661) and by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station (HATCH ALA021-1-09017).

NOTA: Todos los procedimientos realizados aquí fueron presentados y aprobados por IACUC (Oficina de Cumplimiento de Investigación) y se llevaron a cabo siguiendo las directrices del NIH. Los ratones utilizados en el paradigma de las pruebas de comportamiento eran ingenuos y no se utiliza para otras pruebas. La C57BL / 6 de tipo salvaje y ratones knock out utilizado en este protocolo se han descrito anteriormente 9 y los datos presentados aquí son de ese manuscrito. 1. Preparación de la sala de pruebas y Aparato campo abierto <ol><li> Utilice un laberinto campo abierto unidad múltiple (OFM) que consta de cuatro cámaras de actividad se utilizó para este análisis (Figura 1). Cada cámara de medida 50 cm (longitud) x 50 cm (ancho) x 38 cm (altura) y se hizo desde el blanco de alta densidad y de plástico no poroso. </li><li> Textura Las plantas del laberinto para la tracción durante la deambulación mientras que las paredes del laberinto eran lisas. Cuadrantes Maze eran completamente vacía para el propósito de esta prueba. En consideración a el resto de este protocol, un único cuadrante del laberinto se ha descrito anteriormente se utilizará para demostrar la OFM. </li><li> Limpiar la cámara con un 95% de etanol antes de su uso y antes de las pruebas posteriores para eliminar cualquier olor pistas dejadas por el sujeto ratón anterior. </li><li> Deje que el etanol se evapore completamente antes de probar los ratones. Esto puede tomar 5-10 minutos entre cada sesión de evaluación. </li><li> Para este análisis, utilice el software SMART Seguimiento por vídeo de Aparato PanLab / Harvard para registrar y evaluar el movimiento del ratón. NOTA: Cualquier cámara de seguimiento de vídeo comercial y el software se pueden utilizar para realizar un seguimiento del sujeto de prueba y evaluar los resultados del laberinto campo abierto. Es muy importante para el usuario final para comprender cómo calibrar y ejecutar el software utilizado para cada análisis individual. Independientemente de la cámara de vídeo y software de seguimiento utilizado, se obtienen mejores resultados cuando la cámara y el software están calibrados correctamente de acuerdo con las instrucciones del fabricante. </li><li> Realice la prueba inorma na sala capaz de contener el aparato laberinto y el equipo necesario para ejecutar el software iluminado. Suspender la cámara de vídeo por encima del laberinto bien asociándolo al techo o utilizando cualquier sistema de soporte elevada que permite el lente de la cámara para ver toda la zona de laberinto (Figura 2). </li><li> Como administrador humano de la prueba, asegúrese de tener suficiente espacio en la sala de estar completamente inobservable por los sujetos de prueba en el laberinto para no influir en el comportamiento de los ratones. </li></ol> 2. Preparar el software para medir la actividad <ol><li> Abra el software de seguimiento de vídeo. </li><li> Una vez que el software se abre, mover el cursor a la opción &quot;seguimiento de un solo sujeto&quot; que se encuentra bajo la pestaña de &quot;Adquisición de datos&quot; y solo clic para abrir esta opción. </li><li> Elija la opción &quot;fondo estático&quot;, ubicado en la parte inferior de la pantalla. </li><li> Después de elegir &quot;fondo estático&quot; es elegidon, es necesario utilizar el software para tomar una imagen del laberinto antes de la adición de los sujetos de prueba. Para ello, mueva el cursor en el botón &quot;Foto&quot;, ubicado en la parte inferior de la pantalla y solo clic. NOTA: El software tomará una foto del escenario sin el sujeto de prueba que se restará de la imagen tomada durante el proceso de seguimiento. Esto resulta en sólo el movimiento del sujeto que se analiza por el software. </li><li> Confirme que la imagen de fondo tomada anteriormente se extrae completamente el software de seguimiento al mover el cursor en el botón &quot;Test&quot; situado en la parte inferior de la pantalla y haciendo clic una vez. Un campo sólido blanco se mostrará si la imagen de fondo se elimina completamente de la imagen de seguimiento. Si las condiciones de iluminación cambian o el laberinto es accidentalmente movido, podrás ver &quot;sombras&quot; negros en este campo que indica las dos imágenes no coinciden perfectamente. Para remediar esta situación, simplemente repita step 2.4 anteriormente. </li><li> Después de confirmar la configuración del fondo, utilice la opción de sincronización para configurar el modo de tiempo se controla durante la adquisición. Para ello, mueva el cursor a la pestaña &quot;Configuración&quot; y haga clic una vez en el título &quot;Tiempos&quot;. Utilice la nueva ventana abierta para entrar en parámetros experimentales. </li><li> Para este protocolo, eligió la opción &quot;Tiempo programado&quot; como el período de seguimiento de 10 min. Ajuste el &quot;período de latencia&quot; a 5 segundos para dar tiempo al usuario colocar el ratón en el centro del laberinto y alejarse antes de iniciar el seguimiento. Introduzca el &quot;Tiempo de adquisición&quot; de 10 min para la duración de la prueba. Ajuste la &quot;Llave de Paso&quot; en &quot;Cuando el tiempo programado (10 min) ha terminado&quot;, que se apagará automáticamente la cámara y la función de seguimiento del software. </li><li> Mueva el cursor sobre el botón &quot;Cerrar&quot; después de todos los tiempos se han establecido para cerrar la ventana. Ahora está listo para iniciar la pruebaing procedimiento. </li></ol> 3. Administración de la prueba de campo abierto NOTA: El paquete de software utilizado en este protocolo permite el seguimiento de hasta 16 ratones individuales al mismo tiempo. Para facilidad de realización y como se mencionó anteriormente, el protocolo descrito aquí es para un solo ratón utilizando un único cuadrante de la OFM. Para el equipo utilizado para este protocolo, un máximo de 4 ratones individuales podría ser rastreado utilizando cada cuadrante del laberinto. Si la utilización de un laberinto de múltiples recinto, después de realizar el primer tema del ratón en su cuadrante definido, coloque los ratones restantes en su respectivo cuadrante laberinto para el seguimiento de análisis. A los fines de este protocolo, más instrucción será específico para un solo cuadrante del laberinto. <ol><li> Llevar los ratones en sus jaulas de su habitación vivienda en la sala de pruebas. Permita que los ratones se aclimate a la sala de procedimientos por un mínimo de 30 minutos antes de comenzar la prueba. </li><li> Quitar una sola mOuse desde la jaula de alojamiento agarrando suavemente su cola y colocar el ratón en el centro del laberinto campo abierto, mientras que al mismo tiempo activar el software SMART con un simple clic en el botón Inicio para comenzar a rastrear el movimiento del ratón. Es normal que el ratón para desplazarse inmediatamente a las paredes de la periferia del laberinto y el momento de la liberación y el seguimiento de la captura del ratón debe coincidir para registrar este movimiento. </li><li> Permitir el movimiento libre e ininterrumpido del ratón asignatura a lo largo del respectivo cuadrante del laberinto para un único período de 10 minutos durante los cuales, el software de seguimiento registrará movimiento (Figura 3). </li><li> Al final del período de prueba, recoge el tema del ratón suavemente, de sacarlo del laberinto y devolverlo a su jaula. </li><li> Antes de limpiar el laberinto, contar visualmente los pellets boli fecales presentes en el laberinto y anote los números para su posterior análisis manualmente. </li><li> Quite todos los sedimentos fecales y limpie todos los puntos de la micción. Rocíe el piso y las paredes del cuadrante laberinto con etanol al 95% y limpie con una toalla de papel limpia. Deje que la solución de etanol que se seque completamente antes de probar otros ratones. </li><li> Repetir el procedimiento con el siguiente ratón. </li></ol> 4. Medición y Análisis de Comportamiento Durante el Procedimiento de Pruebas NOTA: Para la medición, tres aspectos de la conducta campo abierto se caracterizan fácilmente utilizando este protocolo (véase el debate). Una breve instrucción sobre cómo acceder a estas medidas en el software de seguimiento de vídeo sigue. <ol><li> Desde la pantalla principal del software SMART, mover el cursor a la ficha y solo clic &quot;zonas&quot; &quot;Definición&quot; para abrir el Editor de Zona. </li><li> Siga las instrucciones detalladas en el Manual del usuario del software SMART no definir zonas o rejillas de la superposición en los caminos de seguimiento. Aquí, el software se utiliza para definir una cuadrícula de 10 cm cuadrados que cubren el suelo del laberinto 5 x 5 ( <strong&gt; Figura 4). Asegúrese de guardar el archivo de zona creada antes de cerrar el Editor de Zona. </li><li> Desde la pantalla principal del software SMART, mover el cursor a la pestaña &quot;Análisis&quot; y solo clic para abrir la ventana de Análisis de Datos. </li><li> Mueva el cursor a la ficha &quot;Archivo&quot; y abra el archivo Zona creado anteriormente. </li><li> Mueva el cursor a la pestaña &quot;Configuración&quot; y abra la opción &quot;Análisis de pista&quot;. Esto abrirá la ventana &quot;Configuración de análisis de un solo sujeto&quot;. <ol><li> Mueva el cursor a la pestaña &quot;Standard&quot; y mueva el parámetro &quot;distancia recorrida&quot; en el cuadro Parámetros Disponible (lado izquierdo) a la caja de parámetros incluidos (lado derecho). </li><li> Mueva el cursor a la pestaña &quot;Zonas Transiciones&quot; y mover todos los parámetros adecuados para el cuadro Parámetros Incluido como anteriormente. </li><li> Asegúrese de que la casilla de &quot;Full Track&quot; está marcada en la parte inferior de la ventana. </li><li> Move el cursor al botón OK y cierre la ventana de configuración de análisis de una sola materia. NOTA: En función del análisis que desea realizar, muchas otras opciones se pueden elegir en esta ventana para extraer datos de los análisis. Lea el manual del usuario detallado de su programa específico para determinar qué parámetros son los más importantes para el análisis de sus datos. </li></ol></li><li> En la ficha Archivo en la parte superior izquierda de la ventana del programa, abra la ventana sola pista tema y colocar una marca de verificación junto a todas las pistas están analizando. Mueva el cursor hasta el botón Marca de Verificación en la parte superior de la ventana y haga clic en para cerrar la ventana Track Explorer. </li><li> Mueva el cursor sobre el botón &quot;Go&quot; en la ventana de Análisis de Datos y solo clic para iniciar el análisis de los datos de la pista. </li><li> Análisis de datos se pueden enviar ya sea como archivos de texto ASCII o puede ser exportado directamente en una hoja de cálculo Excel. Utilice las herramientas de salida del programa de software que está utilizando para dar salida al data para su propio uso. NOTA: la distancia total recorrida y el tiempo empleado en las zonas indicadas se emitirá siguiendo los pasos de análisis de datos antes mencionados. Una vez más, se hace hincapié en que los pasos para llegar a estas mediciones representadas aquí será diferente dependiendo del software de usuario utilizado. Pero los propios datos y la interpretación de los resultados deben ser independientes similar del programa de software utilizado. También vale la pena señalar que el sesgo de administrador de la prueba se elimina de este protocolo ya que todos los datos recogidos se cuantifica datos medidos por el software y no el administrador. Por lo tanto no hay ningún elemento calificable de los datos recogidos tal como se describe. </li></ol>

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The authors have nothing to disclose.

El Open Field Maze es una de las plataformas más utilizadas en los estudios de comportamiento animal. Una serie de importantes parámetros convencionales y etológicas 2,4 puede ser recogida y analizada durante la realización de la OFM. Estos datos permiten al investigador para medir los comportamientos que van desde la actividad general de la locomotora a comportamientos emocionales relacionados con la ansiedad 8. Sin embargo, el uso de OFM no está exenta de defectos. Un problema confuso es la ...

The Open Field Maze (OFM) was initially developed in 1934 as a test to measure emotionality in rodents1. It has attained the status of being one of the most widely used measures of behavior in animal psychology2. It provides an easy and fairly rapid assessment of well-defined behaviors requiring no training to the test subject and little to no specialized training for the human administering the test. These attributes have led to wide-spread use of the open field maze in research extended to other animal species such as calves, pigs, rabbits, primates, honeybees and lobsters3. Part of its popularity arises from the fact that the psychological and physiological concepts underlying the tests are generally straight-forward and well understood. For example, it has been postulated that evolutionary forces have selected for a common response in animals such that most species display anxiety-mediated fear or flight responses to specific stimuli. Rodents for example, show distinct aversions to large, brightly lit, open and unknown environments4. We can assume they have been phylogenetically conditioned to see these types of environments as dangerous. All of these features are incorporated in the open field maze and form the basis of its use in behavioral paradigm testing.
An open field maze consists of a wall-enclosed area that is of sufficient height to prevent the subject from escaping. Typical maze shapes are circular or square with an area large enough, based on the size of the subject tested, to elicit a feeling of openness in the center of the maze. A number of variables can be scored in the open field maze with most parameters involving differing types of motor activity2. Ambulation is the most common behavior studied but others such as latency or rearing can also be measured. Most often, rodent behavior is analyzed in a bare maze. However, the addition of objects, either one or many to the maze floor, adds the ability to see how the subject interacts with novel additional stimuli2. Relevant parameters when objects are presented are typically the number of approaches to an object or in some cases, preference or aversion for one object over another.
Many behavioral tests of anxiety are based on the subject animal&#8217;s body activity and locomotion5. Interpreting behavioral tests for emotionality while separating non-emotional confounding factors, such as motor activity, has been the subject of intense debate6,7. As the OFM was originally described, two measures of emotionality can be deduced, locomotor activity and fecal boli deposits or defecation1. However, these two measures have been shown in some studies to be unrelated supporting the conclusion that emotionality in rodents is multidimensional5. Regardless, discrepancies in the literature regarding these measures and emotionality or anxiety in mouse models may be attributed to differences in analysis criteria or differences in testing procedures. Studies have conclusively linked results from OFM analysis with other measures of anxiety when comparing mouse models8.

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		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;width:160px;">Multi Unit Open Field Test</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">San Diego Instruments, Inc.</td>
			<td style="width:109px;">White 7001-0354</td>
			<td style="width:192px;">Any single or multi unit open field maze can be used</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="40">
			<td height="40" style="height:40px;width:160px;">SMART DT Tracking Software</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">PanLab/Harvard Apparatus</td>
			<td style="width:109px;">76-0695</td>
			<td style="width:192px;">Any tracking software can be utilized with this protocol</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="60">
			<td height="60" style="height:60px;width:160px;">Sony 990x Video Camera Recorder</td>
			<td style="width:171px;">Sony</td>
			<td style="width:109px;">CCD-TRV328</td>
			<td style="width:192px;">Any suitable video camera can be attached to computer for recording tracking profiles.</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

use of the open field maze to measure locomotor and anxiety-like behavior in mice

Animal models have proven to be invaluable to researchers trying to answer questions regarding the mechanisms of behavior. The Open Field Maze is one of the most commonly used platforms to measure behaviors in animal models. It is a fast and relatively easy test that provides a variety of behavioral information ranging from general ambulatory ability to data regarding the emotionality of the subject animal. As it relates to rodent models, the procedure allows the study of different strains of mice or rats both laboratory bred and wild-captured. The technique also readily lends itself to the investigation of different pharmacological compounds for anxiolytic or anxiogenic effects. Here, a protocol for use of the open field maze to describe mouse behaviors is detailed and a simple analysis of general locomotor ability and anxiety-related emotional behaviors between two strains of C57BL/6 mice is performed. Briefly, using the described protocol we show Wild Type mice exhibited significantly less anxiety related behaviors than did age-matched Knock Out mice while both strains exhibited similar ambulatory ability.

El número promedio de individuos por cepa de ratones ensayados en la mayoría de los casos es de aproximadamente 20 para generar suficiente relevancia estadística. Sin embargo, este número puede estar en el intervalo de 8-30 dependiendo de la disponibilidad del ratón. Dependiendo de la medición o comparaciones requeridas, también es favorable para utilizar los sujetos de la misma edad. La primera y posiblemente más importante parámetro específico de medir en el campo Maze Open es la...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Use of the Open Field Maze to Measure Locomotor and Anxiety-like Behavior in Mice at JoVE.com

Use of the Open Field Maze to Measure Locomotor and Anxiety-like Behavior in Mice

A protocol is provided to use an Open Field Maze to access general locomotor activity, anxiety and emotionality in a laboratory mouse model.

El uso del campo Maze abierto para medir el comportamiento locomotor y la ansiedad-como en ratones

Animal models have proven to be invaluable to researchers trying to answer questions regarding the mechanisms of behavior. The Open Field Maze is one of ...

use-open-field-maze-to-measure-locomotor-anxiety-like-behavior

Research

JoVE Journal

Behavior

71.3K vistas.  Auburn University. A protocol is provided to use an Open Field Maze to access general locomotor activity, anxiety and emotionality in a laboratory mouse model.

Video: Use of the Open Field Maze to Measure Locomotor and Anxiety-like Behavior in Mice

Shallow Water (Paddling) Variants of Water Maze Tests in Mice

When Richard Morris devised his water maze in 19817, most behavioral work was done in rats. However, the greater understanding of mouse genetics led to the mouse becoming increasingly important. But researchers found that some strains of mutant mice were prone to problems like passively floating or diving when they were tested in the Morris water maze11. This was unsurprising considering their natural habitat; rats swim naturally (classically, the "sewer rat"), whereas mice evolved in the dry areas of central Asia.
To overcome these problems, it was considered whether shallow water would be a sufficient stimulus to provide escape motivation for mice. This would also avoid the problems of drying the small creatures with a towel and then putting them in a heated recovery chamber to avoid hypothermia, which is a much more serious problem than with rats; the large ratio of surface area to volume of a mouse makes it particularly vulnerable to rapid heat loss.
Another consideration was whether a more natural escape strategy could be used, to facilitate learning. Since animals that fall into water and swim away from the safety of the shore are unlikely to pass on their genes, animals have evolved a natural tendency to swim to the edge of a body of water. The Morris water maze, however, requires them to swim to a hidden platform towards the center of the maze - exactly opposite to their evolved behavior. Therefore the paddling maze should incorporate escape to the edge of the apparatus. This feature, coupled with the use of relatively non-aversive shallow water, embodies the "Refinement" aspect of the "3 Rs" of Russell and Burch8.
Various types of maze design were tried; the common feature was that the water was always shallow (2 cm deep) and escape was via a tube piercing the transparent wall of the apparatus. Other tubes ("false exits") were also placed around the walls but these were blocked off. From the inside of the maze all false exits and the single true exit looked the same. Currently a dodecagonal (12-sided) maze is in use in Oxford, with 12 true/false exits set in the corners. In a recent development a transparent paddling Y-maze has been tested successfully.

Shallow Water Paddling Variants of Water Maze Tests in Mice

Mice can swim, but many strains appear to find this activity stressful. To overcome this problem mazes have been devised where escape from shallow water is used to motivate behaviour. These have been demonstrated to support learning at least as good as the traditional and widely used Morris water maze.

Variantes de agua poco profundos (para niños) de las pruebas de laberinto de agua en ratones

When Richard Morris devised his water maze in 19817, most behavioral work was done in rats. However, the greater understanding of mouse genetics led to ...

Investigación

Comportamiento

Use of the Operant Orofacial Pain Assessment Device (OPAD) to Measure Changes in Nociceptive Behavior

We present an operant system for the detection of pain in awake, conscious rodents. The Orofacial Pain Assessment Device (OPAD) assesses pain behaviors in a more clinically relevant way by not relying on reflex-based measures of nociception. Food fasted, hairless (or shaved) rodents are placed into a Plexiglas chamber which has two Peltier-based thermodes that can be programmed to any temperature between 7 &deg;C and 60 &deg;C. The rodent is trained to make contact with these in order to access a reward bottle. During a session, a number of behavioral pain outcomes are automatically recorded and saved. These measures include the number of reward bottle activations (licks) and facial contact stimuli (face contacts), but custom measures like the lick/face ratio (total number of licks per session/total number of contacts) can also be created. The stimulus temperature can be set to a single temperature or multiple temperatures within a session. The OPAD is a high-throughput, easy to use operant assay which will lead to better translation of pain research in the future as it includes cortical input instead of relying on spinal reflex-based nociceptive assays.

Use of the Operant Orofacial Pain Assessment Device OPAD to Measure Changes in Nociceptive Behavior

We present a user-friendly, high-throughput operant system for the evaluation of pain behaviors in awake, conscious rodents. The Orofacial Pain Assessment Device (OPAD) can assess pain through a reward/conflict paradigm thus providing a more humane way of testing. This protocol will yield more clinically relevant and translational data from rodents.

El uso del Dispositivo de Evaluación Dolor Orofacial operante (OPAD) para medir los cambios en el comportamiento nociceptivo

We present an operant  system for the detection of pain in awake, conscious rodents. The Orofacial  Pain Assessment Device (OPAD) assesses pain behaviors ...

Use of an Eight-arm Radial Water Maze to Assess Working and Reference Memory Following Neonatal Brain Injury

Working and reference memory are commonly assessed using the land based radial arm maze.&#160;However, this paradigm requires pretraining, food deprivation, and may introduce scent cue confounds. The eight-arm radial water maze is designed to evaluate reference and working memory performance simultaneously by requiring subjects to use extra-maze cues to locate escape platforms and remedies the limitations observed in land based radial arm maze designs. Specifically, subjects are required to avoid the arms previously used for escape during each testing day (working memory) as well as avoid the fixed arms, which never contain escape platforms (reference memory). Re-entries into arms that have already been used for escape during a testing session (and thus the escape platform has been removed) and re-entries into reference memory arms are indicative of working memory deficits. Alternatively, first entries into reference memory arms are indicative of reference memory deficits. We used this maze to compare performance of rats with neonatal brain injury and sham controls following induction of hypoxia-ischemia and show significant deficits in both working and reference memory after eleven days of testing. This protocol could be easily modified to examine many other models of learning impairment.

The eight-arm radial water maze is designed to evaluate reference and working memory performance simultaneously by requiring subjects to use extra-maze cues to locate escape platforms and remedies the limitations observed in land based radial arm maze designs.

Working and reference memory are commonly assessed using the land based radial arm maze.&#160;However, this paradigm requires pretraining, food ...

Behavioral and Locomotor Measurements Using an Open Field Activity Monitoring System for Skeletal Muscle Diseases

The open field activity monitoring system comprehensively assesses locomotor and behavioral activity levels of mice. It is a useful tool for assessing locomotive impairment in animal models of neuromuscular disease and efficacy of therapeutic drugs that may improve locomotion and/or muscle function. The open field activity measurement provides a different measure than muscle strength, which is commonly assessed by grip strength measurements. It can also show how drugs may affect other body systems as well when used with additional outcome measures. In addition, measures such as total distance traveled mirror the 6 min walk test, a clinical trial outcome measure. However, open field activity monitoring is also associated with significant challenges: Open field activity measurements vary according to animal strain, age, sex, and circadian rhythm. In addition, room temperature, humidity, lighting, noise, and even odor can affect assessment outcomes. Overall, this manuscript provides a well-tested and standardized open field activity SOP for preclinical trials in animal models of neuromuscular diseases. We provide a discussion of important considerations, typical results, data analysis, and detail the strengths and weaknesses of open field testing. In addition, we provide recommendations for optimal study design when using open field activity in a preclinical trial.

Open field activity levels are used to assess locomotive and behavioral activity levels. This protocol provides a well-designed, standardized protocol to use in preclinical trials for neuromuscular disorders.

Las mediciones del comportamiento y del aparato locomotor utilizando un sistema de supervisión de la actividad de campo abierto para las Enfermedades del músculo esquelético

The open field activity monitoring system comprehensively assesses locomotor and behavioral activity levels of mice. It is a useful tool for assessing ...

Place and Response Learning in the Open-field Tower Maze

This protocol describes how the Open-field Tower Maze (OFTM) paradigm is used to study spatial learning in rodents. This maze is especially useful for examining how rats learn to use a place- or response-learning to successfully navigate in an open-field arena. Additionally, this protocol describes how the OFTM differs from other behavioral maze paradigms that are commonly used to study spatial learning in rodents. The OFTM described in this article was adapted from the one previously described by Cole, Clipperton, and Walt (2007). Specifically, the OFTM was created to test spatial learning in rodents without the experimenter having to consider how &#8220;stress&#8221; might play a role as a confounding variable. Experiments have shown that stress-alone can significantly affect cognitive function1. The representative results section contains data from an experiment that used the OFTM to examine the effects of estradiol treatment on place- and response-learning in adult female Sprague Dawley rats2. Future studies will be designed to examine the role of the hippocampus and striatum in place- and response-learning in the OFTM.

The Open-field Tower Maze (OFTM) is a maze created to study the behavioral and neural mechanisms of spatial learning (e.g., place- or response-learning) in rats. This maze is especially useful for experimenters who want to use a non-stressful maze paradigm to investigate spatial learning in their research.

Coloque y Aprendizaje de respuesta en el Abierto de campo Torre Maze

This protocol describes how the Open-field Tower Maze (OFTM) paradigm is used to study spatial learning in rodents. This maze is especially useful for ...

Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria

Captive-rearing observations are valuable for revealing aspects of fish behavior and ecology when continuous field investigations are impossible. Here, a series of basic techniques are described to enable observations of the reproductive behavior of a wild-caught gobiid fish, as a model, kept in an aquarium. The method focuses on three steps: collection, transport, and observations of reproductive ecology of a substrate spawner. Essential aspects of live fish collection and transport are (1) preventing injury to the fish, and (2) careful acclimation to the aquarium. Preventing harm through injuries such as scratches or a sudden change of water pressure is imperative when collecting live fish, as any physical damage is likely to negatively affect the survival and later behavior of the fish. Careful acclimation to aquaria decreases the incidence death and mitigates the shock of transport. Observations during captive rearing include (1) the identification of individual fish and (2) monitoring spawned eggs without negative effects to the fish or eggs, thereby enabling detailed investigation of the study species' reproductive ecology. The subcutaneous injection of a visible implant elastomer (VIE) tag is a precise method for the subsequent identification of individual fish, and it can be used with a wide size range of fish, with minimal influence on their survival and behavior. If the study species is a substrate spawner that deposits adhesive eggs, an artificial nest site constructed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe with the addition of a removable waterproof sheet will facilitate counting and monitoring the eggs, lessening the investigator's influence on the nest-holding and egg-guarding behavior of the fish. Although this basic method entails techniques that are seldom mentioned in detail in research articles, they are fundamental for undertaking experiments that require the captive rearing of a wild fish.

A series of basic methods to enable the study of the reproductive ecology of fish kept in aquaria are described. These are useful protocols for collecting fish using SCUBA, transporting live fish, and observing the reproductive behavior of wild-caught fish kept in aquaria.

Métodos básicos para el estudio de la ecología reproductiva de los peces en acuarios

Captive-rearing observations are valuable for revealing aspects of fish behavior and ecology when continuous field investigations are impossible. Here, a ...

Central and Divided Visual Field Presentation of Emotional Images to Measure Hemispheric Differences in Motivated Attention

Two dominant theories on lateralized processing of emotional information exist in the literature. One theory posits that unpleasant emotions are processed by right frontal regions, while pleasant emotions are processed by left frontal regions. The other theory posits that the right hemisphere is more specialized for the processing of emotional information overall, particularly in posterior regions.
Assessing the different roles of the cerebral hemispheres in processing emotional information can be difficult without the use of neuroimaging methodologies, which are not accessible or affordable to all scientists. Divided visual field presentation of stimuli can allow for the investigation of lateralized processing of information without the use of neuroimaging technology. 
This study compared central versus divided visual field presentations of emotional images to assess differences in motivated attention between the two hemispheres. The late positive potential (LPP) was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs) methodologies to assess motivated attention. Future work will pair this paradigm with a more active behavioral task to explore the behavioral impacts on the attentional differences found.

This study compared central versus divided visual field presentations of emotional images to assess differences in motivated attention between the two hemispheres. The late positive potential (LPP) was recorded using electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs) methodologies to assess motivated attention.

Presentación de campo Visual central y se divide de imágenes emocionales para medir diferencias hemisféricas en atención motivado

Two dominant theories on lateralized processing of emotional information exist in the literature. One theory posits that unpleasant emotions are processed ...

Testing Animal Anxiety in Rats: Effects of Open Arm Ledges and Closed Arm Wall Transparency in Elevated Plus Maze Test

The elevated plus maze test is a behavioral test for assessing animal anxiety in rodents. Although this test is widely applied in the field of behavioral science, conflicting outcomes are often provided from different laboratories. To identify reasons for the different outcomes, we previously focused on arm features, which differ between laboratories, most notably the presence/absence of ledges at the sides of open arms and the transparency/opaqueness of closed arm walls. In a previous report, we used a custom designed container to compare rat behavior on different combinations of open and closed arm designs under otherwise identical experimental conditions, and showed that differences in arm features interfere with experimental outcomes. In brief, open arm ledges significantly increased anxiety-like behavior in rats, while transparent arms may also have decreased this behavior. Furthermore, we verified a higher detection sensitivity of the effect of an anxiolytic drug in a combination of no-ledged open arm + opaque walled closed arm compared with a combination of ledged open arm + transparent walled closed arm. In this report, we introduce our protocol for the elevated plus maze test, together with discussion of the key results from the previous report and our experimental experience. We believe this report will provide useful information for researchers who have employed or who plan to use the elevated plus maze in their studies.

Rats' anxiety-like behavior tested by the elevated plus maze varies highly depending on the testing environment. Here we show how apparatus settings, especially arm structure, affect behavior on the maze, and we explain a reliable protocol to detect effects of anxiolytic drugs. This report will contribute to anxiety research.

Prueba de ansiedad Animal en ratas: efectos de bordes de brazo abierto y cerrado brazo pared transparencia en elevado mas Test de laberinto

The elevated plus maze test is a behavioral test for assessing animal anxiety in rodents. Although this test is widely applied in the field of behavioral ...

Analyzing Spatial Learning and Prosocial Behavior in Mice Using the Barnes Maze and Damsel-in-Distress Paradigms

The Barnes maze is a reliable measure of spatial learning and memory that does not require food restriction or exposure to extremely stressful stimuli. The Barnes maze can also assess other mouse behaviors, such as general motivation to escape from the maze platform and exploratory behavior. The Barnes maze can measure whether a genetic mutation or environmental variable can impact the acquisition and retention of spatial memories, as well as provide information about the search strategy employed by the mice. Here we use the Barnes maze to detect a memory deficit in adult mice following a single developmental ethanol exposure event. The newly described Damsel-in-Distress paradigm exposes a male mouse to a female mouse trapped in a chamber in the open center field of the arena. It provides an opportunity for the mouse to socially respond to the trapped female and exhibit prosocial behavior. The Damsel-in-Distress paradigm can also be used to examine mouse behavior in a novel arena and measure locomotor activity. Both the Barnes Maze and the Damsel-in-Distress protocols require minimal financial investment and most aspects of the tests can be constructed from common lab supplies. These flexible and accessible tools can also be used to detect behavioral changes over the course of development.

This protocol measures spatial learning and memory using the Barnes maze. A novel Damsel-in-Distress paradigm is used to assess locomotor activity and prosocial behavior in mice.

Analizar el aprendizaje espacial y el comportamiento Prosocial en los ratones con el laberinto de Barnes y paradigmas de la damisela en peligro

The Barnes maze is a reliable measure of spatial learning and memory that does not require food restriction or exposure to extremely stressful stimuli. ...

The Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Inducing Anhedonia in Mice

Depression is a highly prevalent and debilitating condition, only partially addressed by current pharmacotherapies. The lack of response to treatment by many patients prompts the need to develop new therapeutic alternatives and to better understand the etiology of the disorder. Pre-clinical models with translational merits are rudimentary for this task. Here we present a protocol for the unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) method in mice. In this protocol, adolescent mice are chronically exposed to interchanging unpredictable mild stressors. Resembling the pathogenesis of depression in humans, stress exposure during the sensitive period of mice adolescence instigates a depressive-like phenotype evident in adulthood. UCMS can be used for screenings of antidepressants on the variety of depressive-like behaviors and neuromolecular indices. Among the more prominent tests to assess depressive-like behavior in rodents is the sucrose preference test (SPT), which reflects anhedonia (core symptom of depression). The SPT will also be presented in this protocol. The ability of UCMS to induce anhedonia, instigate long-term behavioral deficits and enable reversal of these deficits via chronic (but not acute) treatment with antidepressants strengthens the protocol&#39;s validity compared to other animal protocols for inducing depressive-like behaviors.

Here we present the unpredictable chronic mild stress protocol in mice. This protocol induces a long-term depressive-like phenotype and enables to assess the efficacy of putative antidepressants in reversing the behavioral and neuromolecular depressive-like deficits.

El protocolo de estrés leve crónico impredecible para inducir la Anhedonia en ratones

Depression is a highly prevalent and debilitating condition, only partially addressed by current pharmacotherapies. The lack of response to treatment by ...