Les auteurs tiennent à remercier le financement de UL1TR000071 (NCATS), P30DK079638 (NIDDK), P30DA028821 (NIDA) et T32DA07287 (NIDA).

Toutes les procédures expérimentales sont en accord avec le Guide pour le soin et l&#39;utilisation des animaux de laboratoire (Institut de Laboratory Animal Resources (États-Unis), 1996) et avec l&#39;approbation de l&#39;établissement de soins et d&#39;utilisation des animaux Comité à l&#39;Université du Texas Medical Branch. 1. Sujets <ol><li> Maison individuelle mâles Sprague-Dawley rats pesant 225-250 g à 21 ° C et une humidité relative de 30-50% avec un cycle lumière-obscurité de 12 heures (les lumières sur 6h00-6 h 00). </li><li> Maintenir les rats sur une faible aliments gras (10% de matière grasse par l&#39;énergie). Habituer les rats à la nourriture et colonie ambiante pendant au moins 7 jours avant l&#39;expérimentation. Les animaux sont habitués à la manipulation et le dosage de véhicule pendant trois jours avant de commencer les études. Le premier jour après l&#39;accoutumance est expérimental Jour 1. </li></ol> 2. Préférence de base <ol><li> Jour 1, remplir deux trémies d&#39;alimentation propre, celui marqué d&#39;un A et l&#39;autre avec B, avec 10% de matière grasse nourriture dans chaque cage. WEigh les trémies d&#39;alimentation (avec de la nourriture) et les placer dans la cage, assurant le rat a accès à la fois. </li><li> Jour 2, à peu près les mêmes trémies d&#39;alimentation de temps ont été placés dans la cage la veille, enregistrer le poids de la trémie d&#39;alimentation et de changer les positions de la trémie A et B. Cette trémie atténue biais de position. Toujours examiner la cage de la maison pour un aliment retiré de la trémie, le peser, et en rendre compte. La prise d&#39;aliments est mesurée par les changements dans le poids de la trémie entre les jours. </li><li> Jour 3, enregistrer le poids de la trémie d&#39;alimentation comme avant. Examiner la quantité de nourriture consommée dans chaque position de la trémie d&#39;alimentation et l&#39;identification de la trémie d&#39;aliments (A et B). Ces données donne une compréhension de base de la polarisation de la position et de la préférence de la trémie spécifique, et devrait avoir un score de préférence d&#39;environ 50%, indiquant aucune préférence. Jetez la nourriture restante. </li></ol> 3. Orientation Fat <ol><li> Jour 3, obtenir deux trémies d&#39;alimentation propres à chaque cage. Il est important d&#39;utiliser des trémies d&#39;alimentation propreschaque fois que la commutation entre les différents aliments pour éviter les parfums de confusion des expériences précédentes. Remplir la trémie A avec 12,5% de matière grasse alimentaire et la trémie B avec 15% de graisse alimentaire (tableau 1). Noter les poids de départ de chaque trémie et placer les deux dans la cage. </li><li> Jour 4, enregistrer les poids de chaque trémie, le changement de position de la trémie A et B sur la trémie de les remettre dans la cage. </li><li> Jour 5, enregistrer les poids de chaque trémie. Après avoir déterminé la quantité de chaque aliment consommé sur les deux jours, la préférence alimentaire du rat peut être déterminée. </li><li> Répétez les étapes 3.1 à 3.3 plusieurs fois avec les mêmes animaux en utilisant 12,5% des aliments gras par rapport aux aliments avec l&#39;augmentation de la teneur en graisse (15% par exemple premier, 17,5% suivants, puis 20% et enfin 45% de matières grasses). </li></ol> 4. Calculs et l&#39;analyse des données <ol><li> Calculer la ration alimentaire quotidienne pour chaque animal en soustrayant la masse finale de l&#39;aliment + trémie de la masse de départ de l&#39;aliment+ Trémie. Parce que chaque aliment est mesurée sur deux jours, le total de 2 jours peuvent être additionnées pour chaque teneur en matières grasses%. </li><li> Calculer le score de préférence de la graisse en divisant la consommation de l&#39;aliment en matières grasses supérieure de la nourriture totale consommée pour chaque période de deux jours. Par exemple, un rat mange 8,9 g de l&#39;alimentation en matières grasses de 12,5% et de 27,5 g de l&#39;alimentation de 17,5% en 2 jours. Par conséquent, le score de préférence pour que chaque animal est de 76% (27,5 divisé par 36,4). </li><li> Moyenne et graphique du score de préférence pour chaque régime (15%, 17,5%, 20%, et 45% de matière grasse) (figure 3). L&#39;apport alimentaire total est aussi informatif et peut être facilement porté en grammes (Figure 4). </li><li> Exprimer le score de préférence (figure 5A) et de la prise alimentaire totale (figure 5B) en fonction de l&#39;apport énergétique total (kilocalories) en utilisant la densité d&#39;énergie dans le tableau 1. </li><li> Si vous utilisez plus d&#39;un groupe d&#39;animaux, effectuer une répétition dans les deux sensed mesure ANOVA suivi d&#39;un post-test de Bonferroni. L&#39;analyse de puissance indique que n = 8 animaux par groupe est approprié pour détecter une différence de 7% entre les groupes de traitement. </li></ol>

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C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pregnancy+restores+insulin+secretion+from+pancreatic+islets+in+cafeteria+diet-induced+obese+rats.">Pregnancy restores insulin secretion from pancreatic islets in cafeteria diet-induced obese rats.</a> Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 298 (2), (2010).</li><li>Johnson, S. L., McPhee, L., Birch, L. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Conditioned+preferences:+young+children+prefer+flavors+associated+with+high+dietary+fat.">Conditioned preferences: young children prefer flavors associated with high dietary fat.</a> Physiol. Behav. 50 (6), 1245-1251 (1991).</li><li>Bolanos, C. A., Barrot, M., Berton, O., Wallace-Black, D., Nestler, E. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Methylphenidate+treatment+during+pre-+and+periadolescence+alters+behavioral+responses+to+emotional+stimuli+at+adulthood.">Methylphenidate treatment during pre- and periadolescence alters behavioral responses to emotional stimuli at adulthood.</a> Biol. Psychiatry. 54, 1317-1329 (2003).</li><li>Ignar, D. M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Regulation+of+Ingestive+Behaviors+in+the+Rat+by+GSK1521498,+a+Novel+{micro}-Opioid+Receptor-Selective+Inverse+Agonist.">Regulation of Ingestive Behaviors in the Rat by GSK1521498, a Novel {micro}-Opioid Receptor-Selective Inverse Agonist.</a> J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 339, 24-34 (2011).</li><li>Benzon, C. R., Johnson, S. B., McCue, D. L., Li, D., Green, T. A., Hommel, J. 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Les auteurs n&#39;ont rien à révéler.

Le modèle de préférence Fat est un test instructif et facile à réaliser du comportement alimentaire. Ce test offre la possibilité d&#39;identifier les neurones et mécanismes moléculaires qui sous-tendent les préférences alimentaires, qui est une zone encore peu étudié important de la recherche sur l&#39;obésité. Les changements dans la graisse de préférence des différences génétiques ou des manipulations pharmacologiques peuvent être visualisés comme décalages vers la droite ou vers la gauche dans ...

L&#39;obésité est un problème répandu aux États-Unis 1, avec les Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimant que plus d&#39;un tiers des adultes américains sont obèses. L&#39;obésité a également été identifiée comme un facteur de risque pour de nombreux problèmes de santé, dont le diabète de type 2, l&#39;hypertension artérielle, taux élevé de cholestérol et 2. Bien que il a été démontré de nombreux facteurs à influer sur l&#39;augmentation des taux d&#39;obésité, il existe un intérêt continu et la controverse dans le rôle macronutriments jouent dans l&#39;obésité 3,4. Un facteur contribuant à l&#39;obésité est élevée consommation de graisses alimentaires 5. Graisses alimentaires accrue est corrélée à une augmentation de la consommation d&#39;énergie humaine 6 et des augmentations significatives dans le corps teneur en graisse 7,8. En outre, les graisses alimentaires a valeur de récompense à la fois pendant et après la consommation de 7,9. Par conséquent, la détermination des facteurs d&#39;influence préférence pour les aliments riches en matières grasses peuvent tous deux desi pharmacothérapeutiques de guidagegn et favoriser la compréhension des choix alimentaires sous-jacentes qui peuvent conduire à l&#39;obésité. Le modèle de préférence Fat décrit ici teste pour la préférence de rats entre les aliments de différentes teneurs en matières grasses, mais la valeur nutritive similaire. Plus précisément, ce modèle présente les rats avec un choix de deux aliments différents en même temps permettant ainsi la quantification de préférence fondée sur la grammes consommés de la nourriture faible en gras vers la nourriture en matières grasses supérieure. Les effets pharmacologiques et génétiques peuvent être mesurés comme un changement de la préférence pour les aliments avec une teneur plus élevée en matières grasses. Le modèle de préférence Fat sert à compléter les modèles de consommation alimentaire appétentes largement utilisés 10 mais offre également plusieurs avantages. Ce modèle permet à l&#39;expérimentateur d&#39;évaluer précisément le comportement alimentaire dans un environnement contrôlé dans lequel deux options de restauration sont disponibles. Les modèles traditionnels riches en matières grasses de l&#39;alimentation offrent un seul aliment qui élimine la capacité d&#39;étudier le choix des aliments, un atout importantpect de la consommation alimentaire humaine. Certains essais offrent plusieurs types d&#39;aliments et sont souvent désignés comme des études de type d&#39;alimentation &quot;cafétéria&quot; 11. Ces études souffrent de reproductibilité car l&#39;alimentation humaine est souvent utilisé dans le test et n&#39;est pas bien adapté à l&#39;environnement de laboratoire en raison de la variabilité des éléments nutritifs. Nous utilisons des régimes définis qui contiennent des ingrédients purifiés individuels améliorant ainsi grandement la reproductibilité et la flexibilité de modifier le contenu en macronutriments tels que les graisses alimentaires. Avec l&#39;apport de graisses alimentaires plus élevés associés à l&#39;obésité chez l&#39;homme 5 et la préférence naturelle de l&#39;homme pour les aliments gras élevés 12, les traitements qui modifient la préférence de rat pour les aliments riches en matières grasses peuvent fournir de précieuses informations sur l&#39;obésité.

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		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:277px;">&#160;Rodent diet with 10 kcal% fat&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">Research Diets</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D12450B</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">10 % fat rat food</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:277px;">&#160;Rodent diet with 12.5 kcal% fat&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">Research Diets</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D07040501</td>
			<td>12.5 % fat rat food</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:277px;">&#160;Rodent diet with 15 kcal% fat&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">Research Diets</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D07040502</td>
			<td>15 % fat rat food</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:277px;">&#160;Rodent diet with 17.5 kcal% fat&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">Research Diets</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D07040503</td>
			<td>17.5 % fat rat food</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:277px;">&#160;Rodent diet with 20 kcal% fat&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">Research Diets</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D07040504</td>
			<td>20 % fat rat food</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:277px;">&#160;Rodent diet with 45 kcal% fat&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">Research Diets</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D12451</td>
			<td>45 % fat rat food</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="22">
			<td height="22" style="height:22px;width:277px;">Rat feeders (3.75&#34;W x 2.875&#34;D x 5.25&#34;H)</td>
			<td style="width:111px;">Labex of MA</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">2528</td>
			<td>Food hoppers</td>
		</tr>
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</table>

fat preference: a novel model of eating behavior in rats

L&#39;obésité est un problème croissant aux Etats-Unis d&#39;Amérique, avec plus d&#39;un tiers de la population considérée comme obèse. Un facteur contribuant à ce trouble multifactoriel est la consommation d&#39;une alimentation riche en graisses, un comportement qui a été montré pour augmenter à la fois l&#39;apport calorique et la teneur en graisse du corps. Cependant, les éléments de régulation de préférence pour les aliments riches en graisses sur les autres aliments restent peu étudiées. Pour remédier à ce déficit, un modèle pour tester rapidement et facilement des changements dans la préférence pour les graisses alimentaires a été développé. Le modèle de préférence Fat présente rats avec une série de choix entre les aliments avec différentes teneurs en graisse. Comme les humains, les rats ont une tendance naturelle vers la consommation de nourriture riche en graisse, rendant le modèle de rat idéal pour les études translationnelles. Changements dans les préférences peuvent être attribuées à l&#39;effet soit de différences génétiques ou interventions pharmacologiques. Ce modèle permet l&#39;exploration des déterminants de la préférence de la graisse et screforcement agents pharmacothérapeutiques qui influence l&#39;acquisition de l&#39;obésité.

Les rats ont un accès physique à deux trémies d&#39;alimentation simultanément (figure 1) afin de démontrer la préférence pour des choix alimentaires disponibles avec différentes teneurs en matière grasse (Tableau 1). la nourriture de rat a été pesé tous les jours et tout débordement de nourriture a été facilement trouvé et pris en compte (figure 2). Déversement de particules de nourriture fines a été jugée minime et n&#39;influence pas sensiblement ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats at JoVE.com

Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats

Influences de contenu en matières grasses alimentaires à la fois la consommation d&#39;énergie et la composition de la graisse corporelle chez les mammifères. En examinant la préférence des rats de la nourriture riche en graisses dans une série d&#39;expériences de choix, il est possible de tester les différences génétiques et les interventions pharmacologiques sur leur préférence pour des aliments très gras.

Préférence Fat: A Novel modèle du comportement alimentaire chez le rat

Obesity is a growing problem in the United States of America, with more than a third of the population classified as obese. One factor contributing to ...

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Research

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Behavior

13.0K vues.  University of Texas Medical Branch.  Influences de contenu en matières grasses alimentaires à la fois la consommation d'énergie et la composition de la graisse corporelle chez les mammifères. En examinant la préférence des rats de la nourriture riche en graisses dans une série d'expériences de choix, il est possible de tester les différences génétiques et les interventions pharmacologiques sur leur préférence pour des aliments très gras. 

Vidéo: Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats

Stereotaxic Microinjection of Viral Vectors Expressing Cre Recombinase to Study the Role of Target Genes in Cocaine Conditioned Place Preference

Microinjecting recombinant adenoassociated viral (rAAV) vectors expressing Cre recombinase into distinct mouse brain regions to selectively knockout genes of interest allows for enhanced temporally- and regionally-specific control of gene deletion, compared to existing methods. While conditional deletion can also be achieved by mating mice that express Cre recombinase under the control of specific gene promoters with mice carrying a floxed gene, stereotaxic microinjection allows for targeting of discrete brain areas at experimenter-determined time points of interest. In the context of cocaine conditioned place preference, and other cocaine behavioral paradigms such as self-administration or psychomotor sensitization that can involve withdrawal, extinction and/or reinstatement phases, this technique is particularly useful in exploring the unique contribution of target genes to these distinct phases of behavioral models of cocaine-induced plasticity. Specifically, this technique allows for selective ablation of target genes during discrete phases of a behavior to test their contribution to the behavior across time. Ultimately, this understanding allows for more targeted therapeutics that are best able to address the most potent risk factors that present themselves during each phase of addictive behavior.

This article describes how to microinject viral vectors into mouse brain and then test in a conditioned place preference paradigm that includes an acquisition, extinction and reinstatement phase.

La micro-injection stéréotaxique de vecteurs viraux exprimant la recombinase Cre pour étudier le rôle des gènes cibles de cocaïne préférence de place conditionnée

Microinjecting recombinant adenoassociated viral (rAAV) vectors expressing Cre recombinase into distinct mouse brain regions to selectively knockout genes ...

Recherche

Sciences du comportement

Inchworming: A Novel Motor Stereotypy in the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J Mouse Model of Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a behaviorally defined neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by decreased reciprocal social interaction, abnormal communication, and repetitive behaviors with restricted interest. As diagnosis is based on clinical criteria, any potentially relevant rodent models of this heterogeneous disorder should ideally recapitulate these diverse behavioral traits. The BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse is an established animal model of ASD, displaying repetitive behaviors such as increased grooming, as well as cognitive inflexibility. With respect to social interaction and interest, the juvenile play test has been employed in multiple rodent models of ASD. Here, we show that when BTBR mice are tested in a juvenile social interaction enclosure containing sawdust bedding, they display a repetitive synchronous digging motion. This repetitive motor behavior, referred to as &#34;inchworming,&#34; was named because of the stereotypic nature of the movements exhibited by the mice while moving horizontally across the floor. Inchworming mice must use their fore- and hind-limbs in synchrony to displace the bedding, performing a minimum of one inward and one outward motion. Although both BTBR and C56BL/6J (B6) mice exhibit this behavior, BTBR mice demonstrate a significantly higher duration and frequency of inchworming and a decreased latency to initiate inchworming when placed in a bedded enclosure. We conclude that this newly described behavior provides a measure of a repetitive motor stereotypy that can be easily measured in animal models of ASD.

Inchworming: A Novel Motor Stereotypy in the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J Mouse Model of Autism

Inchworming is a highly repetitive synchronous digging motion displayed by BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mice when placed in a testing cage with sufficient sawdust bedding. The procedure is a modification of the juvenile social interaction protocol and is used here to assess repetitive motor stereotypies relevant to Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Inchworming: A Novel moteur Stéréotypie dans le BTBR<em&gt; T<sup&gt; +</sup&gt; Itpr3<sup&gt; Tf</sup</em&gt; / J modèle de souris de l&#39;autisme

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a behaviorally defined neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by decreased reciprocal social interaction, abnormal ...

A Novel Procedure for Evaluating the Reinforcing Properties of Tastants in Laboratory Rats: Operant Intraoral Self-administration

This paper describes a novel method for studying the bio-behavioral basis of addiction to food. This method combines the surgical component of taste reactivity with the behavioral aspects of operant self-administration of drugs. Under very brief general anaesthesia, rats are implanted with an intraoral (IO) cannula that allows delivery of test solutions directly in the oral cavity. Animals are then tested in operant self-administration chambers whereby they can press a lever to receive IO infusions of test solutions. IO self-administration has several advantages over experimental procedures that involve drinking a solution from a spout&#160;or operant responding for solid pellets or solutions delivered in a receptacle. Here, we show that IO self-administration can be employed to study self-administration of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Rats were first tested for self-administration on a progressive ratio (PR) schedule, which assesses the maximum amount of operant behavior that will be emitted for different concentrations of HFCS (i.e.&#160;8%, 25%, and 50%). Following this test, rats self-administered these concentrations on a continuous schedule of reinforcement (i.e.&#160;one infusion for each lever press) for 10 consecutive days (1 session/day; each lasting 3 hr), and then they were retested on the PR schedule. On the continuous reinforcement schedule, rats took fewer infusions of higher concentrations, although the lowest concentration of HFCS (8%) maintained more variable self-administration. Furthermore, the PR tests revealed that 8% had lower reinforcing value than 25% and 50%. These results indicate that IO self-administration can be employed to study acquisition and maintenance of responding for sweet solutions. The sensitivity of the operant response to differences in concentration and schedule of reinforcement makes IO self-administration an ideal procedure to investigate the neurobiology of voluntary intake of sweets.

The current study evaluates a novel procedure for assessing the reinforcing effects of palatable solutions in laboratory rats: intraoral self-administration. To this end, operant responding (i.e.&#160;lever pressing) for intraoral infusions of sweet solutions at different concentrations was measured on continuous and progressive ratios schedules of reinforcement.

Une nouvelle procédure pour l&#39;évaluation des propriétés de renforcement de tastants chez les rats de laboratoire: intra auto-administration opérant

This paper describes a novel method for studying the bio-behavioral basis of addiction to food. This method combines the surgical component of taste ...

A Procedure to Observe Context-induced Renewal of Pavlovian-conditioned Alcohol-seeking Behavior in Rats

Environmental contexts in which drugs of abuse are consumed can trigger craving, a subjective Pavlovian-conditioned response that can facilitate drug-seeking behavior and prompt relapse in abstinent drug users. We have developed a procedure to study the behavioral and neural processes that mediate the impact of context on alcohol-seeking behavior in rats. Following acclimation to the taste and pharmacological effects of 15% ethanol in the home cage, male Long-Evans rats receive Pavlovian discrimination training (PDT) in conditioning chambers. In each daily (Mon-Fri) PDT session, 16 trials each of two different 10 sec auditory conditioned stimuli occur. During one stimulus, the CS+, 0.2 ml of 15% ethanol is delivered into a fluid port for oral consumption. The second stimulus, the CS-, is not paired with ethanol. Across sessions, entries into the fluid port during the CS+ increase, whereas entries during the CS- stabilize at a lower level, indicating that a predictive association between the CS+ and ethanol is acquired. During PDT each chamber is equipped with a specific configuration of visual, olfactory and tactile contextual stimuli. Following PDT, extinction training is conducted in the same chamber that is now equipped with a different configuration of contextual stimuli. The CS+ and CS- are presented as before, but ethanol is withheld, which causes a gradual decline in port entries during the CS+. At test, rats are placed back into the PDT context and presented with the CS+ and CS- as before, but without ethanol. This manipulation triggers a robust and selective increase in the number of port entries made during the alcohol predictive CS+, with no change in responding during the CS-. This effect, referred to as context-induced renewal, illustrates the powerful capacity of contexts associated with alcohol consumption to stimulate alcohol-seeking behavior in response to Pavlovian alcohol cues.

A procedure to study the capacity of an alcohol associated environmental context to trigger the renewal of alcohol-seeking behavior in rats is described.

Une procédure pour l&#39;observation de renouvellement induite contexte-de pavlovien conditionné alcool comportement de recherche chez le rat

Environmental contexts in which drugs of abuse are consumed can trigger craving, a subjective Pavlovian-conditioned response that can facilitate ...

The Modified Hole Board - Measuring Behavior, Cognition and Social Interaction in Mice and Rats

This protocol describes the modified hole board (mHB), which combines features from a traditional hole board and open field and is designed to measure multiple dimensions of unconditioned behavior in small laboratory mammals (e.g., mice, rats, tree shrews and small primates). This paradigm is a valuable alternative for the use of a behavioral test battery, since a broad behavioral spectrum of an animal&#8217;s behavioral profile can be investigated in one single test.
The apparatus consists of a box, representing the &#8216;protected&#8217; area, separated from a group compartment. A board, on which small cylinders are staggered in three lines, is placed in the center of the box, representing the &#8216;unprotected&#8217; area of the set-up. The cognitive abilities of the animals can be measured by baiting some cylinders on the board and measuring the working and reference memory. Other unconditioned behavior, such as activity-related-, anxiety-related- and social behavior, can be observed using this paradigm. Behavioral flexibility and the ability to habituate to a novel environment can additionally be observed by subjecting the animals to multiple trials in the mHB, revealing insight into the animals&#8217; adaptive capacities.
Due to testing order effects in a behavioral test battery, na&#239;ve animals should be used for each individual experiment. By testing multiple behavioral dimensions in a single paradigm and thereby circumventing this issue, the number of experimental animals used is reduced. Furthermore, by avoiding social isolation during testing and without the need to food deprive the animals, the mHB represents a behavioral test system, inducing if any, very low amount of stress.

This protocol describes the modified hole board, which is a behavioral test set-up that comprises the characteristics of an open field and a traditional hole board. This set-up enables the differential analysis of unconditioned behavior of small laboratory mammals as well as the analysis of cognitive abilities.

Le Conseil Trou modification - Comportement, cognition et l&#39;interaction sociale souris et des rats de mesure

This protocol describes the modified hole board (mHB), which combines features from a traditional hole board and open field and is designed to measure ...

The Rodent Psychomotor Vigilance Test (rPVT): A Method for Assessing Neurobehavioral Performance in Rats and Mice

The human Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is a widely used procedure for measuring changes in fatigue and sustained attention. The present article describes a rodent version of the PVT&#8212;termed the &#34;rPVT&#34;&#8212;that measures similar aspects of attention (i.e., performance accuracy, motor speed, premature responding, and lapses in attention). Data are presented that demonstrate both the short- and long-term usefulness of the rPVT when employed with laboratory rats. Rats easily learn the rPVT, and learning to perform the basic procedure takes less than two weeks of training. Once acquired, rat performances in the rPVT show a high degree of similarity to these same performance measures in the human PVT, including similarities in, lapses in attention, reaction times, vigilance decrements across session time (i.e., the human &#34;time-on-task&#34; effects), and the response-stimulus interval (RSI) effect described for humans. Thus the rPVT can be an extremely valuable tool for assessing the effects of a wide range of variables on sustained attention quite similar to human PVT performances, and thus can be useful for developing novel treatments for neurobehavioral dysfunctions.

The Rodent Psychomotor Vigilance Test rPVT: A Method for Assessing Neurobehavioral Performance in Rats and Mice

A rat version of the human Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is described that measures aspects of attention similar to those measured with the human PVT, including aspects of human vigilance such as performance accuracy, motor speed, premature responding, and lapses in attention.

Le Rongeur psychomoteur Vigilance Test (RPVT): une méthode d&#39;évaluation des performances neurocomportementales chez les rats et les souris

The human Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is a widely used procedure for measuring changes in fatigue and sustained attention. The present article ...

Automated Analysis of a Nematode Population-based Chemosensory Preference Assay

The nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans' compact nervous system of only 302 neurons underlies a diverse repertoire of behaviors. To facilitate the dissection of the neural circuits underlying these behaviors, the development of robust and reproducible behavioral assays is necessary. Previous C. elegans behavioral studies have used variations of a "drop test", a "chemotaxis assay", and a "retention assay" to investigate the response of C. elegans to soluble compounds. The method described in this article seeks to combine the complementary strengths of the three aforementioned assays. Briefly, a small circle in the middle of each assay plate is divided into four quadrants with the control and experimental solutions alternately placed. After the addition of the worms, the assay plates are loaded into a behavior chamber where microscope cameras record the worms' encounters with the treated regions. Automated video analysis is then performed and a preference index (PI) value for each video is generated. The video acquisition and automated analysis features of this method minimizes the experimenter's involvement and any associated errors. Furthermore, minute amounts of the experimental compound are used per assay and the behavior chamber's multi-camera setup increases experimental throughput. This method is particularly useful for conducting behavioral screens of genetic mutants and novel chemical compounds. However, this method is not appropriate for studying stimulus gradient navigation due to the close proximity of the control and experimental solution regions. It should also not be used when only a small population of worms is available. While suitable for assaying responses only to soluble compounds in its current form, this method can be easily modified to accommodate multimodal sensory interaction and optogenetic studies. This method can also be adapted to assay the chemosensory responses of other nematode species.

We present a behavior recording setup and protocol that enables automated analysis of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans' preference for soluble compounds in a population-based assay. This article describes the construction of a behavior chamber, the behavioral assay protocol, and video analysis software usage.

Analyse automatisée d&#39;un essai de préférence chimiosensible basée sur la population à base de nématodes

The nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans' compact nervous system of only 302 neurons underlies a diverse repertoire of behaviors. To facilitate the dissection ...

Reinstatement of Drug-seeking in Mice Using the Conditioned Place Preference Paradigm

The present protocol describes the Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) as a model of relapse in drug addiction. In this model, animals are first trained to acquire a conditioned place preference in a drug-paired compartment, and after the post-conditioning test, they perform several sessions to extinguish the established preference. The CPP permits the evaluation of the conditioned rewarding effects of drugs related to environmental cues. Then, the extinguished CPP can be robustly reinstated by the non-contingent administration of a priming dose of the drug, and by exposure to stressful stimuli. Both methods will be explained here. When the animal reinitiates the behavioral response, a reinstatement of the conditioned reward is considered to have taken place.
The main advantages of this protocol are that it is non-invasive, inexpensive, and simple with good validity criteria. In addition, it allows the study of different environmental manipulations, such as stress or diet, which can modulate relapse into drug seeking behaviors. However, one limitation is that if the researcher aims to explore the motivation and primary reinforcing effects of the drug, it should be complemented with self-administration procedures, as they involve operant responses of animals.

This protocol describes the Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) as a model of relapse. This procedure permits the measurement of relapse in laboratory animals, considering the impact of drug-associated environmental cues as craving and relapse in abstaining addicts is currently the focus of drug-abuse treatment programs.

Rétablissement de la recherche de drogue chez les souris en utilisant le paradigme de préférence de Place conditionnée

The present protocol describes the Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) as a model of relapse in drug addiction. In this model, animals are first trained to ...

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats

Contagious depression is a phenomenon that is yet to be fully recognized and this stems from insufficient material on the subject. At the moment, there is no existing format for studying the mechanism of action, prevention, containment, and treatment of contagious depression. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to establish the first animal model of contagious depression.
Healthy rats can contract depressive behaviors if exposed to depressed rats. Depression is induced in rats by subjecting them to several manipulations of chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) over 5 weeks, as described in the protocol. A successful sucrose preference test confirmed the development of depression in the rats. The CUS-exposed rats were then caged with na&#239;ve rats from the contagion group (1 na&#239;ve rat/2 depressed rats in a cage) for an additional 5 weeks. 30 social groups were created from the combination of CUS-exposed rats and na&#239;ve rats.
This proposed depression-contagion protocol in animals consists mainly of cohabiting CUS-exposed and healthy rats for 5 weeks. To ensure that this method works, a series of tests are carried out - first, the sucrose preference test upon inducing depression to rats, then, the sucrose preference test, alongside the open field and forced-swim tests at the end of the cohabitation period. Throughout the experiment, rats are given tags and are always returned to their cages after each test.
A few limitations to this method are the weak differences recorded between the experimental and control groups in the sucrose preference test and the irreversible traumatic outcome of the forced swim test. These may be worth considering for suitability before any future application of the protocol. Nonetheless, following the experiment, na&#239;ve rats developed contagion depression after 5 weeks of sharing the same cage with the CUS-exposed rats.

This protocol describes a new model by which healthy rats could contract depression over a given time periodthrough contagion by exposure to chronic unpredictable stressed (CUS) rats.

Une nouvelle méthode pour induire un comportement de type dépression chez le rat

Contagious depression is a phenomenon that is yet to be fully recognized and this stems from insufficient material on the subject. At the moment, there is ...

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System

Subjects eat food from a plate that sits on a scale connected to a computer that records the weight loss of the plate during the meal and makes up a curve of food intake, meal duration and rate of eating modeled by a quadratic equation. The purpose of the method is to change eating behavior by providing visual feedback on the computer screen that the subject can adapt to because her/his own rate of eating appears on the screen during the meal. The data generated by the method is automatically analyzed and fitted to the quadratic equation using a custom made algorithm. The method has the advantage of recording eating behavior objectively and offers the possibility of changing eating behavior both in experiments and in clinical practice. A limitation may be that experimental subjects are affected by the method. The same limitation may be an advantage in clinical practice, as eating behavior is more easily stabilized by the method. A treatment that uses this method has normalized body weight and restored the health of several hundred patients with anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders and has reduced the weight and improved the health of severely overweight patients.

Subjects eat food from a plate placed on a scale connected to a computer that records the weight loss of the plate during the meal. Feedback on the computer screen allows the subject to adapt her/his eating behavior to reference curves thus normalizing body weight.

Contrôle de comportement à l’aide d’un système de rétroaction roman de manger

Subjects eat food from a plate that sits on a scale connected to a computer that records the weight loss of the plate during the meal and makes up a curve ...