The Knob Supination Task: A Semi-automated Method for Assessing Forelimb Function in RatsSamuel D. Butensky 1, Thelma Bethea 1, Joshua Santos 1, Anil Sindhurakar 1, Eric Meyers 2,3, Andrew M. Sloan 2,3, Robert L. Rennaker II 2,3, Jason B. Carmel 1,4,5
1Burke Medical Research Institute, 2Texas Biomedical Center, The University of Texas at Dallas, 3Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, The University of Texas at Dallas, 4Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College, 5Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medical College
This manuscript describes a semi-automated task that quantifies supination in rats. Rats reach, grasp, and supinate a spherical manipulandum. The rat is rewarded with a pellet if the turn angle exceeds a criterion set by the user. This task increases throughput, sensitivity to injury, and objectivity compared to traditional tasks.
