This work is supported by a Baylor University Research Council grant and by a research grant from the Epilepsy Foundation.

Os ratos machos adultos utilizados na experiência seguinte foram gerados e alojado na Universidade de Baylor a uma temperatura ambiente de 22 ° C, com uma luz de 14 h e 10 h escuro (20:00-06:00 h) ciclo diurno. Os ratos tiveram acesso ad libitum a comida e água. Todos os procedimentos para os ratos estavam em conformidade com os Institutos Nacionais de Saúde Diretrizes para o Cuidado e Uso de Animais de Laboratório eo protocolo animal foi aprovado pela Universidade de Baylor Animal Care e do Comitê Use. Os ratinhos foram testados no final da manhã / tarde. Para todos os procedimentos abaixo o pesquisador deve usar luvas para eliminar odores e evitar a contaminação. 1. Preparação de Odores não-sociais <ol><li> Prepare odores não sociais frescos cada dia de testes. Nota: O investigador deve usar luvas para preparar os odores. <ol><li> Encha três tubos de centrífuga com 10 ml de água cada. </li><li> Pipetar 100 mL de extrato de banana em um 15 ml &amp; #160; tubo cónico e 100 ul de extracto de amêndoa para um segundo tubo de 15 ml de uma diluição de 1: 100. Nota: O terceiro tubo de 15 ml conterá somente água. </li></ol></li></ol> 2. Preparação de Odores Sociais <ol><li> Prepare odores sociais frescos na manhã de testes irá ocorrer. Obter odores sociais de duas gaiolas que não tenham sido limpos durante pelo menos três dias, e contêm um número igual de ratinhos. Obter odores sociais de ratos do mesmo sexo como o sujeito de teste. Nota: Estes estão a ser armazenados a temperatura ambiente e deve ser usada dentro de 4-6 horas para manter o odor forte e consistente. <ol><li> Determine quantas odor sociais cotonetes precisam ser criados: cada rato que está sendo testado será apresentado com três swabs de odor Social 1, e três de odor sociais 2. </li><li> Prepare odores sociais limpando um cotonete de uma forma em zigue-zague através da parte inferior de uma gaiola suja. Sacudir qualquer excesso cama agarrado à ponta. </li><li> Loja swabs em grandes frascos de vidro com tampas ou em copos cobertos com parafilme. Designar um recipiente para um odor sociais e um segundo para o odor sociais 2. </li></ol></li><li> Manter gaiolas de origem odor fora da sala de ensaio experimental. </li></ol> 3. A aclimatação do mouse Teste <ol><li> Calçar luvas e pesar o mouse para ser testado e coloque individualmente em uma gaiola limpa com uma tampa de arame em cima e garrafa de água removida. </li><li> Permitir que o mouse para se aclimatar à nova gaiola por 45 min em uma sala diferente de sala de ensaios. Certifique-se de que não existem odores ou ruídos no quarto. </li><li> Como teste leva cerca de 45 min, escalonar os tempos de aclimatação, colocando a próxima mouse para ser testado em uma gaiola limpa para se aclimatar à direita antes de testar o mouse atual. </li></ol> 4. Preparação da sala de teste <ol><li> Coloque compressas de algodão frescos, fita de laboratório, os frascos contendo swabs odor sociais, os tubos de nsobre-sociais odores, uma micropipeta, dois temporizadores, e um frasco de resíduos com uma tampa na sala de testes. </li><li> Certifique-se de que a sala de ensaios é razoavelmente livre de odores, ruídos altos e luz brilhante. Não use perfumes ou loções perfumadas. Nota: O observador não deve ser mascar chicletes ou balas durante o período de testes e deve tentar limitar a sua exposição a fortes alimentos de odor. </li></ol> 5. Procedimento de Teste <ol><li> Traga o mouse aclimatados em sua gaiola na sala de ensaio e colocar a gaiola em cima do balcão, a uma altura que seja confortável para visualização enquanto estiver sentado. </li><li> Apresente cada odor 3 vezes em uma fila para 2 min cada vez. Utilizar a ordem de apresentação que pode ser encontrada na Tabela 1. <ol><li> Pipetar 50 ul de odorante no perfume a ser testado para a ponta da mecha de algodão e volte a fechar a fonte de odor. Levante a parte superior da gaiola de arame e insira a extremidade sem cheiro, de madeira do swab na abertura da garrafa de água, empurrandog o comprimento através do lado de baixo do fio para o topo. Evite tocar a ponta de algodão para nada, incluindo dedos, de modo que a contaminação odor é evitado. </li><li> Continue a puxar o cotonete com a abertura da garrafa de água até cerca de 1 polegada do fim algodão trava para baixo na gaiola. Apor o fim da haste de madeira para o lado da gaiola usando fita laboratório. Nota: Tenha cuidado para não deixar a tampa cair de volta para a jaula, fazendo um ruído alto que iria perturbar o mouse teste. </li><li> Começar imediatamente temporização para 2 min. Use um temporizador para cronometrar o 2 min de apresentação. Grave o tempo acumulado gasto cheirando o odor durante 2 min julgamento. Contagem comportamento sniffing do animal usando um cronômetro separado. Sniffing ativo é definido quando o nariz do animal é orientada para a ponta de algodão com seu nariz ~ 2 centímetros ou mais perto da ponta. </li><li> Após a conclusão de cada julgamento, levantar a tampa do fio e retire o cotonete, puxando-a para baixo através da ONUderside da tampa (o que evita a contaminação de odores, impedindo que a ponta de algodão de tocar o fio). Selar o swab usado em uma garrafa de 500 ml de resíduos. </li><li> Preparar e inserir o próximo swab e começar a cronometragem. Permitir que cerca de 1 min entre cada intervalo inter-julgamento. Continue até que cada perfume tem sido apresentado três vezes seguidas, durante 2 minutos de cada vez. </li></ol></li><li> Uma vez que o rato tenha completado todos os ensaios, esvaziar o frasco de resíduos contendo as cotonetes utilizadas em uma lata de lixo do lado de fora da sala de teste. Devolver o mouse para sua gaiola. </li></ol> 6. Análise <ol><li> Analisar os dados para cada grupo por condição odor usando ANOVA two-way seguido por Newman-Keuls ou um teste similar post hoc para determinar habituação significativa (menos tempo farejando sucessivas mesmos cheiros), e dishabitutation (mais tempo farejando um novo cheiro). </li></ol>

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The authors have nothing to disclose.

Os resultados apresentados neste artigo são ideais para camundongos. Os ratinhos demonstram uma forte resposta a um odor de novo, em seguida, rapidamente habituar. Um dos passos chave no presente método é a preparação dos odores. O investigador deve tomar muito cuidado para isolar os odores um do outro para evitar a contaminação. Outro aspecto importante é a apresentação do cotonete. O investigador precisa solucionar a melhor localização da ponta de algodão para que o rato pode investigar a ponta, mas não ...

Ratos são dependentes olfato para navegar novos ambientes, encontrar comida, para o reconhecimento de outras pessoas, e comportamento sexual 1-3. É essencial que os investigadores determinar se ou não os animais experimentais têm um sentido de cheiro funcionamento antes de administrar testes comportamentais que envolvem a comida, a interacção social, ou quaisquer odores destinados a induzir uma resposta a partir do ratinho. A anosmia ou a incapacidade de distinguir entre diferentes odores, poderia resultar em falsos positivos ou negativos em uma ampla variedade de paradigmas de comportamento, de modo a capacidade de um rato para detectar e distinguir os odores deve ser estabelecida antes de outros tipos de testes comportamentais são efectuadas. O teste de habituação / dishabituation olfativo foi descrita pela primeira vez na década de 1980 4. O ensaio foi adaptado para utilização em ratinhos pelos Drs. Mu Yang e Jacqueline Crawley 5. Este é um teste simples e barato, que permite ao investigador ESTABlish que um rato pode detectar e diferenciar entre odores. Além de testar olfacto, este teste permite ao investigador observar o comportamento geral do rato e deve ser feita no início de um regime de testes. Observações qualitativas sobre a locomoção do rato, sinais de ansiedade, nível de atividade, e resposta a odores sociais contra os odores dos alimentos pode sinalizar novas áreas em que os testes poderiam ser realizados. Neste teste, compressas de algodão embebido em vários odores são apresentados a um mouse três vezes em uma fileira. Com cada apresentação repetida de um odor, o rato vai habituar ao cotonete, gastando menos tempo investigando-o com cada apresentação subsequente. Quando um novo odor é apresentado, dishabituation ocorre, e um mouse típico vai gastar mais tempo a investigar o cotonete, indicando que ele pode discriminar entre os actuais e anteriores odores 5. Este teste é administrado a um rato de cada vez e inclui um 45 min acclimation período seguido de 45 minutos de teste. Embora este teste é fácil de transportar para fora, pode ser utilizado para investigar perguntas sofisticadas sobre o sistema olfactivo do rato. Outros testes populares de olfacto, tais como o teste de alimentos enterrado, simplesmente determinar a presença ou ausência de anosmia. No entanto, o teste de discriminação e habituação olfactiva permite ao investigador para determinar que um mouse não só tem a capacidade de detectar odores, mas pode discriminar entre diferentes odores. O padrão de habituação e dishabituation foi usado para estabelecer novos mutantes que podem discriminar entre os odores 6,7. Em um estudo surpreendente, Fadool e seus colegas usaram misturas complexas de odores para mostrar que os ratos com supressão segmentadas gene do canal Kv1.3 são &quot;super smellers&quot; que podem discriminar odores muito similares melhor do que ratos normais 8. Ao examinar um novo modelo de nocaute do mouse é útil Establish na presença de um comportamento normal para tarefas sensoriais básicos. Quando feito no início de um regime de testes, a discriminação odor e teste de habituação dá um investigador a oportunidade de observar quaisquer comportamentos incomuns. Estas observações podem evitar resultados falsos positivos ou negativos em testes posteriores que são atribuíveis ao confundindo características do mutante. Como os investigadores continuam a investigar o comportamento social a necessidade de verificar a função olfativa básico torna-se cada vez mais importante. Além de examinar o olfato em linhas mutantes, este teste pode ser usado para tratar de questões específicas, como se um tratamento farmacológico aumenta especificamente a resposta de um animal a estímulos odor sociais ou se os seus aumentos de resposta a todos os estímulos odor.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Mouse cage</td>
			<td>Allentown</td>
			<td>Standard mouse cage</td>
			<td></td>
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		<tr>
			<td rowspan="2">Wire lid</td>
			<td rowspan="2">Allentown</td>
			<td>BCU Mouse WBL 2500</td>
			<td rowspan="2"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bedding</td>
			<td>Harlan</td>
			<td>7090 Sani-Chips</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cotton swabs</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89031-270</td>
			<td>6&#8221; wooden handle</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Banana extract</td>
			<td>McCormick</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Almond extract</td>
			<td>McCormick</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Laboratory tape</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89098-062</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Stop watch</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>62374-000</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nitrile gloves</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>82026</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Timing device</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>61161-350</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15 mL conical tubes</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89003-294</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 L beakers&#160;</td>
			<td>Pyrex</td>
			<td align="right">1003</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Parafilm</td>
			<td>Parafilm</td>
			<td>PM-992</td>
			<td>4&#8221; x 250&#8217;</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1 L bottle with cap</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>89000-240</td>
			<td></td>
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</table>

testing for odor discrimination and habituation in mice

This video demonstrates a technique to establish the presence of a normally functioning olfactory system in a mouse. The test helps determine whether the mouse can discriminate between non-social odors and social odors, whether the mouse habituates to a repeatedly presented odor, and whether the mouse demonstrates dishabituation when presented with a novel odor. Since many social behavior tests measure the experimental animal&#8217;s response to a familiar or novel mouse, false positives can be avoided by establishing that the animals can detect and discriminate between social odors. There are similar considerations in learning tests such as fear conditioning that use odor to create a novel environment or olfactory cues as an associative stimulus. Deficits in the olfactory system would impair the ability to distinguish between contexts and to form an association with an olfactory cue during fear conditioning. 
In the odor habitation/dishabituation test, the mouse is repeatedly presented with several odors. Each odor is presented three times for two minutes. The investigator records the sniffing time directed towards the odor as the measurement of olfactory responsiveness. A typical mouse shows a decrease in response to the odor over repeated presentations (habituation). The experimenter then presents a novel odor that elicits increased sniffing towards the new odor (dishabituation). After repeated presentation of the novel odor the animal again shows habituation. This protocol involves the presentation of water, two or more non-social odors, and two social odors. In addition to reducing experimental confounds, this test can provide information on the function of the olfactory systems of new knockout, knock-in, and conditional knockout mouse lines.

Seguindo o protocolo descrito, os resultados foram registados utilizando dez adultos (dia pós-natal 90-120) ratos machos C57BL / 6J e oito macho estirpe FVB mista-fundo (dia pós-natal 50-70). O teste foi realizado por um único investigador ao longo de vários dias. Cada ponto nos gráficos representa a média de tempo gasto a investigar um odor. Quando o cotonete embebido em água é introduzido pela primeira vez, os ratos gastar uma grande quantidade de tempo a investigar este romance ob...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Testing for Odor Discrimination and Habituation in Mice at JoVE.com

Testing for Odor Discrimination and Habituation in Mice

This manuscript describes a protocol to examine the olfactory system of rodents. The olfactory habituation/dishabituation test will allow investigators to determine whether a mouse habituates to a repeatedly presented odor and whether the mouse demonstrates dishabituation when presented a novel odor.

Testes para Odor Discriminação e habituação em ratos

This video demonstrates a technique to establish the presence of a normally functioning olfactory system in a mouse. The test helps determine whether the ...

testing-for-odor-discrimination-and-habituation-in-mice

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JoVE Journal

Behavior

17.5K visualizações.  Baylor University. This manuscript describes a protocol to examine the olfactory system of rodents. The olfactory habituation/dishabituation test will allow investigators to determine whether a mouse habituates to a repeatedly presented odor and whether the mouse demonstrates dishabituation when presented a novel odor. 

Vídeo: Testing for Odor Discrimination and Habituation in Mice

Contextual and Cued Fear Conditioning Test Using a Video Analyzing System in Mice

The contextual and cued fear conditioning test is one of the behavioral tests that assesses the ability of mice to learn and remember an association between environmental cues and aversive experiences. In this test, mice are placed into a conditioning chamber and are given parings of a conditioned stimulus (an auditory cue) and an aversive unconditioned stimulus (an electric footshock). After a delay time, the mice are exposed to the same conditioning chamber and a differently shaped chamber with presentation of the auditory cue. Freezing behavior during the test is measured as an index of fear memory. To analyze the behavior automatically, we have developed a video analyzing system using the ImageFZ application software program, which is available as a free download at http://www.mouse-phenotype.org/. Here, to show the details of our protocol, we demonstrate our procedure for the contextual and cued fear conditioning test in C57BL/6J mice using the ImageFZ system. In addition, we validated our protocol and the video analyzing system performance by comparing freezing time measured by the ImageFZ system or a photobeam-based computer measurement system with that scored by a human observer. As shown in our representative results, the data obtained by ImageFZ were similar to those analyzed by a human observer, indicating that the behavioral analysis using the ImageFZ system is highly reliable. The present movie article provides detailed information regarding the test procedures and will promote understanding of the experimental situation.

This article presents a protocol for a contextual and cued fear conditioning test using a video analyzing system to assess fear learning and memory in mice.

Contextual e Cued Medo Condicionado Teste Usando um sistema de análise de vídeo em Ratos

The contextual and cued fear conditioning test is one of the behavioral tests that assesses the ability of mice to learn and remember an association ...

Comportamento

Barnes Maze Testing Strategies with Small and Large Rodent Models

Spatial learning and memory of laboratory rodents is often assessed via navigational ability in mazes, most popular of which are the water and dry-land (Barnes) mazes. Improved performance over sessions or trials is thought to reflect learning and memory of the escape cage/platform location. Considered less stressful than water mazes, the Barnes maze is a relatively simple design of a circular platform top with several holes equally spaced around the perimeter edge. All but one of the holes are false-bottomed or blind-ending, while one leads to an escape cage. Mildly aversive stimuli (e.g.&#160;bright overhead lights) provide motivation to locate the escape cage. Latency to locate the escape cage can be measured during the session; however, additional endpoints typically require video recording. From those video recordings, use of automated tracking software can generate a variety of endpoints that are similar to those produced in water mazes (e.g.&#160;distance traveled, velocity/speed, time spent in the correct quadrant, time spent moving/resting, and confirmation of latency). Type of search strategy (i.e.&#160;random, serial, or direct) can be categorized as well. Barnes maze construction and testing methodologies can differ for small rodents, such as mice, and large rodents, such as rats. For example, while extra-maze cues are effective for rats, smaller wild rodents may require intra-maze cues with a visual barrier around the maze. Appropriate stimuli must be identified which motivate the rodent to locate the escape cage. Both Barnes and water mazes can be time consuming as 4-7 test trials are typically required to detect improved learning and memory performance (e.g.&#160;shorter latencies or path lengths to locate the escape platform or cage) and/or differences between experimental groups. Even so, the Barnes maze is a widely employed behavioral assessment measuring spatial navigational abilities and their potential disruption by genetic, neurobehavioral manipulations, or drug/ toxicant exposure.

The dry-land Barnes maze is widely used to measure spatial navigation ability in response to mildly aversive stimuli. Over consecutive days, performance (e.g.&#160;latency to locate escape cage) of control subjects improves, indicative of normal learning and memory. Differences between rats and mice necessitate apparatus and methodology changes that are detailed here.

Barnes Estratégias Teste Labirinto com pequenas e grandes roedores Modelos

Spatial learning and memory of laboratory rodents is often assessed via navigational ability in mazes, most popular of which are the water and dry-land ...

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.

The Hole Board Modificado - Medir Comportamento, Cognição e Interação Social em camundongos e ratos

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

Testing Sensory and Multisensory Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

In addition to impairments in social communication and the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, deficits in sensory processing are now recognized as a core symptom in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Our ability to perceive and interact with the external world is rooted in sensory processing. For example, listening to a conversation entails processing the auditory cues coming from the speaker (speech content, prosody, syntax) as well as the associated visual information (facial expressions, gestures). Collectively, the &#8220;integration&#8221; of these multisensory (i.e., combined audiovisual) pieces of information results in better comprehension. Such multisensory integration has been shown to be strongly dependent upon the temporal relationship of the paired stimuli. Thus, stimuli that occur in close temporal proximity are highly likely to result in behavioral and perceptual benefits &#8211; gains believed to be reflective of the perceptual system&#39;s judgment of the likelihood that these two stimuli came from the same source. Changes in this temporal integration are expected to strongly alter perceptual processes, and are likely to diminish the ability to accurately perceive and interact with our world. Here, a battery of tasks designed to characterize various aspects of sensory and multisensory temporal processing in children with ASD is described. In addition to its utility in autism, this battery has great potential for characterizing changes in sensory function in other clinical populations, as well as being used to examine changes in these processes across the lifespan.

We describe how to implement a battery of behavioral tasks to examine the processing and integration of sensory stimuli in children with ASD. The goal is to characterize individual differences in temporal processing of simple auditory and visual stimuli and relate these to higher order perceptual skills like speech perception.

Teste de função sensorial e multisensorial de crianças com distúrbios do espectro do autismo

In addition to impairments in social communication and the presence of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, deficits in sensory processing are ...

Morris Water Maze Test: Optimization for Mouse Strain and Testing Environment

The Morris water maze (MWM) is a commonly used task to assess hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and memory in transgenic mouse models of disease, including neurocognitive disorders such as Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. However, the background strain of the mouse model used can have a substantial effect on the observed behavioral phenotype, with some strains exhibiting superior learning ability relative to others. To ensure differences between transgene negative and transgene positive mice can be detected, identification of a training procedure sensitive to the background strain is essential. Failure to tailor the MWM protocol to the background strain of the mouse model may lead to under- or over- training, thereby masking group differences in probe trials. Here, a MWM protocol tailored for use with the F1 FVB/N x 129S6 background is described. This is a frequently used background strain to study the age-dependent effects of mutant P301L tau (rTg(TauP301L)4510 mice) on the memory deficits associated with Alzheimer&#8217;s disease. Also described is a strategy to re-optimize, as dictated by the particular testing environment utilized.

This manuscript describes a Morris water maze (MWM) protocol tailored for use with a commonly used mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The MWM is widely used in transgenic mouse models. Implementation of a procedure sensitive to the background strain of the mouse model is essential for detecting group differences.

Morris Water Maze Teste: Otimização para Mouse e Strain Testing Ambiente

 The Morris water maze (MWM) is a commonly used task to assess hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and memory in transgenic mouse models of disease, ...

A Protocol for Housing Mice in an Enriched Environment

Environmental enrichment (EE) is a housing environment for mice that boosts mental and physical health compared to standard laboratory housing. Our recent studies demonstrate that environmental enrichment decreases adiposity, increases energy expenditure, resists diet induced obesity, and causes cancer remission and inhibition in mice. EE typically consists of larger living space, a variety of &#8216;toys&#8217; to interact with, running wheels, and can include a number of other novel environmental changes. All of this fosters a more complex social engagement, cognitive and physical stimulations. Importantly, the toy location and type of toy is changed regularly, which encourages the mice to adapt to a frequently changing and novel environment. Many variables can be manipulated in EE to promote health effects in mice. Thus these approaches are difficult to control and must be properly managed to successfully replicate the associated phenotypes. Therefore, the goal of this video is to demonstrate how EE is properly set up and maintained to assure a complex, challenging, and controlled environment so that other researchers can easily reproduce the protective effects of EE against obesity and cancer.

Environmental enrichment for mice requires a complex and challenging setup, as well as comprehensive husbandry and handling techniques to assure robust metabolic and anti-cancer effects in the mice. This protocol provides detailed procedures to reproduce the above mentioned effects in mice.

Um protocolo para alojar ratos em um ambiente enriquecido

Environmental enrichment (EE) is a housing environment for mice that boosts mental and physical health compared to standard laboratory housing. Our recent ...

Simple and Computer-assisted Olfactory Testing for Mice

Olfaction is highly conserved among species and is required for reproduction and survival.
In humans, olfaction is also one of the senses that is affected with aging and is a strong predictor of neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, olfaction testing is used as a non-invasive diagnostic method to detect neurological deficits early on. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying olfactory network susceptibility, olfactory research in rodents has gained momentum in the past decade.
Here, we present a very simple, time efficient and reproducible olfactory testing method of innate odor perception and sensitivity in mice without the need of any prior food or water restriction. The tests are performed in a familiar environment to the mice, require only the scents and a 2 min session of odorant exposure. The analysis is performed, post-hoc, using computer-assisted commands on ImageJ and can be, therefore, carried out from start to end by one researcher.
This protocol does not require any special hardware or setup and is indicated for any laboratory interested in testing olfactory perception and sensitivity.

We present a simple and unbiased olfactory test in mice. With this protocol olfactory discrimination, preference, avoidance and sensitivity to a novel odor as compared to water can be assessed in single behavioral sessions. This method is indicated for a single experimenter and analysis is based on computer-assisted video processing.

Simples e Testes Olfativo para Ratos assistido por computador

Olfaction is highly conserved among species and is required for reproduction and survival.
In humans, olfaction is also one of the senses that is affected ...

Testing for Metacognitive Responding Using an Odor-based Delayed Match-to-Sample Test in Rats

Metamemory involves the cognitive ability to assess the strength of one&#39;s memories. To explore the possibility of metamemory in non-human animals, numerous behavioral tasks have been created, many of which utilize an option to decline memory tests. To assess metamemory in rats, we utilized this decline-test option paradigm by adapting previous visual delayed-match-to-sample tests (DMTS)1,2 developed for primate species to an odor-based test suitable for rodents. First,&#160;rats are given a sample to remember by digging in a cup of scented sand. After a delay, the rat is presented with four distinctly scented cups, one of which contains the identical scent experienced during the sample; if this matching cup is selected, then the rat obtains a preferred, larger reward. Selection of any of the other three non-matching sand-filled scented cups results in no reward. Retention intervals are individually titrated such that subjects perform between 40 and 70% correct, therefore ensuring rats sometimes remember and sometimes forget the sample. Here, the operational definition of metamemory is the ability to distinguish between the presence and absence of memory through behavioral responding. Towards this end, on two-thirds of trials, a decline option is presented in addition to the four choice cups (choice trials). If the decline-test option- an unscented colored sand cup, is selected, the subject receives a smaller less-preferred reward and avoids the memory test. On the remaining third of trials, the decline-test option is not available (forced trials), causing subjects to guess the correct cup when the sample is forgotten. On choice tests, subjects that know when they remember should select the decline option when memory is weak rather than take the test and choose incorrectly. Therefore, significantly higher performance on chosen tests as compared to forced memory tests is indicative of the adaptive use of the decline-test response and metacognitive responding.

This protocol describes a method for investigating the possibility of metamemory, or memory awareness, in rodents. The odor-based delayed-matching-to-sample paradigm is a novel, ecologically-relevant behavioral test useful for determining the extent to which rodents can adaptively respond based on cognitively monitoring the strength of their memory states.

Testes para responder metacognitiva usando um Odor baseado adiada partida-para-amostra teste em ratos

Metamemory involves the cognitive ability to assess the strength of one&#39;s memories. To explore the possibility of metamemory in non-human animals, ...

Measuring Active and Passive Tameness Separately in Mice

Domesticated animals such as dogs and laboratory mice show a high level of tameness, which is important for humans to handle them easily. Tameness has two behavioral components: a reluctance to avoid humans (passive tameness) and a motivation to approach humans (active tameness). To quantify these components in mice, we previously developed behavioral tests for active tameness, passive tameness, and the willingness to stay on a human hand, each designed to be completed within 3 min. The data obtained were used for selective breeding, with a large number of mice analyzed per generation. The active tameness test measures the movement of the mouse toward a human hand and the contact it engages in. The passive tameness test measures the duration of time that a mouse tolerates human touch. In the stay-on-hand test, a mouse is placed on a human hand and touched slowly using the thumb of that hand; the duration of time that the animal remains on the hand is measured. Here, we describe the test set-up and apparatus, explain the procedures, and discuss the appropriate data analysis. Finally, we explain how to interpret the results.

Tameness in animals includes a reduction of avoidance responses to humans (passive tameness) and an increase in active approaches to humans (active tameness). Here, we describe detailed protocols for three behavioral tests (active tameness, passive tameness, and stay-on-hand tests) to separately measure the active and passive tameness of mice.

Medição de ativa e passiva domesticidade separadamente em ratos

Domesticated animals such as dogs and laboratory mice show a high level of tameness, which is important for humans to handle them easily. Tameness has two ...

A Wind Tunnel for Odor Mediated Insect Behavioural Assays

Olfaction is the most important sensory mechanism by which many insects interact with their environment and a wind tunnel is an excellent tool to study insect chemical ecology. Insects can locate point sources in a three-dimensional environment through the sensory interaction and sophisticated behavior. The quantification of this behavior is a key element in the development of new tools for pest control and decision support. A wind tunnel with a suitable flight section with laminar air flow, visual cues for in-flight feedback and a variety of options for the application of odors can be used to measure complex behaviour which subsequently may allow the identification of attractive or repellent odors, insect flight characteristics, visual-odor interactions and interactions between attractants and odors lingering as background odors in the environment. A wind tunnel holds the advantage of studying the odor mediated behavioural repertoire of an insect in a laboratory setting. Behavioural measures in a controlled setting provide the link between the insect physiology and field application. A wind tunnel must be a flexible tool and should easily support the changes to setup and hardware to fit different research questions. The major disadvantage to the wind tunnel setup described here, is the clean odor background which necessitates special attention when developing a synthetic volatile blend for field application.

Here, we describe the construction and use of a wind tunnel for odor mediated behavioural assays with insects. The wind tunnel design facilitates the release of odor sources by several methods, with and without visual stimuli. Wind tunnel experiments are important methods to identify behaviorally active volatile chemicals.

Um túnel de vento para Odor mediada insetos ensaios comportamentais

Olfaction is the most important sensory mechanism by which many insects interact with their environment and a wind tunnel is an excellent tool to study ...