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A Flexible Platform for Monitoring Cerebellum-Dependent Sensory Associative Learning
In This Article
Summary
We have developed a single platform to track animal behavior during two climbing fiber-dependent associative learning tasks. The low-cost design allows integration with optogenetic or imaging experiments directed towards climbing fiber-associated cerebellar activity.
Abstract
Climbing fiber inputs to Purkinje cells provide instructive signals critical for cerebellum-dependent associative learning. Studying these signals in head-fixed mice facilitates the use of imaging, electrophysiological, and optogenetic methods. Here, a low-cost behavioral platform (~$1000) was developed that allows tracking of associative learning in head-fixed mice that locomote freely on a running wheel. The platform incorporates two common associative learning paradigms: eyeblink conditioning and delayed tactile startle conditioning. Behavior is tracked using a camera and the wheel movement by a detector. We describe the components and setup and provide a detailed protocol for training and data analysis. This platform allows the incorporation of optogenetic stimulation and fluorescence imaging. The design allows a single host computer to control multiple platforms for training multiple animals simultaneously.
Introduction
Pavlovian conditioning of sub-second association between stimuli to elicit a conditioned response has long been used to probe cerebellar-dependent learning. For example, in classical delay eyeblink conditioning (DEC), animals learn to make a well-timed protective blink in response to a neutral conditional stimulus (CS; e.g., a flash of light or auditory tone) when it is paired repeatedly with an unconditional stimulus (US; e.g., a puff of air applied to the cornea) which always elicits a reflex blink, and which comes at or near the end of the CS. The learned response is referred to as a conditioned response (CR), while the reflex response is referred to as the uncondi....
Protocol
The animal protocols described here have been approved by the Animal Care and Use Committees of Princeton University.
1. Setting up the SBC
- Connect the camera serial interface (CSI) cable to the Raspberry NoIR V2 camera and the camera port on the SBC.
- Download the operating system for the SBC onto the host computer. Write the operating system image to a micro secure digital (microSD) card.
NOTE: Detailed instructions for these procedures for a Rasp.......
Representative Results
Workflow for DEC experiments and analysis
Proper experimental parameter selection is important for successful delay eyeblink conditioning (DEC) training. For the data presented here, the GUI was used to choose a CS duration of 350 ms and a US duration of 50 ms. This pairing results in an inter-stimulus interval of 300 ms: long enough to prevent low-amplitude CR production10 and short enough to avoid getting into the regime of poor learning or trace conditioning, a process th.......
Discussion
The platform with associated protocols outlined here can be used to reliably track animal behavior in two sensory associative learning tasks. Each task depends on intact communication through the climbing fiber pathway. In the design described here, we incorporate elements to facilitate learning and recording/perturbation of cerebellar response. These include a wheel to allow for free locomotion11,18 as well as head fixation. The wheel allows mouse subjects to lo.......
Acknowledgements
This work is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Mental Health NRSA F32 MH120887-03 (to G.J.B.) and R01 NS045193 and R01 MH115750 (to S.S-H.W.). We thank Drs. Bas Koekkoek and Henk-Jan Boele for helpful discussions for optimizing the DEC setup and Drs. Yue Wang and Xiaoying Chen for helpful discussions for optimizing the DTSC setup.
....Materials
| Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
| "B" Quick Base For C&B METABOND - 10 mL bottle | Parkell | S398 | Dental cement solvent |
| "C" Universal TBB Catalyst - 0.7 mL | Parkell | S371 | Catalyst |
| #8 Washers | Thorlabs | W8S038 | Washers |
| 0.250" (1/4") x 8.00" Stainless Steel Precision Shafting | Servocity | 634172 | 1/4" shaft |
| 0.250” (0.770") Clamping Hub | Servocity | 545588 | Clamping hub |
| 1/4" to 6 mm Set Screw Shaft Coupler- 5 pack | Actobotics | 625106 | Shaft-coupling sleeve |
| 1/4"-20 Cap Screws, 3/4" Long | Thorlabs | SH25S075 | 1/4" bolt |
| 100 pcs 5 mm 395–400 nm UV Ultraviolet LED Light Emitting Diode Clear Round Lens 29 mm Long Lead (DC 3V) LEDs Lights +100 pcs Resistors | EDGELEC | ED_YT05_U_100Pcs | CS LEDs |
| 2 m Micro HDMI to DVI-D Cable - M/M - 2 m Micro HDMI to DVI Cable - 19 pin HDMI (D) Male to DVI-D Male - 1920 x 1200 Video | Star-tech | HDDDVIMM2M | Raspberry Pi4B to monitor cable |
| 256 GB Ultra Fit USB 3.1 Flash Drive | SanDisk | SDCZ430-256G-G46 | USB thumb drive |
| 3.3 V–5 V 4 Channels Logic Level Converter Bi-Directional Shifter Module | Amazon | B00ZC6B8VM | Logic level shifter |
| 32 GB 95 MB/s (U1) microSDHC EVO Select Memory Card | Samsung | MB-ME32GA/AM | microSD card |
| 4.50" Aluminum Channel | Servocity | 585444 | 4.5" aluminum channel |
| 48-LED CCTV Ir Infrared Night Vision Illuminator | Towallmark | SODIAL | Infrared light array |
| 4PCS Breadboards Kit Include 2PCS 830 Point 2PCS 400 Point Solderless Breadboards for Proto Shield Distribution Connecting Blocks | REXQualis | B07DL13RZH | Breadboard |
| 5 Port Gigabit Unmanaged Ethernet Network Switch | TP-Link | TL-SG105 | Ethernet switch |
| 5 V 2.5 A Raspberry Pi 3 B+ Power Supply/Adapter | Canakit | DCAR-RSP-2A5 | Power supply for Raspberry Pi 3B+ |
| 5-0 ETHILON BLACK 1 x 18" C-3 | Ethicon | 668G | Sutures |
| 6 mm Shaft Encoder 2000 PPR Pushpull Line Driver Universal Output Line Driver Output 5-26 V dc Supply | Calt | B01EWER68I | Rotary encoder |
| Ø1/2" Optical Post, SS, 8-32 Setscrew, 1/4"-20 Tap, L = 1", 5 Pack | Thorlabs | TR1-P5 | Optical posts |
| Ø1/2" Optical Post, SS, 8-32 Setscrew, 1/4"-20 Tap, L = 2", 5 Pack | Thorlabs | TR2-P5 | Optical posts |
| Ø1/2" Optical Post, SS, 8-32 Setscrew, 1/4"-20 Tap, L = 4", 5 Pack | Thorlabs | TR4-P5 | Optical posts |
| Ø1/2" Optical Post, SS, 8-32 Setscrew, 1/4"-20 Tap, L = 6", 5 Pack | Thorlabs | TR6-P5 | Optical posts |
| Ø1/2" Post Holder, Spring-Loaded Hex-Locking Thumbscrew, L = 2" | Thorlabs | PH2 | Optical post holder |
| Adapter-062-M X LUER LOCK-F | The Lee Co. | TMRA3201950Z | Solenoid valve luer adapter |
| Aeromat Foam Roller Size: 36" Length | Aeromat | B002H3CMUE | Foam roller |
| Aluminum Breadboard 10" x 12" x 1/2", 1/4"-20 Taps | Thorlabs | MB1012 | Aluminum breadboard |
| Amazon Basics HDMI to DVI Adapter Cable, Black, 6 Feet, 1-Pack | Amazon | HL-007347 | Raspberry Pi3B+ to monitor cable |
| Arduino Uno R3 | Arduino | A000066 | Arduino Uno (microcontroller board) |
| Arduino Due | Arduino | A000062 | Arduino Due (microcontroller board) |
| Bench Power Supply, Single, Adjustable, 3 Output, 0 V, 24 V, 0 A, 2 A | Tenma | 72-8335A | Power supply |
| Clear Scratch- and UV-Resistant Cast Acrylic Sheet, 12" x 24" x 1/8" | McMaster Carr | 8560K257 | Acrylic sheet |
| CNC Stepper Motor Driver 1.0–4.2 A 20–50 V DC 1/128 Micro-Step Resolutions for Nema 17 and 23 Stepper Motor | Stepper Online | B06Y5VPSFN | Stepper motor driver |
| Compact Compressed Air Regulator, Inline Relieving, Brass Housing, 1/4 NPT | McMaster Carr | 6763K13 | Air source regulator |
| Cotton Swab | Puritan | 806-WC | Cotton swab |
| Dell 1908FP 19" Flat Panel Monitor - 1908FPC | Dell | 1908FPC | Computer monitor |
| Flex Cable for Raspberry Pi Camera | Adafruit | 2144 | camera serial interface cable |
| High Torque Nema 17 Bipolar Stepper Motor 92 oz·in/65 N·cm 2.1 A Extruder Motor | Stepper Online | 17HS24-2104S | Stepper motor |
| Isoflurane | Henry Schein | 66794001725 | Isoflurane |
| Krazy Maximum Bond Permanent Glue, 0.18 oz. | Krazy Glue | KG483 | Cyanoacrylate glue |
| Lidocaine HCl | VetOne | 510212 | Lidocaine |
| Low-Strength Steel Hex Nut, Grade 2, Zinc-Plated, 1/4"-20 Thread Size | McMaster Carr | 90473A029 | Nuts |
| M3 x 50 mm Partially Threaded Hex Key Socket Cap Head Screws 10 pcs | Uxcell | A16040100ux1380 | M3 bolt |
| NEMA 17 Stepper Motor Mount | ACTOBOTICS | 555152 | Stepper motor mount |
| Official Raspberry Pi Power Supply 5.1 V 3 A with USB C - 1.5 m long | Adafruit | 4298 | Power supply for Raspberry Pi 4B |
| Optixcare Dog & Cat Eye Lube Lubricating Gel, 0.70-oz tube | Optixcare | 142422 | Opthalimic ointment |
| Precision Stainless Steel Ball Bearing, Shielded, Trade No. R188-2Z, 13000 rpm Maximum Speed | McMaster-Carr | 3759T57 | Bearing |
| Premium Female/Female Jumper Wires - 40 x 6" | Adafruit | 266 | Wires |
| Premium Female/Male 'Extension' Jumper Wires - 40 x 6" (150 mm) | Adafruit | 826 | Wires |
| Premium Male/Male Jumper Wires - 40 x 6" | Adafruit | 758 | Wires |
| Radiopaque L-Powder for C&B METABOND - 5 g | Parkell | S396 | Dental cement powder |
| Raspberry Pi (3B+ or 4B) | Adafruit | 3775 or 4295 | Raspberry Pi |
| Raspberry Pi NoIR Camera Module V2 - 8MP 1080P30 | Raspberry Pi Foundation | RPI3-NOIR-V2 | Raspberry NoIR V2 camera |
| Right-Angle Bracket, 1/4" (M6) Counterbored Slot, 8-32 Taps | Thorlabs | AB90E | Right-angle bracket |
| Right-Angle Clamp for Ø1/2" Posts, 3/16" Hex | Thorlabs | RA90 | Right-angle optical post clamp |
| Right-Angle End Clamp for Ø1/2" Posts, 1/4"-20 Stud and 3/16" Hex | Thorlabs | RA180 | Right-angle end clamp |
| RJ45 Cat-6 Ethernet Patch Internet Cable | Amazon | CAT6-7FT-5P-BLUE | Ethernet cable |
| Rotating Clamp for Ø1/2" Posts, 360° Continuously Adjustable, 3/16" Hex | Thorlabs | SWC | Rotating optical post clamps |
| Spike & Hold Driver-0.1 TO 5 MS | The Lee Co. | IECX0501350A | Solenoid valve driver |
| Swivel Base Adapter | Thorlabs | UPHA | Post holder adapter |
| USB 2.0 A-Male to Micro B Cable, 6 feet | Amazon | 7T9MV4 | USB2 type A to USB2 micro cable |
| USB 2.0 Printer Cable - A-Male to B-Male, 6 Feet (1.8 m) | Amazon | B072L34SZS | USB2 type B to USB2 type A cable |
| VHS-M/SP-12 V | The Lee Co. | INKX0514900A | Solenoid valve |
| Zinc-Plated Steel 1/4" washer, OD 1.000" | McMaster Carr | 91090A108 | Washers |
References
- McCormick, D. A., Lavond, D. G., Clark, G. A., Kettner, R. E., Rising, C. E., Thompson, R. F. The engram found? Role of the cerebellum in classical conditioning of nictitating membrane and eyelid responses. Bulletin of the Psychonomic Society. 18 (3), 103-105 (1981).
- McCormick, D. A., Clark, G. A., Lavond, D. G., Thompson, R. F.
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