Name: rodent stereotaxic surgery and animal welfare outcome improvements for behavioral neuroscience
Uploaded: 2012-01-30T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Rodent Stereotaxic Surgery and Animal Welfare Outcome Improvements for Behavioral Neuroscience at JoVE.com

The authors thank Dr. Peter Gerrits for the drawings used in the video.

Note: Antiseptic techniques should be employed during the whole procedure. All the instruments and materials (cotton-tipped swabs, gauze, etc.) that will be used during the surgery should be sterilized by autoclaving. A surgical mask, hair bonnet and sterile gloves should be worn. The working area and the stereotaxic apparatus should be cleaned thoroughly, and disinfected with a 70% ethanol solution.
1. Pre-surgical procedures
<ol>
 <li>Set up the stereotaxic apparatus and all materials need...

<ol>
	<li>Russell, W. M. S., Burch, R. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> The Principles of Humane Experimental Technique. , (1959).</li><li>Richardson, C. A., Flecknell, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Anaesthesia+and+post-operative+analgesia+following+experimental+surgery+in+laboratory+rodents:+are+we+making+progress?.">Anaesthesia and post-operative analgesia following experimental surgery in laboratory rodents: are we making progress?.</a> Altern. Lab Anim. 33, 119-127 (2005).</li><li>Stokes, E. L., Flecknell, P. A., Richardson, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Reported+analgesic+and+anaesthetic+administration+to+rodents+undergoing+experimental+surgical+procedures.">Reported analgesic and anaesthetic administration to rodents undergoing experimental surgical procedures.</a> Lab Anim. 43, 149-154 (2009).</li><li>Flecknell, P. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Laboratory Animal Anaesthesia - A Practical Introduction for Research Workers and Technicians. , (2009).</li><li>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=DIRECTIVE+2010/63/EU+OF+THE+EUROPEAN+PARLIAMENT+AND+OF+THE+COUNCIL+of+22+September+2010+on+the+protection+of+animals+used+for+scientific+purposes.">DIRECTIVE 2010/63/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.</a> Official Journal of the European Union. , (2010).</li><li>Geiger, B. M., Frank, L. E., Caldera-Siu, A. D., Pothos, E. N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Survivable+Stereotaxic+Surgery+in+Rodents.">Survivable Stereotaxic Surgery in Rodents.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (20), e880-e880 (2008).</li><li>Hellebrekers, L. J., Booij, L. H. D. J., Flecknell, P. A., Van Zutphen, L. F. M., Baumans, V., Beynen, A. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Anaesthesia,+analgesia+and+euthanasia.">Anaesthesia, analgesia and euthanasia.</a> Principles of Laboratory Animal Science. , 277-311 (2001).</li><li>Walantus, W., Elias, L., Kriegstein, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+utero+intraventricular+injection+and+electroporation+of+E16+rat+embryos.">In utero intraventricular injection and electroporation of E16 rat embryos.</a> J. Vis. Exp. (6), e236-e236 (2007).</li><li>Paxinos, G., Watson, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates. , (1986).</li><li>Paxinos, G., Watson, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates. , (2007).</li><li>Swanson, L. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Brain Maps: Structure of the Rat Brain. , (1992).</li></ol>

The main purpose of this video presentation is to familiarize behavioral neuroscientists with the basic principles of stereotaxic surgery. Researchers who are already performing stereotaxic surgery might also benefit from this video and consider some of the procedural refinements for use in their own laboratory. An ever-increasing knowledge about optimizing surgical techniques1-3, the development of new anesthetics and analgesics for use in human and veterinary medicine4,12, public awareness concern...

<table border="1">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>Name of the reagent</td>
 <td>Company</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Alcohol 70%</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Antisedan (atipamezole)</td>
 <td>Orion</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Atropine sulfate 0,5</td>
 <td>Pharmachemie BV</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Bulldog haemostatic clamp</td>
 <td>Aesculap</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Cannulas</td>
 <td>Component Supply Co.</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Chlorhexidine 0.5%</td>
 <td>AppepPharma</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Cleaning powder</td>
 <td>Alconox</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Cotton sticks</td>
 <td>Hartmann BV</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Dexdomitor (dexmedetomidine)</td>
 <td>Orion</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Drill</td>
 <td>Dremel 8000</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Duratears Z</td>
 <td>Alcon</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Durogrip Naaldvoerder converse 130mm</td>
 <td>Aesculap</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Durotip Fijne schaar ret.sp/st 110 mm</td>
 <td>Aesculap</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Gauze</td>
 <td>Medicomp (5x5)</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Heating pad</td>
 <td>Harvard Apparatus</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Insect pins (stylets)</td>
 <td>Entosphinx (Czech Republik)</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Ketamine 10% (ketamine)</td>
 <td>Alfasan</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Micro-halsted straight tip</td>
 <td>Aesculap-vet</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Molinea</td>
 <td>Hartmann BV</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>NaCl 0,9%</td>
 <td>Baxter</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Needles (25G)</td>
 <td>Terumo</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Oximeter</td>
 <td>Edan Instruments, Inc.</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Pentobarbital</td>
 <td>Pharmacy of the UMCG</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Rimadyl</td>
 <td>Pfizer</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Scalpel blade No. 23</td>
 <td>Swann Morton</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Scalpelholder NR. 4 133 mm</td>
 <td>Aesculap</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Screw driver</td>
 <td>conventional Hardware Store</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Simplex Rapid (dental cement)</td>
 <td>Kemdent</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Skull screws</td>
 <td>Component Supply Co.</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Spatula</td>
 <td>VWR</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Spongestan special</td>
 <td>Johnson &amp; Johnson</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Stereotacts</td>
 <td>Kopf Instruments</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Surgical forceps 100mm</td>
 <td>Aesculap</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Suture material Safil 5/0</td>
 <td>Aesculap</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Syringe 10 ml</td>
 <td>Omnifix</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Syringe 1ml</td>
 <td>Terumo</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Syringe 5ml</td>
 <td>Omnifix</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Xylocaine (lidocaine/adrenaline)</td>
 <td>Astra Zeneca</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>

rodent stereotaxic surgery and animal welfare outcome improvements for behavioral neuroscience

Stereotaxic surgery for the implantation of cannulae into specific brain regions has for many decades been a very successful experimental technique to investigate the effects of locally manipulated neurotransmitter and signaling pathways in awake, behaving animals. Moreover, the stereotaxic implantation of electrodes for electrophysiological stimulation and recording studies has been instrumental to our current understanding of neuroplasticity and brain networks in behaving animals. Ever-increasing knowledge about optimizing surgical techniques in rodents1-4, public awareness concerning animal welfare issues and stringent legislation (e.g., the 2010 European Union Directive on the use of laboratory animals5) prompted us to refine these surgical procedures, particularly with respect to implementing new procedures for oxygen supplementation and the continuous monitoring of blood oxygenation and heart rate levels during the surgery as well as introducing a standardized protocol for post-surgical care. Our observations indicate that these modifications resulted in an increased survival rate and an improvement in the general condition of the animals after surgery (e.g. less weight loss and a more active animal). This video presentation will show the general procedures involved in this type of stereotaxic surgery with special attention to our several modifications. We will illustrate these surgical procedures in rats, but it is also possible to perform this type of surgery in mice or other small laboratory animals by using special adaptors for the stereotaxic apparatus6.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Rodent Stereotaxic Surgery and Animal Welfare Outcome Improvements for Behavioral Neuroscience at JoVE.com

Rodent Stereotaxic Surgery and Animal Welfare Outcome Improvements for Behavioral Neuroscience

Stereotaxic surgery on rodents allows for targeted administration of drugs or electrical stimulation and recordings in awake, behaving animals. In this video presentation we will demonstrate recent procedural refinements to this long-standing procedure that successfully improved survival rate and reduced post-surgical weight loss.

Stereotaxic surgery for the implantation of cannulae into specific brain regions has for many decades been a very successful experimental technique to ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Systemic and Local Drug Delivery for Treating Diseases of the Central Nervous System in Rodent Models

Thorough preclinical testing of central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics includes a consideration of routes of administration and agent biodistribution ...

Combining Behavioral Endocrinology and Experimental Economics: Testosterone and Social Decision Making

Behavioral endocrinological research in humans as well as in animals suggests that testosterone plays a key role in social interactions. Studies in ...

Whole Animal Perfusion Fixation for Rodents

The goal of fixation is to rapidly and uniformly preserve tissue in a life-like state. While placing tissue directly in fixative works well for small ...

Stereotaxic Surgery for Excitotoxic Lesion of Specific Brain Areas in the Adult Rat

Many behavioral functions in mammals, including rodents and humans, are mediated principally by discrete brain regions. A common method for discerning the ...

Simultaneous Electrophysiological Recording and Calcium Imaging of Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurons

Simultaneous electrophysiological and fluorescent imaging recording methods were used to study the role of changes of membrane potential or current in ...

In vivo Optogenetic Stimulation of the Rodent Central Nervous System

In vivo Optogenetic Stimulation of the Rodent Central Nervous System

The ability to probe defined neural circuits in awake, freely-moving animals with cell-type specificity, spatial precision, and high temporal resolution ...

Stereotaxic Infusion of Oligomeric Amyloid-beta into the Mouse Hippocampus

Alzheimer&#8217;s disease is a neurodegenerative disease affecting the aging population. A key neuropathological feature of the disease is the ...

Non-restraining EEG Radiotelemetry: Epidural and Deep Intracerebral Stereotaxic EEG Electrode Placement

Implantable EEG radiotelemetry is of central relevance in the neurological characterization of transgenic mouse models of neuropsychiatric and ...

Stereotaxic Surgery for Genetic Manipulation in Striatal Cells of Neonatal Mouse Brains

Many genes are expressed in embryonic brains, and some of them are continuously expressed in the brain after birth. For such persistently expressed genes, ...