IntelliCage: the development and perspectives of a mouse- and user-friendly automated behavioral test system

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 17

Published: Jan. 3, 2024

IntelliCage for mice is a rodent home-cage equipped with four corner structures harboring symmetrical double panels operant conditioning at each of the two sides, either by reward (access to water) or aversion (non-painful stimuli: air-puffs, LED lights). Corner visits, nose-pokes and actual licks bottle-nipples are recorded individually using subcutaneously implanted transponders RFID identification up 16 adult housed in same home-cage. This allows recording individual in-cage activity applying reward/punishment schemes corners workflows designed on versatile graphic user interface. development had roots: (i) dissatisfaction standard approaches analyzing mouse behavior, including standardization reproducibility issues, (ii) response handling housing animal welfare (iii) increasing number models produced high work burden classic manual behavioral phenotyping single mice. (iv), studies transponder-chipped outdoor settings revealed clear genetic differences corresponding those observed testing laboratory. The latter observations were important social groups, because they contradicted traditional belief that animals must be tested under isolation prevent disturbance other group members. use IntelliCages reduced indeed amount remarkably, while its flexibility was proved wide range applications worldwide transcontinental parallel testing. Essentially, lines emerged: sophisticated analysis spontaneous behavior screening new models, hypothesis many fields neuroscience. Upcoming developments aim improved stimulus presentation learning videotracking interactions within IntelliCage. Its main advantages live context not stressfully handled experiments, restricted time can run absence humans, it increases worldwide, (iv) industrial cage permits retrospective data statistical tools even after years.

Language: Английский

---

Environmental enrichment: a systematic review on the effect of a changing spatial complexity on hippocampal neurogenesis and plasticity in rodents, with considerations for translation to urban and built environments for humans

Frontiers in Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 18

Published: June 11, 2024

Hippocampal neurogenesis is critical for improving learning, memory, and spatial navigation. Inhabiting navigating complexity key to stimulating adult hippocampal (AHN) in rodents because they share similar neuroplasticity characteristics with humans. AHN humans has recently been found persist until the tenth decade of life, but it declines aging influenced by environmental enrichment. This systematic review investigated impact on plasticity rodents, discussed translatability these findings human interventions.

Language: Английский

---

The first rodent behavioral study (1822) and the diffusion of human-bred albino rats and mice in the 19th century

Frontiers in Psychology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15

Published: Feb. 3, 2025

Rodents, in particular rats and mice, are currently the most widely employed animal models psychology behavioral neuroscience. Nevertheless, an interesting historical question is: when was first rodent study performed by whom? The current article presents history of science: a case interspecies social bonding between rat dog, observed 1822 British chemist Samuel Moss (1794–1868) subsequently described same scientific 1836. In present article, after biographical sketch Moss, I examine detail notable Moss. This is under several points view. First, Moss’s albino, variety which at that time extremely rare. Moreover, time, Western world were mostly seen as pest animals or baits for rat-catching sports, not kept pets. color played key role its fate, being reason it originally brought to decided keep his care. Third, relationship arose dog even more surprising if we consider trained rat-catcher. Importantly, this rat-dog case, showcased tameness albino both lay publications, represented popularization docility rats. After having outlined considering importance our society, research (where has become prototype laboratory rat) pets, provide contextualization regarding rodents, starting from 17th century, then trace post-Moss diffusion human-bred mice 19th century.

Language: Английский

---

Challenges and advanced concepts for the assessment of learning and memory function in mice

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 17

Published: Sept. 21, 2023

The mechanisms underlying the formation and retrieval of memories are still an active area research discussion. Manifold models have been proposed refined over years, with most assuming a dichotomy between memory processes involving non-conscious conscious mechanisms. Despite our incomplete understanding mechanisms, tests learning count among performed behavioral experiments. Here, we will discuss available protocols for testing using example prevalent animal species in research, laboratory mouse. A wide range has developed mice to test, e.g., object recognition, spatial learning, procedural memory, sequential problem solving, operant- fear conditioning, social recognition. Those assays carried out individual subjects apparatuses such as arenas mazes, which allow high degree standardization across laboratories straightforward data interpretation but not without caveats limitations. In there is growing concern about translatability study results welfare, leading novel approaches beyond established protocols. present some more recent developments advanced concepts testing, multi-step lockboxes, groups animals, well home cage-based supported by automated tracking solutions; weight their potential limitations against those paradigms. Shifting focus from classical experimental chamber settings natural rodents comes new set challenges researchers, also offers opportunity understand conclusive way than attainable conventional test We predict embrace increase studies relying on methods higher automatization, naturalistic- setting integrated tasks future. confident these trends suited alleviate burden improve designs research.

Language: Английский

---

Editorial: Animal-friendly methods for rodent behavioral testing in neuroscience research

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 18

Published: June 25, 2024

Citation: d'Isa R, Fasano S and Brambilla R (2024) Editorial: Animal-friendly methods for rodent behavioral testing in neuroscience research. Front. Behav. Neurosci. 18:1431310. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1431310

Language: Английский

---

The impact of co-housing on murine aging studies

GeroScience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 14, 2025

Abstract Analysis of preclinical lifespan studies often assume that outcome data from co-housed animals are independent. In practice, treatments, such as controlled feeding or putative life-extending compounds, applied to whole housing units, and a result, the outcomes potentially correlated within units. We consider intra-class (here, intra-cage) correlation in three published two unpublished aged mice encompassing more than 20,000 observations. show independence assumption underlying common analytic techniques does not hold these data, particularly for traits associated with frailty. describe demonstrate various analytical tools available accommodate this study design highlight limitation standard variance components models (i.e., linear mixed models) which usual statistical handling errors. Through simulations, we examine biases resulting intra-cage correlations similar magnitudes observed case discuss implications power reproducibility.

Language: Английский

---

Methods for Assessing Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Mice: A Critical Review of Behavioral Tests and Methodological Considerations Searching to Improve Reliability

NeuroSci, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 6(2), P. 27 - 27

Published: March 27, 2025

Many neurobehavioral tests are used for the assessment of human-like behaviors in animals. Most them were developed rodents and animal models that mimic human neurodevelopmental neuropsychiatric disorders (NDDs). We have described assessing social behavior, interaction, communication; restricted repetitive behaviors; cognitive impairment, sensory stimuli, anxiety like motor coordination deviations. These to demonstrate autistic-like behavior as well other NDDs. possible general pitfalls performance such studies, probable individual errors each group specific behavior. The mentioned may induce crucial interpretation results, minimizing reliability defined NDD. It is imperative minimize these use sufficient reliable can many traits disorder, grade severity deviations tested NDD by using a scoring system. Due gender differences clinical presentations NDD, it important carry out studies on males females.

Language: Английский

---

Assessing cognitive flexibility in mice using a custom-built touchscreen chamber

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 19

Published: Feb. 13, 2025

Automated touchscreen systems have become increasingly prevalent in rodent model screening. This technology has significantly enhanced cognitive and behavioral assessments mice bridged the translational gap between basic research using models human clinical research. Our study introduces a custom-built operant conditioning chamber powered by Raspberry Pi commercially available computer tablet, which effectively addresses significant cost barriers traditionally associated with this technology. In order to test our prototype, we decided train C57BL/6 on visual discrimination serial-reversal task, both App NL−G−F strain - an Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) mouse new location task. The results demonstrated clear progression toward asymptotic performance, particularly also revealed potential genotype-specific deficits, displaying increase average number of errors first reversal as well perseverative errors, compared wild-type mice. These validate practical utility apparatus underline its provide insights into markers neurobiological disorders.

Language: Английский

---

Robotic animals as new tools in rodent neuroscience research: proposed applications of zooinspired robots for mouse behavioral testing

Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 19

Published: Feb. 24, 2025

Bioinspired robots are machines which reproduce structural or functional features of a living organism. In particular, the bioinspired animals can be more specifically defined as zooinspired robots. Currently, applications animal various and range across different fields, such as, for instance, nature conservation, search rescue humans after natural man-made disasters, exploration extraterrestrial environments robotic pets elderly people under care dementia. Several species have been imitated up to now, from lizards butterflies, fish dogs. Animal used investigate social behavior an through animal-robot interactions called ethorobots. Intriguingly, ethorobots able in laboratory behaviors that generally produced spontaneously difficult impossible evoke modulate captive animals, makes these particularly useful tools experimental ethology ethological neuroscience. Rodents, primarily mice rats, most common model biomedical research. Coherently with importance scientific research, rats attracting increasing efforts robotics over course past five decades. The technological advancement will make their employment research increasingly useful. However, clear should identified order challenge engineers design serve scopes. present work, we describe possible practical mouse behavioral testing six domains, namely courtship, parental care, antipredatory behavior, helping predation territory defense-related aggression. outline how could employed interact series specific tests behavior. Finally, conclusion consider ethical epistemological advantages use Indeed, benefit on both terms optimized welfare tested subjects extended opportunities designing due unprecedented control independent variables.

Language: Английский

---

Anterior cingulate cortex parvalbumin and somatostatin interneurons shape social behavior in male mice

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(1)

Published: May 4, 2025

The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is essential for social behavior, and its dysfunction implicated in interaction deficits autism. Pyramidal neuron activity the ACC modulated by parvalbumin (PV) somatostatin (SST) interneurons, though their specific roles interactions remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that PV SST interneurons differentially contribute to regulation of interactions. In a Shank3-deficient autistic model, expression Kcnh7, risk gene autism, reduced both interneurons. Knocking out Kcnh7 either interneuron subtype leads deficits. Furthermore, projections from lateral posterior thalamic nucleus (mediorostral part, LPMR) ventral hippocampus (vHPC) modulate These findings provide new insights into distinct processes contributions autism-related pathophysiology.

Language: Английский

---