Automated behavioral recording in all
Researchers use a great variety of different apparatuses to perform behavioral research in rodents and fish. Here is an overview of some of the most used ones.
With EthoVision you can easily distinguish zones and collect all the activity and behavioral data you need to conduct your experiments. Need a specific maze not listed here? Then, get in contact and we will discuss how we can collaborate to get you the things you need.
Find the right maze for your application A simple arena, with many applications A classic test that measures activity, exploratory and anxiety like behavior in a simple square or round novel arena. Time-spend in either the center or close to the walls is an important readout parameter. An easy readout for anxious animal models This test measures the amount of time an animal spends in either the enclosed or open arms of an elevated platform. More anxious animals will spend more time in the ‘safer’ enclosed arms, whereas less anxious animals tend to explore the open arms. Land-based spatial learning In the Barnes Maze an animal is tasked to find the exit between various evenly spaced holes in a circular board, based on memory and visual cues. It can be used as a less stressful alternative to the water-based water mazes. The speed at which the animal finds the correct hole is indicative of its cognitive function. Classic paradigm for spatial memory Both the Y and the T maze are used in spatial memory testing. Over multiple trials you can block certain arms or change the location of rewards to test different aspects of the animal’s cognition. Allocentric spatial learning testing Consisting of a large circular pool with an invisible escape platform. The rodent is tasked with learning the location of the platform by using reference clues from the environment around the arena. The faster an animal can learn to escape the maze the better its cognitive capabilities. Testing working and reference memory Often used for spatial memory testing, it tasks the animal to choose between 8 arms to find the reward or exit. The animal must remember both which arms it has already chosen as well as where the reward was in previous tests. Testing social behavior in a standard environment Also known as the three-chamber-test. With this experiment researchers assess social approach and avoidance by comparing time spent close to another animal versus an inanimate object. Number of transitions between different rooms is also a readout parameter. Testing depressive like behavioral states Used to evaluate treatments related to antidepressant drugs. The animal is placed in an inescapable environment and the time the animal gives up swimming is used to quantify the effects of set treatments. A choice between safety and novelty This arena consists of a dark compartment and an illuminated compartment. Rodents are naturally aversive to bright light. This contrast is used to test exploratory and aversive behaviors. Both time spent on the light side as well as transitions between zones are important readout parameters. Repeated choices testing egocentric learning The maze consists of multiple asymmetric t-mazes (6 for Biel and 9 for Cincinnati). The animal must rely on its memory and learning capabilities to quickly find the reward or exit. Continuous testing reveals declined or improved cognitive function. Teaching an animal to anticipate fear Within a fear conditioning chamber, a rodent is exposed to conditioned stimuli (light or auditory cue) combined with an aversive stimulus (foot shock). After some time only the conditioned stimulus is presented. Displayed freezing behavior is used as an index of fear memory. Versatile, instrumented observation cage Continuous monitoring in a familiar cage environment captures natural behaviors and provides accurate insights into activity and behavior. Ideal for many research applications. How animals respond to novelty A very common behavioral assay often performed in an open field. During training the animal is subjected to two identical objects. On the test day, one of the objects is replaced with a novel object. Healthy mice have an innate preference for the novel item. Declined neurological state or increased anxiety can change this preference. How an animal responds to an inescapable situation The animal is suspended by its tail, in such a position that is unable to escape. During the test (which is typically around 6 minutes) behaviors are scored, like time spent immobile. A more immobile animal is indicative of a depressive affective state. Response to an unfamiliar cage mate The resident animal is typically housed for several weeks in the same home cage. During the test an unfamiliar intruder is placed into the cage and both are observed for several minutes. Both positive social interactions as well as aggressive behaviors are recorded.
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Neuropsychopharmacological lab
See how the lab uses automated behavioral testing to advance its neuropsychopharmacological research.
EthoVision
Learn how to get your detection settings right in EthoVision for clean, reliable tracking from the very first trial.
Behavioral testing
What the elevated plus maze measures, how labs pair it with EthoVision, and practical tips for reliable results.
Mazes
I need a maze for research on:
Open field test
Elevated plus/zero maze
Barnes maze
Y/T maze
Morris water maze
Radial arm maze
Sociability chamber
Forced swim test
Light Dark box
Cincinnati/Biel maze
Fear conditioning chamber
PhenoTyper
Novel object recognition
Tail suspension test
Resident intruder test
Insights from researchers and our product experts
University of Bologna
Detection settings
Elevated plus maze
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Detection Settings in EthoVision XT: Insights Into Doing it Right
In this webinar, we go over all the things that you need to consider before starting your experiment.
Duration: 73 minutes
Noldus product: EthoVision XT
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