Knowledge Base

Experiment in EthoVision XT

One value of each of those variables; for example, one trial must be either Control or Treated or Sham etc.

Making a List of Trials

If you want, you can pre-define all your trials here. Click the Add Trials button and specify the number of trials (=recording sessions of one animal), and the values of the independent variables for each trial (see Figure 5.9).

You can also prepare the trials in Excel, randomize them and then paste the values into your Trial List.

Furthermore, you can define a series of trials for batch acquisition. See Acquire a Series of Trials in the EthoVision XT Help.

The Elevated Plus Maze Test

Test animals only once, unless the intention is specifically to study the different form of anxiety evoked by a second trial. If the animal falls off, it is best to exclude its scores.

Independent Variables

You can also enter the independent variable values as you carry out the trials. You can edit the independent variables for trials already acquired, for example to enter a-posteriori data, like whether the animal in that trial entered the open arms or not. This way you can quickly create groups of tracks based on the result of the trial, and use such groups in analysis.

You can add a new independent variable at any time.

Source: EthoVision XT 18 - Application Manual, Noldus Information Technology