The Behavioral Assessment Core provides the following services:

SHIRPA, an assessment of neurological dysfunction in newly created Tg mice, we measure body weight, temperature, several reflexes, motor skills and quality, e.g., walking, hanging, and Open Field (fear) and Elevated Plus Maze (anxiety) activity. This takes about two days.

Rotorod, an assessment of basic motor skills, both increasing rotations and fixed rotation models are possible.

Rotometer, an assessment of left/right movement (i.e., turning) in mice that have received unilateral brain damage.

Activity, 24h, simple measurement of photobeam breaking, 20 cages. 

Activity, 24h, video tracking of activity in “home cage”, 4 cages.

Open Field, video tracking of activity in an open field, fear-related. 

Elevated Plus maze, video tracking of activity in 2 exposed (dangerous!) and 2 covered arms (safe), anxiety related.

T-maze and Y-maze, testing simple learning skills, such as reversal. 

8-arm radial maze, testing spatial learning and memory, with food deprivation as stimulus, this takes 3-4 weeks.

Water maze, testing spatial learning and memory, with swimming/drowning as stimulus, this takes 1 week. 

Water maze, with 8-arm insert, testing spatial learning and memory, with swimming/drowning as stimulus, this takes 1 week. 

Barnes maze, testing spatial learning and memory, with bright light as stimulus, this takes 1 week. 

Shuttle boxes, testing basic memory skills, either food rewards or shock as stimulus.

Object Recognition, testing visual memory skills.

Forced Running Wheel, 10 mice can be forced to exercise for a defined period of time. 

Running Wheel Cages, 10 mice can live in their home cage with a running wheel in it, a computer tracks activity, very good for circadian rhythms.

Other behavioral equipment and behavioral testing is available, e.g., we can track in any other arena.

Most of these tests are available in both mouse and rat versions. Additionally, the Core provides one technician who can run experiments. The Technical Director will give advice, help with data analysis, and schedule experiments. During testing the animals can be housed in the Core. Users are encouraged to have their students/staff trained to perform their own experiments. Please note, YOU need to have ARP approval for the testing.

Thank you for using the UAB Neuroscience Behavioral Assessment Core. Please give appropriate acknowledgement in your papers.