Behavioural Testing

At 4Brain we specialize in 4 different kinds of behavioural tests that give us information about the cognitive state of rodents. The 4 tests are the forced swim test, open field test, Y-maze test and catwalk test.

Open Field Test

The open field test is used to analyze locomotion, anxiety and stereotypical behaviors such as grooming and rearing in rodents. The test area consists of a grey polyvinyl chloride (PVC) box and a camera is used to monitor movement. Changes in locomotion can be indicative of altered neurological processes and may therefore reflect abnormal brain function. Animals that are stressed show less activity in the open field and increased stereotypical behavior. Walking close to the wall is a sign of anxiety-like behavior.

Y-maze Test

The Y-maze is used to evaluate memory in mice. Spontaneous alternation, a key indicator of spatial working memory, is measured by allowing the mice to explore all three arms of the maze, driven by their natural curiosity to investigate unvisited areas. Mice with intact working memory, and thus intact prefrontal cortical function, will remember previously visited arms and tend to enter the less recently explored arm. Spatial reference memory, which relies on hippocampal function, can also be assessed by closing off one arm during a training period. After an intertrial interval (ITI), the mouse is expected to remember which arm was previously inaccessible and visit it more frequently.

Catwalk

The catwalk animal test is a mainly used to evaluate gait and locomotion in rodent studies. The catwalk measures how animals walk by analyzing their paw placement and movement patterns as they voluntarily cross an illuminated glass walkway. a camera below the walkway records the footprints when the paws touch the surface, allowing software to quantify detailed gait parameters.

Forced Swim Test

The forced swim test (FST) is the most commonly used behavioral test to assess antidepressant-like behavior. In this test the animals are forced to swim in a cylinder from where there is no escape. The scoring is assessed according to active (swimming and climbing) or passive (immobility) behavior.