Reward:
An object or a situation that can serve to reinforce a response, to satisfy a motive, or to afford pleasure.
JoVE Neuroscience
Progressive-ratio Responding for Palatable High-fat and High-sugar Food in Mice
CRCHUM and the Montreal Diabetes Research Center, University of Montreal
The present report details the protocol employed to measure the rewarding effects of high-fat food in mice using a progressive ratio operant conditioning task.
JoVE Neuroscience
A Fully Automated and Highly Versatile System for Testing Multi-cognitive Functions and Recording Neuronal Activities in Rodents
The Neurosciences Institute, San Diego, CA
In this report, we present a fully automated and highly versatile system capable of simultaneously testing multi-cognitive behaviors and recording neuronal activities for rodents.
JoVE Neuroscience
Appetitive Associative Olfactory Learning in Drosophila Larvae
1Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 2Department of Biology, University of Fribourg
Drosophila larvae are able to associate odor stimuli with gustatory reward. Here we describe a simple behavioral paradigm that allows the analysis of appetitive associative olfactory learning.
JoVE Neuroscience
Novel Apparatus and Method for Drug Reinforcement
College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin
Operant drug self-administration and conditioned place preference (CPP) procedures are expansively used in research to model various components of drug reinforcement, consumption, and addiction in humans. In this report, we combined traditional CPP and self-administration methods as a novel approach to studying drug reinforcement and addiction in rats.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Intra-Operative Behavioral Tasks in Awake Humans Undergoing Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery
1Nayef Al-Rodhan Laboratories for Cellular Neurosurgery and Neurosurgical Technology, Harvard Medical School, 2Department of Neurosurgery , Massachusetts General Hospital
Deep brain stimulation surgery offers a unique opportunity to examine information encoding in the awake human brain. This article will describe intra-operative methods used to perform cognitive and behavioral tasks while simultaneously acquiring physiological data such as EMG, single-unit neuronal activity and/or local field potentials.
JoVE Neuroscience
A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats
Department of Psychology and Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Western Washington University
Responding for food or drug-paired cues increases over the course of a period of abstinence and this may relate to an increased susceptibility to relapse behaviors. Here we detail a procedure for evaluating this "incubation of craving" in rats that have self-administered sucrose.
JoVE Neuroscience
Targeted Training of Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Aged and Parkinsonian Rats
1Department of Surgery-Division of Otolaryngology, University of Wisconsin, 2Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Wisconsin
Voice disorders are debilitating in aging and Parkinson disease. The ultrasonic vocalizations of rats, also affected by these conditions, can be used to study these voice disorders, their neural substrates, and the nature of functional recovery with behavioral intervention.
JoVE Neuroscience
Tactile Conditioning And Movement Analysis Of Antennal Sampling Strategies In Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.)
In this protocol we show how to condition harnessed honey bees to tactile stimuli and introduce a 2D motion capture technique for analyzing the kinematics of fine-scale antennal sampling pattern.
JoVE Neuroscience
Behavioral Assessment of Manual Dexterity in Non-Human Primates
Department of Medicine, University of Fribourg
As manual dexterity is a prerogative mainly of primates, behavioral tasks have been developed in macaque monkeys. Four reach and grasp prehension tasks, measuring hand manipulation ability and force, allow to establish functional recovery after a lesion of the central nervous system and to test the effect of a treatment.
JoVE Neuroscience
In ovo Electroporation in Chick Midbrain for Studying Gene Function in Dopaminergic Neuron Development
1Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Children's Hospital of Chicago Research Center, 2Departments of Pediatrics, Neurology and Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
To assess the function and the regulation of genes during the development of midbrain dopaminergic neurons, we describe a method that involves in ovo electroporation of plasmid DNA constructs into embryonic chick ventral midbrain dopaminergic neuron progenitors. This technique can be used to achieve efficient expression of genes of interest to study different aspects of midbrain development and dopaminergic neuron differentiation.
JoVE Neuroscience
Behavioral Determination of Stimulus Pair Discrimination of Auditory Acoustic and Electrical Stimuli Using a Classical Conditioning and Heart-rate Approach
School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University
The application of a classical fear conditioning behavioral paradigm for auditory prosthetic research in rats is described. This paradigm provides a mechanism for identifying both detection of, and discrimination between, distinct acoustic and electrical stimuli using heart-rate as an outcome measure.
JoVE Neuroscience
Assessment of Ultrasonic Vocalizations During Drug Self-administration in Rats
1College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, 2The Waggoner Center of Addiction and Alcohol Research, University of Texas at Austin, 3Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 4Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 5Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin
Drug self-administration and ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) are used as behavioral assessments in animal research, but rarely in combination. The purpose of this article is to describe the advantages of recording USVs during drug self-administration procedures to assess affective responses to drug experience.
JoVE Neuroscience
Low-stress Route Learning Using the Lashley III Maze in Mice
1Department of Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University, 2Center for Developmental and Health Genetics, Pennsylvania State University, 3Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 4Huck Institute of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, 5California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, 6Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles
The Lashley III maze is a route-learning task that does not rely on aversive stimuli or visual cues. It is thus a highly attractive option for evaluating learning and memory, especially in aging mice or otherwise where stress is a consideration.
JoVE Neuroscience
Fiber-optic Implantation for Chronic Optogenetic Stimulation of Brain Tissue
1Department of Molecular & Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), 2Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), 3Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital
The development of optogenetics now provides the means to precisely stimulate genetically defined neurons and circuits, both in vitro and in vivo. Here we describe the assembly and implantation of a fiber optic for chronic photostimulation of brain tissue.
JoVE Neuroscience
T-maze Forced Alternation and Left-right Discrimination Tasks for Assessing Working and Reference Memory in Mice
1Division of Systems Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, 2Japan Science and Technology Agency, Core Research for Evolutionary Science and Technology (CREST), 3Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences
This article presents the protocol of T-maze tests using a modified automated apparatus for assessing the learning and memory functions in mice.
JoVE Neuroscience
Operant Sensation Seeking in the Mouse
In this protocol we describe a method of operant learning using sensory stimuli as a reinforcer in the mouse. It requires no prior training or food restriction, and it allows the study of motivated behavior without the use of a pharmacological or natural reinforcer such as food.
JoVE Neuroscience
Recording Human Electrocorticographic (ECoG) Signals for Neuroscientific Research and Real-time Functional Cortical Mapping
1Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, 2Department of Neurology, Albany Medical College, 3Department of Neurosurgery, Albany Medical College, 4Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University, 5Department of Biomed. Eng., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 6Department of Biomed. Sci., State University of New York at Albany, 7Department of Elec. and Comp. Eng., University of Texas at El Paso
We present a method for collecting electrocorticographic signals for research purposes from humans who are undergoing invasive epilepsy monitoring. We show how to use the BCI2000 software platform for data collection, signal processing and stimulus presentation. Specifically, we demonstrate SIGFRIED, a BCI2000-based tool for real-time functional brain mapping.
JoVE General
In vivo Ca2+- Imaging of Mushroom Body Neurons During Olfactory Learning in the Honey Bee
1Institut für Biologie - Neurobiologie, Freie Universität Berlin, 2Institut für Biologie - Neurobiologie, Free University Berlin - Freie Universitaet Berlin
Bees can be conditioned in an appetitive olfactory learning paradigm (PER-conditioning). Using odors as stimuli, we established a method in which behavior is recorded while simultaneously Calcium Imaging is used to measure odor evoked activity in mushroom body neurons in vivo.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Portable Intermodal Preferential Looking (IPL): Investigating Language Comprehension in Typically Developing Toddlers and Young Children with Autism
Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut
A reliable home-based way to assess the language comprehension of very young typically developing children, as well as those with autism, is described. The method analyzes children's eye gaze while viewing side-by-side images but hearing an audio that matches only one image. Stimuli are designed with young participants in mind.
JoVE Neuroscience
Single Cell Measurement of Dopamine Release with Simultaneous Voltage-clamp and Amperometry
1Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida
The amperometric technique measures dopamine release from a single cell by detecting the oxidative current produced by spontaneous dopamine oxidization. Simultaneous voltage clamp and amperometry methodology reveal the mechanistic relationship between the overall "activity" of dopamine transporter and the regulatory role of this activity on the reverse transport of dopamine.
JoVE General
Functional Imaging with Reinforcement, Eyetracking, and Physiological Monitoring
1Department of Neuroscience, Columbia University, 2Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, 3Department of Radiology, Columbia University
This presentation demonstrates the use of fMRI to study neural circuits that underlie decision-making. Simple perceptual tasks are combined with appetitive and aversive reinforcements to investigate how outcomes affect decision processes.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Intranasal Administration of CNS Therapeutics to Awake Mice
A method to intranasally administer drugs to awake mice for the purpose of targeting the brain is described. This method allows for repeat dosing over long periods using intranasal administration of drug without anesthesia, and nose-to-brain delivery with minimal systemic exposure.
JoVE Neuroscience
Local Application of Drugs to Study Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Function in Mouse Brain Slices
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University
In this paper, we describe a useful method to study ligand-gated ion channel function in neurons of acutely isolated brain slices. This method involves the use of a drug-filled micropipette for local application of drugs to neurons recorded using standard patch clamp techniques.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Breathing-controlled Electrical Stimulation (BreEStim) for Management of Neuropathic Pain and Spasticity
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 2UTHealth Motor Recovery Laboratory, TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital, 3The Institute of Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR), TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital
The purpose is to present a new method, breathing-control electrical stimulation (BreEStim) for management of neuropathic pain and spasticity.
JoVE Neuroscience
Laser Capture Microdissection of Enriched Populations of Neurons or Single Neurons for Gene Expression Analysis After Traumatic Brain Injury
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch
We describe how to use laser capture microdissection (LCM) to obtain enriched populations of hippocampal neurons or single neurons from frozen sections of the injured rat brain for subsequent gene expression analysis using quantitative real time PCR and/or whole-genome microarrays.
JoVE Neuroscience
Methods for Intravenous Self Administration in a Mouse Model
Addictions Unit, McGill University Health Centre
The intravenous self-administration (IVSA) paradigm is considered to be the gold standard in examining the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse in rodents. This manuscript outlines the experimental procedures and surgical techniques necessary to obtain reliable IVSA data. In particular, meticulous catheter implantation and maintenance are highlighted.
JoVE Neuroscience
Kinematics and Ground Reaction Force Determination: A Demonstration Quantifying Locomotor Abilities of Young Adult, Middle-aged, and Geriatric Rats
1CullenWebb Animal Neurology & Ophthalmology Center, Riverview, NB, 2Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, 4Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary
Locomotion is often examined as a behavioural outcome in various models of disease in fields such as neuroscience and orthopedics. This video paper intends to describe a method for collecting ground reaction forces and kinematics from rats during unrestrained locomotion.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Acute and Chronic Tactile Sensory Testing after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
1Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, School of Allied Medical Professions, The Ohio State University, 2Spinal Cord Research Center, Drexel University College of Medicine
We describe two tactile sensory testing methods for acute or chronic periods of spinal cord injury in rats. These validated procedures can detect the development and maintenance of allodynia-like sensations.
JoVE Neuroscience
Behavioural Pharmacology in Classical Conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Response in Honeybees (Apis mellifera)
Fachbereich Bio/Chem/Pharm, Institut für Biologie – Neurobiologie, Freie Universität Berlin
We demonstrate how to implement a behavioral pharmacology method in an appetitive olfactory conditioning paradigm in honeybees (Apis mellifera) by systemic application of drugs. This method allows investigation of the mechanisms underlying learning and memory formation in a simple and reliable way.
JoVE Neuroscience
Presynaptic Dopamine Dynamics in Striatal Brain Slices with Fast-scan Cyclic Voltammetry
1Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University,
Using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to measure electrically evoked presynaptic dopamine dynamics in striatal brain slices.
JoVE Neuroscience
Comprehensive Profiling of Dopamine Regulation in Substantia Nigra and Ventral Tegmental Area
Dopamine is distinctly regulated in the midbrain nuclei, which contain the cell bodies and dendrites of the dopamine neurons. Here we describe a dissection and sample-handling approach to maximize results, and thus conclusions and insights, on dopamine regulation in the midbrain nuclei of the substantia nigra (SN) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) in rodents.
JoVE Neuroscience
Measuring the Subjective Value of Risky and Ambiguous Options using Experimental Economics and Functional MRI Methods
1Section of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 2Department of Neurobiology, Yale School of Medicine, 3Center for Neural Science, New York University, 4Department of Psychology, New York University, 5Department of Economics, New York University
Using functional MRI and behavioral methods to determine the neural representation of the subjective value of risky and ambiguous options in the human brain.
JoVE Neuroscience
Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents
1Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 2Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University
Circadian rhythms in voluntary wheel-running activity in mammals are tightly coupled to the molecular oscillations of a master clock in the brain. As such, these daily rhythms in behavior can be used to study the influence of genetic, pharmacological, and environmental factors on the functioning of this circadian clock.
JoVE General
Use of Rotorod as a Method for the Qualitative Analysis of Walking in Rat
The rotorod test is used to assess motor status in the walking movement of hemi-Parkinson analogue rats.
JoVE General
A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat
Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge
In a piloting scent tracking task, the ability of the rats to return to a refuge with food using visual an odor trail or using dead reckoning in infrared light, the integrated record of previous movements, demonstrates that the hippocampus is necessary for dead reckoning.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Operation in Rats
1Department of Surgery, University Hospital Zürich, 2Zürich Centre for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zürich, 3Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, 4Imperial Weight Centre, Department of Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London
Numerous studies using gastric bypass rat models have been recently conducted to uncover the underlying physiological mechanisms of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass operations. This article aims to demonstrate and discuss the technical and experimental details of our published gastric bypass rat model to understand advantages and limitations of this experimental tool.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Making Sense of Listening: The IMAP Test Battery
1MRC Institute of Hearing Research, 2NIHR, National Biomedical Research Unit in Hearing
A test battery (IMAP) for performing an in-depth assessment of auditory and cognitive abilities contributing to listening skills is described. It is quick to administer, child-friendly and free from linguistic confounds. Stimulus generation and protocol management are controlled via a software platform (IHR-STAR) to ensure replicable procedures.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor
1International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), University of British Columbia, 2Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia
A reliable and repeatable way to produce a cervical unilateral spinal cord injury using the Infinite Horizon impactor is described. The method takes advantage of a custom designed frame and clamp to stabilize the spine. The standardized procedure and biomechanical injury parameters result in sufficient and sustained injuries.
JoVE General
Measurement Of Neuromagnetic Brain Function In Pre-school Children With Custom Sized MEG
Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University
The advent of MEG systems sized for young children opens important new opportunities to study brain development. The new system, together with a protocol that aligns experimental requirements with the capacities of children, can be used to study cognitive and language processes in healthy, awake children aged three to six.
JoVE Editorial
Interview with Eric R. Kandel: From Memory, Free Will, and the Problem with Freud to Fortunate Decisions
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Laboratories, 2Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Columbia University
Eric R. Kandel shared the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine with Arvid Carlsson and Paul Greengard in 2000 for their discoveries "concerning signal transduction in the nervous system." In this interview given at Hertie Foundation's Neuroforum 2008 on April 18, 2008 in Frankfurt, Germany, Nobel Prize Laureate Eric R. Kandel takes us on an enlighting journey ranging from memory, free will, "the problem with Freud", to scientific challenges and the rise of European science.
JoVE Neuroscience
Hippocampal Insulin Microinjection and In vivo Microdialysis During Spatial Memory Testing
Behavioral Neuroscience, University at Albany
Modulation of hippocampally-dependent spatial working memory by direct intrahippocampal microinjection, accompanied and followed by in vivo microdialysis for metabolites in conscious, behaving animals.
JoVE Neuroscience
Light Preference Assay to Study Innate and Circadian Regulated Photobehavior in Drosophila Larvae
Department of Biology, Institute of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Fribourg
Here we describe a light-dark preference test for Drosophila larva. This assay provides information about innate and circadian regulation of light sensing and processing photobehavior.
JoVE Neuroscience
Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents
Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario
Habituation and prepulse inhibition of startle are operational measures of sensory gating. Sensory gating is disrupted in schizophrenia, and some other mental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. We here describe a standard protocol to assess short-term and long-term habituation as well as prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle responses in rats and mice.
JoVE General
Making MR Imaging Child's Play - Pediatric Neuroimaging Protocol, Guidelines and Procedure
1Department of Developmental Medicine, Children’s Hospital Boston, 2Department of Neuropsychology, University of Zurich, 3Graduate School of Education, Harvard, 4Harvard Medical School
Despite an increase in the use of structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in humans, the study of young pediatric populations remains a challenge. We present a hands-on, step-by-step video protocol including guidelines for clinicians and researchers intending to perform (f)MRI in young children.
JoVE Bioengineering
Plasma Lithography Surface Patterning for Creation of Cell Networks
1Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Arizona, 2Biomedical Engineering IDP and BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona
A versatile plasma lithography technique has been developed to generate stable surface patterns for guiding cellular attachment. This technique can be applied to create cell networks including those that mimic natural tissues and has been used for studying several, distinct cell types.
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