Automated Rat Single-Pellet Reaching with 3-Dimensional Reconstruction of Paw and Digit Trajectories

Alexandra Bova; Krista Kernodle; Kaitlyn Mulligan; Daniel Leventhal

doi:10.3791/59979

Automated Rat Single-Pellet Reaching with 3-Dimensional Reconstruction of Paw and Digit Trajectories

JoVE Journal
Behavior

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JoVE Journal Behavior

Automated Rat Single-Pellet Reaching with 3-Dimensional Reconstruction of Paw and Digit Trajectories

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07:52 min

July 10, 2019

DOI: 10.3791/59979-v

Alexandra Bova¹, Krista Kernodle¹, Kaitlyn Mulligan², Daniel Leventhal^2,3,4

¹Neuroscience Graduate Program,University of Michigan, ²Department of Neurology,University of Michigan, ³Department of Biomedical Engineering,University of Michigan, ⁴Department of Neurology,VA Ann Arbor Health System

Rodent skilled reaching is commonly used to study dexterous skills, but requires significant time and effort to implement the task and analyze the behavior. We describe an automated version of skilled reaching with motion tracking and three-dimensional reconstruction of reach trajectories.

This method builds upon established rat skilled reaching protocols to automate training and testing providing an efficient means to acquire large data sets relatively quickly. It minimizes experimenter effort while allowing three-dimensional reconstruction of forelimb kinematics. The kinematics can be used to evaluate the effects of precisely timed interventions or correlated with physiologic recordings.

With some adjustments, this technique can also be applied in mice. Begin by turning on the lights and place the rat in a skilled reaching chamber. Use forceps to hold a pellet through the reaching slot at the front of the box.

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