The platform allows the study of various aspects of rodent behaviour, in 6 testing rooms exclusively dedicated to either rats or mice.
Thanks to the state-of-the-art equipment present in the platform, motor performances are evaluated under spontaneous (open field, Catwalk) or forced (beam test, rotarod) conditions.
Anxiety can be explored in the open field, the elevated plus maze or with the marble test.
Activity boxes are used to determine spontaneous locomotor activity fluctuations during the circadian cycle.
Learning and memory deficits, particularly in the context of Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease models, are explored using the Morris water maze, fear conditioning, object recognition or spontaneous alternation in the Y maze.
For most tests, the analysis is carried out using the Ethovision XT software (Noldus).
In non-human primates
MIRCen's primate behavioral platform is dedicated to the investigation of motor and cognitive function in biosafety levels 1, 2 and 3. The platform comprises 3 rooms that are exclusively dedicated to explore motor behavior. Primates are filmed using the Media Recorder© software and videos are analyzed offline with specialized software (Ethovision XT and The Observer XT, Noldus).
Deficits in fine hand motor skills (e.g. prehension) can also be assessed independently, either in behavioral test cages or in primate chairs. The platform is equipped with 3 soundproof boxes where primates can perform tests in isolated working stations. Primates can work on touch screens in their home cages, alone or in social groups, each performing its own testing battery
Cognitive behavior is mostly assessed on touch screens although a Wisconsin General Testing Apparatus is also available. The monkey version of the CANTAB testing battery is equally available on-site.
Custom-made software has been developed in-house for all touch screens and provides the flexibility to add tailored tests according to the requirements of each experimental protocol.
Our testing battery include tests for visual discrimination, executive function, different types of memory (associative, working, spatial, etc.), impulsivity, apathy, compulsivity/gambling and perseverative behavior, among others. We are able to measure reaction times using contactors and are developing an auditory discrimination system.