Behavioral Phenotyping

GROUP LEADER

OVERVIEW

We offer a portfolio of services based on the study of the CNS through an extensive battery of mouse behavioral tests, using forefront equipment designed for high quality data collection, with high reliability and reproducibility. Besides, we offer scientific consultancy for the development of the experimental design, thus providing a service adapted to customers’ needs and requirements.

UNIQUE CAPABILITIES

• Strong interdisciplinary background in neuroscience, behavior, animal models and pharmacology
• Custom made experimental design and protocols

 

EQUIPMENT

• Small animal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI),
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) 

APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES

• Learning and Memory
  • Working Memory: Y Maze, T Maze
  • Declarative Memory: Morris Water Maze, Spontaneous Object Recognition
  • Emotional Conditioning: Fear Conditioning, Place Conditioning
• Anxiety and Fear
  • Neophobia/Exploration: Open Field, Light and Dark box, Elevated Plus Maze
  • Fear Conditioning: Active/Passive avoidance, Cued and Contextual, Fear-Potentiated Startle
  • Suppression of punished response learned: Vogel Conflict Test
• Drug abuse
  • Drug Seeking/Avoidance: Place Preference, Place Avoidance
  • Drug Taking (absence of dependence): Two Bottle Choice
  • Drug Withdrawal: Somatic Withdrawal, Motivational Withdrawal (emotional signs)

• Depression-Related Behaviors
  • Entrapment (Behavioral Despair Tests): Forced Swimming Test, Tail Suspension Test
  • Diminished Interest or Pleasure: Sucrose Preference
  • Fatigue or Loss of Energy: Treadmill

• Pain Sensitivity/Analgesia
  • Spinal Nociceptive Responses: Tail Flick Test
  • Supraspinal Nociceptive Response: Hot/Cold Plate
• Sensory-Motor Integration
  • Coordination: Rota-Rod
  • Balance: Beam Balance
  • Gait Abnormalities: Paw Print/CatWalk
  • Muscle Tone: Grip Strength
  • Sensory-Motor Information Processing: Pre-pulse Inhibition
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• Behavioral characterization integrated under a social environment
  • Spontaneous Behavior: Basic Activity Levels, Locomotor Activity, Circadian Activity, Anxiety, Neophobia/Exploration
  • Learning and Memory: Spatial Preference and Avoidance Learning, Spatial Reversal Learning, Temporal-Spatial Conditioning
  • Social Interaction: Competition Rank Orders, Approach-Avoidance Conflicts