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Related Experiment Videos

Assessing hoarding in mice.

Robert M J Deacon1

  • 1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3UD, UK. robert.deacon@psy.ox.ac.uk

Nature Protocols
|April 5, 2007
PubMed
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Rodent hoarding, a natural behavior, involves storing food for survival during emergencies or harsh seasons. This study details methods for measuring hoarding in laboratory rodents, useful for behavioral research.

Area of Science:

  • Ethology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Hoarding is a conserved, species-typical behavior in rodents, crucial for survival.
  • It ensures food availability during emergencies (predation) or seasonal scarcity (winter).
  • Two main types exist: scatter hoarding (birds, squirrels) and larder hoarding (rodents).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a standardized laboratory method for measuring hoarding behavior in rodents.
  • To highlight hoarding's sensitivity to experimental manipulations for behavioral research.
  • To establish hoarding as a valid assay for species-typical behaviors in genetically modified mice.

Main Methods:

  • Hoarding is quantified by weighing food transported by rodents into their home cage from a secure external source.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The experimental setup requires an animal-proof route to prevent escape or cage modification.
  • A specific, easily constructed apparatus is detailed in the protocol.

    • Main Results:

    • The described method provides a reliable measure of hoarding behavior.
    • Hoarding behavior is demonstrably sensitive to brain lesions and pharmacological interventions.
    • The assay is suitable for evaluating species-typical behaviors in various rodent models.

    Conclusions:

    • Laboratory measurement of hoarding provides a quantifiable index of this essential rodent behavior.
    • The described apparatus and methodology are practical for behavioral neuroscience research.
    • Hoarding assays are valuable tools for studying the neurobiological underpinnings of species-typical behaviors and for assessing genetic modifications in mice.