Tests to assess motor phenotype in mice: a user's guide

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Translational Medicine
• Animal Models

Background:

• Characterizing mouse models of human disease is vital for understanding pathophysiology and developing therapeutics.
• Multiple mouse models often exist for a single disease, necessitating selection of the most appropriate model.
• Motor tests are valuable for assessing neurological function in mouse models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of available motor tasks for mouse models of human disease.
• To assist researchers in selecting the most suitable motor test for their specific research needs.
• To aid in identifying transgenic phenotypes and evaluating therapeutic interventions.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of established motor tests used in mouse models.
• Categorization of motor tasks based on the aspect of neurological function assessed.
• Discussion of the strengths and limitations of various motor tests.

Main Results:

• Identification of a range of motor tests applicable to different neurological disease models.
• Highlighting the importance of matching motor tests to the specific research question.
• Emphasizing the utility of motor tests in both phenotype characterization and therapeutic assessment.

Conclusions:

• The selection of appropriate motor tests is critical for the accurate characterization of mouse models and the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy.
• Researchers should carefully consider the specific disease, transgenic phenotype, and therapeutic goals when choosing motor tasks.
• This overview serves as a resource to guide researchers in optimizing their experimental design using motor function assessments.