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A Behavioral Test Battery for the Repeated Assessment of Motor Skills, Mood, and Cognition in Mice
Published on: March 2, 2019
Behavioural battery testing: evaluation and behavioural outcomes in 8 inbred mouse strains
Heena Vanmalibhai Lad1, Lin Liu, Jose Luis Paya-Cano
1Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK.
Physiology & Behavior
|November 26, 2009
Summary
A comprehensive behavioral test battery effectively identifies genetic factors influencing behavior in mice. Housing conditions significantly impact results, while strain differences are detectable, highlighting the battery
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Large-scale behavioral batteries offer potential for discovering genes linked to behavioral variation.
- Understanding genetic contributions to complex behaviors requires a systems biology approach.
- Evaluating confounding factors is crucial before applying behavioral batteries for genetic mapping.
Purpose of the Study:
- To devise and evaluate a behavioral test battery for dissecting the genetic basis of behavioral phenotypes.
- To assess confounding factors including housing, testing time, and initial placement in behavioral assays.
- To characterize behavioral profiles across eight inbred mouse strains using the developed battery.
Main Methods:
- A battery of behavioral tests was employed to assess various behavioral paradigms.
- Confounding variables such as individual vs. sibling housing, testing time, and light-dark box placement were investigated.
- Behavioral data from eight inbred mouse strains were analyzed to identify strain-specific profiles.
Main Results:
- Paired housing significantly affected weight and behavioral measures compared to single housing.
- Testing time and battery vs. non-battery testing showed minimal impact on behavioral outcomes.
- Light-dark box placement influenced activity and duration, impacting analysis; robust strain differences were observed in open field and light-dark tests, but not consistently in the elevated plus maze.
Conclusions:
- The developed behavioral battery is sensitive to housing conditions, a critical factor for genetic studies.
- The battery effectively reveals strain-specific behavioral differences, supporting its utility in genetic variation studies.
- Behavioral batteries show promise for mapping naturally occurring genetic variation in mouse reference populations.
