Spontaneous laterality in mouse Crl:CD1

Area of Science:

• Animal behavior
• Neuroscience
• Evolutionary biology

Background:

• Laterality, or functional asymmetry, is an ancient evolutionary trait observed across diverse animal species.
• Understanding spontaneous behavioral preferences, such as laterality, in model organisms like mice is crucial for neuroscience research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate spontaneous laterality in mice (Mus musculus) using a T-maze test.
• To determine if functional asymmetry is present at a population level in mice.
• To explore potential gender differences in laterality in mice.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a T-maze test with 40 Crl:CD1 mice.
• Mice completed 10 trials, with only the first reaction recorded.
• Animals were tasked with choosing an arm of the maze to find an exit.

Main Results:

• A majority of mice (68%) demonstrated a preference for the right arm of the T-maze.
• Laterality was more pronounced in female mice, with 75% showing a right-side preference.
• A greater proportion of right-preferring mice were in the food-deprived group.

Conclusions:

• The study suggests a tendency towards right-sided laterality in the studied mouse population.
• While females showed stronger lateralization, results were not conclusive regarding population-level functional asymmetry or gender differences.
• Further investigation with larger sample sizes and repeated observations is recommended to solidify these findings.