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DIY-NAMIC Behavior: A High-Throughput Method to Measure Complex Phenotypes in the Homecage
Jun Ho Lee1, Selin Capan1, Clay Lacefield2
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755.
Eneuro
|June 21, 2020
Summary
We developed an inexpensive, open-source automated system for rodent behavioral assessment in their homecage. This DIY-NAMIC system reduces costs and workload, enabling efficient study of neuropsychiatric disorders, including impulsive behavior in adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Animal Models
Background:
- Complex behavioral assessment is crucial for studying rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders.
- Traditional operant conditioning methods are expensive, labor-intensive, and time-consuming, posing challenges for research, especially in adolescent rodents.
- Limitations include high equipment costs, extensive experimenter effort, food restriction, and specific timing requirements relative to the rodent circadian rhythm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an automated, inexpensive, and open-source system for operant behavioral assessment in rodents.
- To reduce the time, cost, and experimenter effort associated with traditional behavioral testing methods.
- To enable efficient study of behavioral phenotypes, particularly impulsive behavior, in adolescent rodents and during pharmacological experiments.
Main Methods:
- Development of the do-it-yourself Nautiyal Automated Modular Instrumental Conditioning (DIY-NAMIC) system.
- Implementation of standard operant paradigms within the rodent homecage.
- Open-source sharing of all construction plans and code.
- Utilizing the system for pharmacology experiments and adolescent mouse studies.
Main Results:
- The DIY-NAMIC system provides an automated, low-cost alternative to commercial operant boxes.
- The system allows for behavioral assessment in shorter time frames without the need for food restriction.
- Demonstrated utility in measuring impulsive behavior in a pharmacology experiment and in adolescent mice.
Conclusions:
- The DIY-NAMIC system significantly lowers barriers to complex behavioral assessment in rodents.
- This open-source approach facilitates research on neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly during critical developmental periods like adolescence.
- The system offers a practical and efficient solution for researchers needing to study rodent behavior without extensive resources.
