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A New Tool for Quantifying Mouse Facial Expressions.

Olivia Le Moëne1, Max Larsson2

  • 1Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping 581 83, Sweden olivia.le.moene@liu.se.

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Researchers identified seven key facial parameters in mice to assess emotional states. This mouse facial expression assay offers insights into animal welfare and improves the translational value of rodent studies.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Animal behavior and welfare science
  • Neuroscience and affective computing
  • Rodent models in biomedical research

Background:

  • Facial expressions in animal models are crucial for assessing emotional experiences.
  • Previous research linked facial features to positive and negative valence, particularly pain.
  • Interpreting these expressions in rodents remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and validate easily visualizable facial parameters in mice for assessing affective states.
  • To correlate specific facial expressions with positive and negative stimuli in freely moving mice.
  • To establish a reliable facial expression assay for improving rodent research.

Main Methods:

  • Identification of seven key facial parameters (eye, ear, mouth, snout, orientation) in mouse profiles.
  • Monitoring facial parameter changes over time in response to gustatory and somatosensory stimuli.
  • Analyzing facial expressions in freely moving mice during positive and aversive stimulation.

Main Results:

  • Facial parameters effectively captured stimulus-specific response profiles and spontaneous movements.
  • Eye opening varied with stimulus valence: increased with palatable tastants/touch, decreased with bitter/painful stimuli.
  • Mouse ear posture significantly contributed to conveying emotional information, reflecting habituation and stimulus valence.

Conclusions:

  • The developed facial expression assay accurately depicts rodent welfare and affective state in a time-sensitive manner.
  • This study is the first to detail rodent facial expressions across various positive valence situations, including affective touch.
  • The assay holds potential for mechanistic insights into emotional expression and enhancing the translational value of rodent studies on pain and other states.