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Investigations on Alterations of Hippocampal Circuit Function Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: November 19, 2012
Investigation of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Home Cage Behavior: The Home Cage Assay Advantages
Bar Richmond-Hacham1, Liron Tseitlin1, Lior Bikovski2,3
1Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Tel Aviv University Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Abstract:
This study utilized the Noldus PhenoTyper Home Cage Monitoring system (HCM) to assess the behavioral and cognitive changes of experimental closed-head mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Seventy-nine adult male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were subjected to either a sham procedure or closed-head mTBI using the weight-drop model. Seven days post-injury, separate cohorts of mice underwent either a non-cognitive or a cognitive home cage assessment, a treadmill fatigue test, or the Open Field Test. mTBI significantly influenced habituation behavior and circadian wheel-running activity. Notably, mTBI mice exhibited an increased frequency of visits to the running wheel, but each visit was shorter than those of controls. No significant differences between the groups in discrimination or reversal learning performance were observed. However, during the reversal learning stage, mTBI mice performed similarly to their initial discrimination learning levels, suggesting an abnormally faster rate of reversal learning. Home cage monitoring is a valuable tool for studying the subtle effects of mTBI, complementing traditional assays. The automated evaluation of habituation to novel stimuli (e.g., novel environment) could serve as a potentially sensitive tool for assessing mTBI-associated behavioral deficits.
Insights
Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in mice altered habituation and circadian activity. Home cage monitoring revealed subtle behavioral changes, suggesting its utility in assessing mTBI deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Traumatic Brain Injury Research
Background:
- Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) can cause subtle behavioral and cognitive deficits.
- Traditional assessment methods may not capture all mTBI-induced changes.
- Home Cage Monitoring (HCM) offers a potential avenue for detailed behavioral analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the behavioral and cognitive effects of experimental closed-head mTBI in mice.
- To evaluate the utility of the Noldus PhenoTyper Home Cage Monitoring system (HCM) in detecting mTBI-related changes.
- To assess habituation, circadian activity, and learning in mTBI models.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-nine male ICR mice underwent either sham procedures or closed-head mTBI using a weight-drop model.
- Behavioral assessments included home cage monitoring, treadmill fatigue test, and Open Field Test.
- Cognitive assessments focused on discrimination and reversal learning.
Main Results:
- mTBI significantly impacted habituation and circadian wheel-running activity.
- mTBI mice showed increased running wheel visits, but with shorter durations.
- No significant differences in discrimination or reversal learning were found, though mTBI mice suggested faster reversal learning.
Conclusions:
- Home cage monitoring is a valuable tool for studying subtle mTBI effects, complementing traditional assays.
- Automated evaluation of habituation to novel stimuli can detect mTBI-associated behavioral deficits.
- HCM provides sensitive, objective data for mTBI research.
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