Computational Quantification of Peristalsis in Preclinical Mouse Models Using Smartphone Videography

A number of diseases and medical interventions affect gastrointestinal motility. However, quantitative methods for measuring effects on peristalsis in live animals are uncommon, cumbersome, and lack standardization.

Here we present a new computational method for quantifying gut peristalsis in preclinical mouse models that requires only a video taken using a mobile phone camera. Our analytical pipeline processes the videographic data to track motion as it correlates to gastrointestinal transit.

This method is compatible with different mouse models (such as conventionally housed and germ-free), gut microbiome compositions, and can further be used to screen the impact of drugs on gut motility, which we demonstrate using methacholine as an example. Quantitative peristalsis measurements after methacholine treatment of conventionally housed and germ-free mice with or without reconstitution of their gut microbiomes demonstrate that our analytical method can detect and quantify changes in peristalsis driven not only by endogenous acetylcholine signaling but also by colonic anatomy and the microbiome.

We envision that our computational tool will find uses in preclinical drug or mouse model screenings and forms the cornerstone to expand this methodology to other non-gastrointestinal applications.