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A Low-Cost Markerless DeepLabCut-Based Workflow for Spontaneous Gait and Locomotion Analysis in Freely Moving Mice
Jesús Andrade-Guerrero1, Alejandro Meda-Hernández2, Valeria Sasia-Saldivar3
1Laboratorio de Investigación en Neurociencias y Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (LINEN), Carrera de Médico Cirujano, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Departamento de Neurobiología del Desarrollo y Neurofisiología, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
This study introduces a low-cost, markerless method using DeepLabCut for analyzing mouse gait and locomotion. This non-invasive approach enables accurate motor behavior assessment in preclinical research without specialized equipment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomedical Engineering
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Gait analysis is crucial for identifying motor deficits in diseases.
- Traditional methods for animal gait analysis are often costly, complex, or invasive.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an accessible, markerless workflow for quantitative gait and locomotion analysis in freely moving mice.
- To enable non-invasive assessment of motor behavior in preclinical research.
Main Methods:
- Utilized DeepLabCut, an open-source pose estimation software, for markerless tracking.
- Employed a single-camera setup for video acquisition and anatomical landmark tracking.
- Extracted spatiotemporal locomotor parameters without physical markers or specialized hardware.
Main Results:
- Successfully implemented a low-cost, markerless gait analysis protocol.
- Demonstrated the workflow's applicability using the triple transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (3xTg-AD).
- Validated the non-invasive nature of the method, preserving natural movement and minimizing stress.
Conclusions:
- The presented workflow offers an accessible and non-invasive framework for quantitative gait and locomotion analysis.
- This method enhances preclinical research by enabling accurate motor behavior assessment in standard testing environments.
- Facilitates the study of motor alterations across various diseases and conditions in animal models.
