Rodent behavior models

Question 1

The forced swim test is used to model depression, learning or anxiety?

Answer 1

Depression

-used to test anti depressive drugs

Question 2

What is the measure that indicates depression or response to anti depressives in the forced swim test?

Answer 2

-immobilization or floating is indicative of induced depression, where as swimming/climbing are positive response to antidepressants medication

Question 3

The tail suspension test used in mice measures depression, pain response, grip strength or learning?

Answer 3

Depression

Question 4

How is the Tail suspension test scored?

Answer 4

mouse is taped to a hook, the amount of time spent struggling vs immobile is recorded over 6 min. Immobile is the indicator of depression. Antidepressant meds increase struggling time

Question 5

What is the olfactory bulbectomy model?

Answer 5

Model of depression.
Removal of olfactory bulb induces hyperactivity response to novel open field. Chronic tx with antidressives will alleviate this response

Question 6

Describe the learned helplessness model

Answer 6

rats are treated with shocks they can not escape, eventually give up trying even when there is an escape option. Condition ameliorated with anti depressives

Question 7

Describe the apparatus used for the learned helpless ness model

Answer 7

Shuttle box with two chambers and wire grid floor through which the shock can be provided

Question 8

What is the T maze typically used to measure?

Answer 8

Learning

• rodent must learn which arm of the T to go to in order to get the treat
• Win/Shift strategy- has to remember the pattern based on the previous trial

Question 9

How does the radial arm maze measure learning?

Answer 9

Similar to T-maze. Mouse must remember which arm has the treats and which one it entered already, end not enter it again.
-Win/Shift strategy

Question 10

Describe the apparatus used for the barnes maze

Answer 10

Large round platform with holes on the outer edges. One of the holes leads to a tunnel for the mouse to escape to a nice dark place. Cues are placed on the surrounding walls, to aid the mouse in finding the correct hole for escape

Question 11

T or F

The Barnes maze is a model of learning and memory

Answer 11

T

Question 12

Is the Morris Water Maze a model for depression or learning and memory?

Answer 12

Learning and memory-
-Water tank with non-visible platform. Rats must use cues in the surround environment to remember where the platform is.

Question 13

List 3 tests that are commonly used to measure a rodents response to painful stimuli

Answer 13

• Von Frey Hairs
• Tail Flick
• Hot plate

Question 14

What is measured in the hot plate test as a response to painful stimuli?

Answer 14

-Animal is placed on a hot-plate platform with a glass cylinder to prevent escape. Once the plate is hot, the animal will lick it’s paws….the time it takes to do this is the data

Question 15

What is the heat source used in the tail-flick assay?

Answer 15

A heat generating beam of light. The animal is placed onto a platform where the tail is resting, the measure is the time until the animal moves it’s tail out of the beam of light

Question 16

T or F

The Rotarod test is used as a model of depression

Answer 16

F

it is used to measure balance,coordination, locomotor ability

Question 17

Describe the apparatus used for rotarod test

Answer 17

A box with an elevated horizontal rod that rotates either at constant speed or with accretion. The mouse must stay on by adjusting to the rotation or fall into the padded pit beneath. The time to fall is the measure (dependent variable)

Question 18

What type of behavior testing does the “flower-pot” technique refer to?

Answer 18

Sleep deprivation test. Rodent is placed on a small platform (inveterted flower pot) in a tank of water. If enters REM sleep, will usually fall off into water

Question 19

What does the “disk-over-water” apparatus measure

Answer 19

A model for sleep deprivation. A plexiglas disk rotates over water tank

Question 20

T or F

The elevated plus maze is used to measure learning and memory?

Answer 20

F
It is a model used for anxiety testing.
One arm is clear and brightly lighted the other arm is dark. Anxiety is measured by reluctance to enter the light and preference for the dark arms

Question 21

What is the light/dark box apparatus typically used to measure?

Answer 21

Light-dark exploration test is a test of anxiety. Mice prefer dark over light areas. Time spent in dark is measure of anxiety

Question 22

T or F

Many bolus of defecation during anxiety testing methods in rodents is indicative of non-anxious, well adjusted rodents

Answer 22

F

fecal production is one measure of anxiety. High rates of fecal bolus production equate with high anxiety

Question 23

T or F

The Porsolt swim test and Forced swim test are the same thing

Answer 23

T

Question 24

T or F

Reduced ingestion of a sucrose solution is a depression-like behavior in rodents

Answer 24

T

(this is known as anhedonia