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Light-Dark Test
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- Quick and easy test on unconditioned anxiety – no training required
- Stand-alone single- and dual-animal test boxes for the TSE VideoMot2 system
- Black inserts for open field cages for the TSE VideoMot2 system and the TSE
ActiMot test system
- Optional extension for the TSE Fear Conditioning System
- Also integrated into the new TSE Multi Conditioning System
- Select between 33% or 50% size of the dark compartment
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The Light-Dark test is based on a conflict between the innate aversion to brightly illuminated areas and the spontaneous
exploratory behavior in response to a novel environment. If given a choice between the illuminated compartment versus a
dark safe area, rodents spontaneously prefer the dark area. Anxiolytic compounds increase the duration of time spent in
the light compartment and the number of transfers between compartments while anxiogenic compounds work in the opposite
way.
We offer several hardware & software solutions for this paradigm. Special test boxes are available for the
TSE VideoMot2 system that features a dedicated analysis module for the Light-Dark test. In combination with rearing
indicators, even the number of rearings and time spent rearing in the dark can be calculated. In the TSE ActiMot system
a large variety of evaluation parameters is provided – special 3-compartment boxes with a separating tunnel are also
available here. The TSE Fear Conditioning system allows a basic evaluation of this paradigm to evaluate whether the innate
anxiety level of the animal is changed by preceding fear conditioning experiments. This paradigm is also integrated into the
new multi-purpose TSE Multi Conditioning system.
The Light-Dark test is also part of the battery of behavioral paradigms integrated within the multi-dimensional automated
PhenoMaster phenotyping system. A dedicated activity module is available here.
Elevated Plus Maze
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- Anxiety testing system for mice & rats
- Elevated Zero Mazes for for video tracking
- Alternative: Fully automated systems
- Variety of materials and colors including clear acrylic
- Closed arm walls can be individually inserted into guide rails to allow for easy cleaning between trials
- In the automated systems 3-point-infrared sensors monitor visits in arms and center
- The maze top is fastened to a lightweight support frame and can be easily disassembled
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The Elevated Plus Maze test is one of the most widely used models for testing unconditioned anxiety in small rodents.
It is based upon their natural aversion to heights and open spaces which is decreased by anxiolytically effective
drugs. Four arms are arranged in the shape of a cross ("Plus"). Two arms have surrounding walls ("closed arms"),
the other arms have no walls ("open arms"). A small ledge prevents the animal from falling off the open arm.
TSE Elevated Plus Mazes for mice or rats can be used in combination with a video tracking system
(TSE VideoMot2 system or for manual observation. We also supply mazes made completely
from infrared-translucent black material that allow animal detection in complete darkness in combination with the TSE
IR Lightbox! VideoMot2 offers a dedicated analysis protocol for this paradigm that can be produced with a mouse-click.
TSE Elevated Plus Mazes for mice or rats are also available as fully computerized systems equipped with infrared
location sensors at the arm entrances that can be operated regardless of the ambient light level and are therefore
especially suitable if high-anxiety animal strains are to be studied. Data collection and analysis is done with the
easy-to-use Elevated Plus Maze Windows software. Analysis parameters include open arm time and number of open arm
visits as a measure of anxiety. Total arm entries are used as a measure of general activity.
Elevated Zero Maze
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- Anxiety testing system for rats & mice
- Elevated Zero Mazes for video tracking
- Alternative: Fully automated systems
- 2 closed and 2 open quadrants – no center compartment
- The maze top is fastened to a lightweight support frame and can be easily removed for cleaning
- Variety of dimensions and wall materials including clear acrylic
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The Elevated Zero Maze is a modification of the Elevated Plus Maze model for unconditioned anxiety. Two closed
and two open equally sized opposite runways (quadrants) are mounted on a base that raises the maze above the
floor. The open runways are surrounded by small ledges to prevent the animal from falling off the maze. In
contrast to the Elevated Plus Maze, the Elevated Zero Maze does not have a center compartment thus allowing
uninterrupted exploration of the open and closed spaces. Any ambiguity in interpretation of the time spent in
a center compartment is therefore prevented.
TSE Elevated Zero Mazes for mice or rats can be used in combination with a video tracking system
(TSE VideoMot2 system) or for manual observation. We also supply mazes made from
infrared translucent material that allow animal detection in complete darkness in combination with the TSE IR
Lightbox! VideoMot2 offers a dedicated analysis protocol for this paradigm that can be produced with a mouse-click.
TSE Elevated Zero Mazes for mice or rats are also available as fully computerized systems equipped with infrared
location sensors at the entrances of the closed quadrants that can be operated regardless of the ambient light level
and are therefore especially suitable if high-anxiety animal strains are to be studied. Data collection and
analysis is done with the easy-to-use Elevated Zero Maze Windows software. Analysis parameters include open
quadrant time and number of open quadrant visits as a measure of anxiety. Total quadrant entries are used as a
measure of general activity.
Vogel Test System
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- Punished drinking test based on conflict behavior
- Evaluate the ability of anxiolytic drugs to disinhibit behavior usually suppressed by punishment
- Large number of measuring places for high throughput
- Software-controlled lick/shock ratio, shock intensity & length
- Provides number of licks & shocks per time interval
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The fully computerized TSE Vogel Test System is used to monitor the effect of anxiolytic drugs on small
laboratory animals. Animals that are water-deprived are tested in home cages equipped with a special
conductive floor grid and a drinking bottle with stainless steel nipple connected to a shock generator
via electrodes. Monitoring of animal licks is performed by very low electrical currents applied to the
nipple that are below the animal's perception level.
The TSE Vogel Test software for Windows allows the definition of a set of control parameters such as the
lick/shock ratio and the shock intensity and duration. After a previously specified number of licks an
electric shock is applied to the nipple – the animal can escape the shock by withdrawing from the drinking
tube. Anxiolytic drugs significantly increase the licking rate and therefore the number of shocks applied.
Learned Helplessness I
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- Well-known model for depression
- Helplessness test based on operant response (lever pressing)
- Operant test box for rats with electrified floor and wall, cue light set, response lever,
house light and loudspeaker
- Various shock characteristics can be set including adjustable pulse frequency and shock
application pattern
- The special box design ensures that the animal is not able to escape the shock
- Ready-to-use conditioning and test protocols
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Learned Helplessness is a well-known animal model for depression. Exposure of animals to an unpredictable,
inescapable moderate foot shock will induce response deficits in a subsequent learning task (shock escape test).
This "helpless" behavior may improve during treatment with antidepressant drugs.
For rats TSE offers two different approaches to studying Learned Helplessness. The system described here is
based on an Operant Behavior (Skinner box) apparatus. Unpredictable foot shocks with varying shock and
interval episodes are applied during the inescapable shock session. In the subsequent escape trial the animal
can terminate the shock by pressing a lever.
The fully automated test box is controlled using the multi-purpose Operant Behavior software. We provide
predefined paradigms for foot shock conditioning and learned helplessness test. Learning deficits can be clearly
seen by the reduced number of escape reactions. A free-programming language is available for generating custom
test procedures.
The alternative approach to study Learned Helplessness in mice & rats is based on an Active Avoidance
performance task. This configuration is integrated in our modular Active & Passive Avoidance/Learned
Helplessness platform and is also part of our new Multi Conditioning System.
Learned Helplessness II
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- Well-known model for depression
- Helplessness test based on active avoidance performance
- 2-compartment test boxes for mice & rats with electrified floor, cue light & sound
- Various shock characteristics can be set including adjustable pulse frequency and shock application pattern
- Dedicated software modules for inescapable shock session and subsequent active avoidance task
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Learned Helplessness is a well-known animal model for depression. Exposure of animals to an unpredictable,
inescapable moderate foot shock will induce response deficits in a subsequent learning task (shock escape test).
This "helpless" behavior may improve during treatment with antidepressant drugs.
TSE offers two different approaches to studying Learned Helplessness. The system described here is integrated
into our modular Active & Passive Avoidance/Learned Helplessness platform. During the inescapable shock session
unpredictable foot shocks are applied in both compartments simultaneously. In the subsequent escape trial the animal
can terminate the shock by transferring to the other compartment (2-way active avoidance task). The fully automated
system provides predefined software modules for both conditioning and testing - learning deficits can be clearly
seen by the reduced number of escape reactions. The number of inter-trial transfers and distance traveled are
presented as a measure of activity.
The Learned Helplessness paradigm is also an integral part of our new Multi Conditioning
System. In this system 3-dimensional light beams with high resolution allow the parallel measurement of the
animal's freezing behavior for studying fear responses in addition to helpless behavior.
The alternative approach to study Learned Helplessness in rats is based on a lever-pressing task. This configuration
is integrated in our Operant Behavior family of systems.
Tail Suspension Monitor
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- Tests the effect of antidepressive drugs
- Available as economical single-channel basic configuration
- Computerized system for up to 16 measuring stations for high-throughput data acquisition
- Outputs mobility & immobility times according to a user-defined mobility threshold
- Measuring values are stored in Excel compatible format
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The TSE Tail Suspension Monitor is a device for screening antidepressants in mice, rats or other small
laboratory animals which are subjected to an aversive situation. This situation is induced by suspending
the animal by its tail for a short period of time. The animal alternates between agitation (mobility) and
immobility. The cumulative immobility time is a measure of the animal's degree of helplessness ("depression").
Treatment with antidepressant drugs reduces immobility time.
A precision load cell mounted in the test cage records the animal's movements and transmits the measured
values to the TSE Tail Suspension software for Windows. Time of mobility, time of immobility and movement
amplitude are calculated for up to 16 channels simultaneously and stored in a results file in user-defined
intervals for further statistical calculations.
A non-computerized semi-automated version with stand-alone control unit that provides the values as digital
read-outs is also available.
Copyright © 1995 - 2010 TSE Systems International Group – All rights reserved.
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