NEUR 303 - Module 5 Behavioral Neuroscience Methods

What specific tools are used for neuroscience research?

Stereotaxic Surgery, Gene Editing, Neuroimaging, Behavioral tests

What are the three key elements of behavior tests?

Motivating factor (positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment), observable behavior, measureable outcome

What are some examples of behavior tests that measure cognition?

Y-maze, Morris Water Maze, Open Field

What are some examples of behavior tests that can diagnose psychiatric disorders in animal models?

Forced Swim Test, Tail Suspension Test, Elevated Plus Maze

What are some examples of behavior tests that can measure motor coordination?

Rotarod Test, Grip Strength Test, Balance Beam Test.

What is stereotaxic surgery?

the introduction of instruments to explore the functional properties of the brain

What is stereotaxy?

a method in neurosurgery and neurological research for locating points within the brain using an external 3D frame of reference

Why might we want to use stereotaxic surgery?

In neurosurgery to target specific anatomical regions

Label the parts of the parts of the stereotaxic frame

1. Dorsal/Ventral Axis

2. Medial/Lateral Axis

3. Anterior/Posterior Axis

4. Ear Clamp

5. U Clamp

How do you use a stereotaxic frame to find a neuroanatomical target?

1. Identify a brain region of interest

2. Find the brain region in the appropriate stereotaxic atlas and note the coordinates (A/P, M/L, D/V from Bregma (or Lambda)

3. Locate the Bregma (or Lambda) on the skull of head-fixed patient using an electrode - note the coordinates

4. Subtract or add the coordinates from the atlas from the coordinates for Bregma (or Lambda)

5. Move the manipulator within the stereotaxic frame to calculated location

What is an animal model?

A living organism used to study brain-behavior relations under controlled conditions, with the final goal to gain insight into, and to enable predictions about, these relations in humans and/or other species

What are some standard models used to study behavior neuroscience using rodents?

Motor coordination, tactile sensation, memory/learning, emotion/anxiety, social, addiction

What are three validity factors to consider in behavioral neuroscience?

face validity

predictive validity

construct validity

What is face validity?

The extent to which a test appears to measure what it is supposed to measure, often assessed by subjective judgment of its relevance.

What is predictive validity?

The ability of a test to accurately forecast future performance or behavior based on its results, often measured by comparing test scores with actual outcomes.

What is construct validity?

The degree to which a test measures the theoretical construct or trait it is intended to measure, validated through theoretical and empirical evidence.

What results are interpreted in a catwalk quantitative gait analysis?

Intensity of the paws, print length and width, stand, swing, stride length, and locomotor speedare analyzed to assess the animal's movement patterns and coordination.

What does tactile/thermal sensation test for?

assessing snesitivity and pain

What kind of behavior test would you design if you are trying to understand traumatic brain injury and mechanism underlying pain sensation?

Hot plate/Thermosensation Test

What will your interpretation be from the following data?

The WT ice have some deficit in pain signaling

What is explicit memory?

Moments in time you remember, active recall

What is implicit memory?

Procedural, how to do something, learned memory

What is associative learning?

When two unrelated elements become connected with one another

What is classical conditioning?

Pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned response to create a conditioned stimulus and response

What specific behavioral tests is performed to identify depressive behaviors in rodents?

Forced swim test, Tail suspension test, sucrose preference test

You are studying a gene that is shown to have mutation in Alzheimer’s patients. Which behavioral protocol will you design to study the deletion? You have a drug that you think might rescue the behavioral deficits, how will you incorporate that in your experimental design

Note: This protein the gene encodes in mostly expressed in the hippocampus

You would design a behavioral protocol that includes memory and learning tasks such as the Morris water maze and fear conditioning to evaluate cognitive deficits. To test the potential rescuing effects of the drug, incorporate treatment groups that receive the drug prior to testing, comparing their performance against control and mutant groups.

What behavior test is used to test social behavior in animal models?

three-chamber social interaction test

How is an appropriate plane of anesthesia determined?

Pinching the tail, toe, or abdomen and observing no response

What was first created to provide advice on the humane use of animals in research?

The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals

Rats and mice that have been bred for research are covered under which organizations/programs?

OLAW, IACUC, and AAALAC

What area of the skull is used for all coordinates in rodent stereotaxic surgery?

Bregma