Behavioral Test Solutions for Rat and Mouse Models

Animal behavioral tests are important tools used in neuroscience research to evaluate behavioral phenotypes and establish rodent models of neuropsychiatric indications. Researchers are able to explore complex phenomena of life through a variety of behavioral assessments, including: the comprehensive evaluation of animal models' learning and memory, psychology, motor coordination, social behavior, and other phenotypic aspects of neurological disorders.

Rats and mice are the most commonly used animal models in neurobehavioral research due to their high degree of genetic homology with humans and wide variety of established disease models. After years of preparation, Cyagen's senior expert team has developed a rat and mouse neurobehavioral assessment platform. Cyagen offers rat and mouse behavioral assessment services using professional recording and analysis systems, including: water maze, novel object recognition test (NORT), Y maze, rotarod, open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), elevated plus maze (EPM), and other types of rodent behavioral assessments. You can choose to use our behavioral platform to accelerate the phenotype evaluation process and conduct experiments on your own, or you can entrust Cyagen to provide one-stop services for your research model project. Our comprehensive services cover the entire process of model generation, from transgenic/gene targeting strategy design, model development, breeding, behavioral testing, phenotype assessments, evaluating surgery/drug treatment, and pathological marker detection; we have cultivated these capabilities to help you complete your research goals in a shorter time. Request a free consultation by contacting us at 800-921-8930, or email animal-service@cyagen.com.

Comprehensive Neurobehavioral Solutions for Rat and Mouse Models

Neurobehavioral Assessment Solutions for Testing Rats and Mice

Cyagen’s rodent neurobehavioral platform can provide multiple types of rat and mouse behavioral tests. Combined with our expertise in custom rat and mouse model development and breeding, we can help you complete your research project tasks in a shorter timeline. Our one-stop solutions provide you with comprehensive neuroscience research solutions, from model development, breeding, behavioral testing, phenotype assessments, evaluating surgery/drug treatments, and pathological marker detection. Cyagen can undertake all phases of your rodent model research project with our expert capabilities across model construction, breeding, behavioral analysis, phenotypic evaluations, and more.

Cyagen’s rat and mouse neurobehavioral platform has spaces available for rodent behavioral assessments, behavioral testing equipment, and professional recording and analysis systems, which can provide water maze, NORT, Y maze, rotarod, OFT, FST, EPM and other types of rat and mouse behavioral testing services. You can entrust Cyagen’s biotechnologists to conduct behavioral experiments, or you can choose to get our support for model development and conduct behavioral experiments on your own, talking to our custom animal model experts face to face as part of our high-quality technical support.

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Neurobehavioral Platform Services
for Rat and Mouse Projects

Research Classification

Learning and Memory

Motor Function and Balance

Psychology

Social Behavior

Applicable Diseases

Alzheimer's disease

Parkinson's disease

Huntington's disease

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Depression

Anxiety

Autism

Analgesia

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Learning and Memory

Motor Function
and Balance

Psychology

Social Behavior

Water Maze

Novel Object Recognition Test (NORT)

Y-Maze

Brief Introduction

The water maze experiment is an experiment in which animals are forced to find a hidden standing platform in the water by exploiting the animal's natural repulsion to water. This assesses the animals’ ability to remember the spatial position and direction of the maze through the statistical analysis of the time spent by the mice finding the platform. Taking Alzheimer's disease as an example, the proportion of water maze experiments increased from 5% to 39% over time.

Applicable Fields

The water maze is widely used in research related to learning and memory, Alzheimer's, hippocampal studies, intelligence and aging, cognitive drug development/screening/evaluation, pharmacology, toxicology, preventive medicine and other neurological diseases and neuroscience-related research fields. It is the most recognized classic experiment in the study of learning and memory.

Brief Introduction

The novel object recognition test (NORT) is a learning and memory evaluation method established based on the principle that animals have an innate tendency to explore new objects. This method has the characteristics of allowing animals to perform learning and memory tests in a free-moving state, and can more closely simulate human learning and memory behavior.

Applicable Fields

NORT is widely used in the study of cognitive dysfunction and its protective measures. Disorders such as Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and Schizophrenia have certain cognitive impairments during the onset and development. NORT is used to evaluate learning and memory phenotypes to establish animal models, and also conduct clinical research on the cause of disorders, prevention and treatment measures, and drug efficacy evaluations (pharmacodynamic analysis).

Brief Introduction

The Y-maze is mainly used in the tests of discriminative learning, working memory and reference memory in animals. The Y-maze consists of three identical arms. There is a food supply device at the end of each arm. According to the analysis of the animal's feeding strategy, that is, the number of times, time, correct times, wrong times, routes and other parameters of entering each arm can reflect the animal's spatial memory ability. Relatively speaking, the Y maze is simple and feasible. Compared with the eight-arm maze, it is simpler and has certain practicability. It is now commonly used in the evaluation of learning and memory functions.

Applicable Fields

The Y-maze test includes a spontaneous alternation test and a recognition memory test. These tests have been shown to be sensitive to hippocampal damage, genetic manipulation, and amnesic drugs. It is mainly used in the test of discriminative learning, working memory and reference memory in animals.

Rotarod

Open Field Test (OFT)

Balance Beam (BB)

Grip Strength

Brief Introduction

The rotarod assay provides a convenient method to examine locomotor function in rodents. By measuring the duration of time the animals can stay on the rollers, researchers can statistically assess the effects of central nervous system disease or damage and drugs on motor-planning, coordination, balance, grip strength, and fatigue.

Applicable Fields

The rotarod instrument can be used for fatigue experiments, skeletal muscle relaxation experiments, central nervous system inhibition experiments and other experiments that require exercise to detect the effect of drugs on exercise ability, such as:toxicity,substance deficiencies, specific cardiovascular and cerebrovascular drugs’ impact on motor function, etc.. The basic principles and basic functions of the instrument can be developed and utilized in numerous applications.

Brief Introduction

The open field test (OFT), also known as the open-box experiment, is a commonly used animal behavioral experiment. OFT is a method to evaluate the autonomous behavior, exploratory behavior and tension of animals in a novel environment by detecting and measuring the loco-motor activity and exploratory behavior of animals in novel environments.

Applicable Fields

The OFT is used to observe and study the neuropsychological changes and various behaviors after entering the open environment of animals. One experiment can quantitatively evaluate the spontaneous activity, exploratory behavior, anxiety and depression state of animals, which has been widely used in the research and development of drugs.

Brief Introduction

The balance beam (BB) test is used to test the balance ability, muscle strength, and fine motor coordination of rodents. The balance beam test is fairly simple, the mouse is placed on the starting end and encouraged to cross the beam to a safe platform on the other side. In this process, the researchers can measure the subject’s time spent crossing the beam and the number paw slips. This test provides enhanced detection of fine motor deficits compared to other motor function assessments, such as the rotarod test.

Applicable Fields

The BB is a simple and straightforward test of balance and motor coordination. The researchers used the balance beam device to test the effects of stroke, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and traumatic brain injury on motor function. Diseases that reduce exercise capacity or damage the cerebral cortex cause a decline in subject performance on the BB test.

Brief Introduction

The grip strength tester is used to measure the grip strength of the animal's forelimbs. Animals are placed in front of the grab rod, and when moving backwards unintentionally, animals will instinctively grab anything to prevent backing up, until the force of the pull exceeds their grip.

Applicable Fields

The grip strength test can evaluate the effects of drugs, muscle relaxants, diseases, aging, and nerve damage on muscle strength. It may also be used to evaluate the degree of aging, nerve injury, bone injury, muscle injury, ligament injury and degree of recovery in subjects.

Open Field Test (OFT)

Forced Swimming Test (FST)

Elevated Plus Maze (EPM)

Tail Suspension Test (TST)

Hot Plate

Brief Introduction

Applicable Fields

OFT is used to observe and study the neuropsychological changes and various behaviors of animals after entering an open environment. One experiment can quantitatively evaluate the spontaneous activity, exploratory behavior, anxiety, and depression state of animals, which has been widely used in the research and development of drugs.

Brief Introduction

The forced swimming test (FST) provides an unavoidable oppressive environment by placing animals in a confined environment (such as water) in which they struggle desperately to escape, but cannot. After a period of time, the animal shows a typical "immobility state", and a series of parameters in the process of the animal producing a hopeless immobility state are observed and recorded, which can be used to evaluate the effect of depressants and antidepressants.

Applicable Fields

FST plays a crucial role in the research and development of antidepressants and their evaluation in animal models of depression. The FST is fast and simple, it is a highly reliable method which is widely used in the screening and evaluation of antidepressants.

Brief Introduction

The elevated plus maze (EPM) is used to examine anxiety-related behaviors in rodents based on their natural affinity for spontaneous exploration of new environments and aversion for open and elevated areas leading to conflicting behaviors. The EPM has a pair of open arms and a pair of closed arms that are elevated off the ground (equivalent to a person standing on a cliff) which makes the experimental subjects feel fear and anxiety. The EPM is widely used in the development of related new drugs.

Applicable Fields

The EPM is a classic behavioral test for disease research and is widely used in the development of new drugs, as well as in computer-assisted pharmacology, toxicology, preventive medicine, neurobiology, animal psychology, etc. It is an important tool for medical schools and research institutions to develop treatments for anxiety and depression.

Brief Introduction

The tail suspension test (TST) is a classic and rapid method for evaluating the efficacy of antidepressants, stimulants, and sedatives. The principle is to suspend the mouse by the tail in a manner that it may try to escape but is unable to, so as to give up the struggle and enter a unique state of depression and immobility. During the experiment, the immobile time of the mice was recorded to reflect the depressive state, and antidepressant and stimulant drugs could significantly shorten and change their state.

Applicable Fields

The TST is a classic and rapid method for evaluating the efficacy of antidepressants, stimulants, and sedatives.

Brief Introduction

The hot plate test is one of many tests used to assess nociception. The test can be performed at a constant temperature or with an elevated temperature of the heating plate. The hot plate test is a simple experiment used to study the effect and effectiveness of analgesics on pain responses.

Applicable Fields

The hot plate test is a simple method for assessing heat pain response and assessing the effectiveness of analgesics.

Three-Chamber (TC)

Brief Introduction

The three-chamber (TC) social test mainly assesses the social novelty preferences and sociablility of mice through analysis. The principle is based on the characteristics of mice's tendency to explore new objects, and the social behavior of mice can be reflected by the activity level of mice in each area of the TC.

Applicable Fields

The TC social behavior experiment for mice is used as a behavioral evaluation platform for autism. The software calculates the time when the tested mice are close to a wire cage, the number of contacts and other indicators to evaluate the social behavior of the animals.

Service Advantages of Rat and Mouse
Neurobehavioral Platform

Multifunctional Animal Behaviour Platform

Cyagen’s rat and mouse neurobehavioral platform is equipped with exclusive water maze, Y maze, rotarod, open field, elevated plus maze and other types of experimental instruments and equipment, which can carry out tests of learning and memory, motor function/balance, psychological and social behaviors of rodent models.

Convenient Behavior Observation Record Analysis System

Cyagen's rat and mouse neurobehavioral platform is equipped with convenient behavioral observation and recording analysis software. Our software uses powerful animal identification and tracking capabilities in order to comprehensively and accurately reflect the behavioral status of rats and mice, which can help you save valuable research time, even enabling you to analyze multiple data streams simultaneously.

Comprehensive Guidance from a Team of Senior Technical Experts

Cyagen's rat and mouse neurobehavioral platform has a team of senior technical experts and experienced behavioral technical personnel in the fields of model construction and breeding, surgery/drug treatment, behavioral experiments, etc., — providing a full range of service guidance.

Interactive Experiment Space

Cyagen’s Gu'an Model Animal Center provides comprehensive model animal protection for researchers and pharmaceutical companies. In the Cyagen Gu'an Model Animal Center, visiting researchers not only have sufficient space for animal experiments, but also have close communication with experienced animal model experts and obtain high-quality technical support.