Locomotor Activity Monitors for Rats

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The Behavioural Neuroscience research group in the Department of Psychology at Queen’s is seeking funds to replace our current locomotor activity monitors that are over 30 years old and run by out-of-date hardware and software for which technical specifications are no longer available. The upgrade will include six new infrared emitter-detector activity-monitoring chambers each housed in an isolation unit. The monitoring of locomotor activity in animals is one of the most basic elements of behavioral neuroscience and often is needed to evaluate the possible unconditioned effects of brain manipulations independent of behavioral tests of learning, memory, impulsivity, reactivity to threat, etc. For example, a low dose of a stimulant drug such as amphetamine might be used in learning experiments; parallel experiments evaluating the effects of that does of amphetamine on locomotor activity would provide valuable information about possible unconditioned effects of the drug that may affect interpretation of the results of the learning experiments. Locomotor activity can also be used as the main dependent variable in learning experiments. For example, treatment with a drug such as haloperidol might be paired with placement in the activity monitor and then the ability of the activity monitor stimuli to affect behavior in the same rats while in an un-drugged state might be assessed. The results of our studies will provide a better understanding of how early experience and alterations in brain systems can affect behavior. By understanding the mechanisms of brain plasticity that underlie the effects of experience on behavior, scientists and policy makers will be better able to make choices of environments and social systems that maximize learning and effective coping. The work carried out by the applicants contributes to a larger field of brain research that seeks to understand the workings of the brain and mind and how it is influenced by experience. This work will benefit all Canadians by creating reliable knowledge that can be used to maximize effective work, coping and cooperation.