Locomotor Activity Monitors for Rats

皇后大学心理学系的行为神经科学研究小组正在寻求资金，以取代我们目前的运动活动监测器，这些监测器已经使用了30多年，而且使用的硬件和软件已经过时，技术规格也不再适用。升级将包括六个新的红外发射器-探测器活动监测室，每个都安装在一个隔离单元中。动物运动活动的监测是行为神经科学最基本的组成部分之一，经常需要评估独立于学习、记忆、冲动、威胁反应等行为测试的大脑操作可能的无条件影响。例如，在学习实验中可以使用低剂量的兴奋剂，如安非他明；评估安非他明对运动活动的影响的平行实验将提供有关药物可能影响学习实验结果解释的非条件作用的有价值的信息。运动活动也可以作为学习实验的主要因变量。例如，用氟哌啶醇等药物治疗可能与活动监测器配对，然后可以评估活动监测器刺激对同一只大鼠在未服药状态下的行为的影响。我们的研究结果将更好地理解早期经历和大脑系统的改变是如何影响行为的。通过了解经验对行为影响的大脑可塑性机制，科学家和政策制定者将能够更好地选择环境和社会系统，使学习和有效应对最大化。申请人的工作为更大的大脑研究领域做出了贡献，该领域旨在了解大脑和思维的运作以及它如何受到经验的影响。这项工作将创造可用于最大限度地有效工作、应对和合作的可靠知识，从而使所有加拿大人受益。

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at Queen’s is seeking funds to replace our current locomotor activity monitors that are over 30 years old and run by out-of-date hardware and software for which technical specifications are no longer available.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.