Source Paper
Age-related changes in behavior in C57BL/6J mice from young adulthood to middle age
Hirotaka Shoji, Keizo Takao, Satoko Hattori, Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
Molecular Brain • 2016
Barnes Maze
Objective: Test spatial learning and memory through navigation to a target hole in the Barnes maze
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Equipment2
Materials4
Software1
Not specified • Not specified
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Protocol Steps
Animal housing and maintenance
Mice housed in plastic cages with sterilized PaperClean Bedding under 12-hour light/dark cycle with lights on at 7:00 am. Food and water provided ad libitum.
Note: Housing density varied: 1.3% with 1 animal, 2.3% with 2, 6.7% with 3, 80.1% with 4, 8.9% with 5, and 0.7% with 6 animals per cage
View evidence from paper
“housed in plastic cages with sterilized PaperClean Bedding (Japan SLC) under a 12-hr light/dark cycle (lights on at 7:00 am) with access to food (CRF-1, Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd.) and water ad libitum”
Behavioral testing schedule
Mice subjected to test battery in specified order: general health and neurological screening, light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, hot plate, social interaction, rotarod, startle response/prepulse inhibition, Porsolt forced swim, Barnes maze, contextual and cued fear conditioning, and tail suspension tests.
Note: More than 75% of mice tested in accordance with battery order; some strains had tests omitted or reordered
View evidence from paper
“The mice were generally tested in the following order; general health and neurological screening, light/dark transition, open field, elevated plus maze, hot plate, social interaction, rotarod, startle response/prepulse inhibition, Porsolt forced swim, Barnes maze, contextual and cued fear conditioning, and tail suspension tests. The interval between tests was at least 1 day.”
Barnes maze testing
Mice tested in Barnes maze apparatus for spatial learning and memory assessment
Note: Testing performed between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
View evidence from paper
“Behavioral testing was performed between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.”
Apparatus cleaning and disinfection
All apparatus cleaned with super hypochlorous water and 70% ethanol after testing to prevent bias due to olfactory cues
Note: Cleaning performed between test sessions
View evidence from paper
“After the tests, all apparatus were cleaned with super hypochlorous water and 70% ethanol to prevent a bias due to olfactory cues.”