Source Paper
Atrophin-1 antisense oligonucleotide provides robust protection from pathology in a fully humanized DRPLA model
Smith VL, Gidi BZ, Bragg RM, Cantle JP, Ben-Varon A et al.
Mol Ther Nucleic Acids • 2025
Circadian Home Cage Activity Monitoring
Objective: Monitor circadian patterns of home cage behavior in mice to analyze activity levels across light and dark periods
Gather these items before starting the experiment. Check off items as you prepare.
Equipment4
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Protocol Steps
Setup monitoring cages
Place mice in Plexiglas cages with corncob bedding and plastic hidden shelter with two entry/exit points
View evidence from paper
“Plexiglas cages measuring 30 × 30 cm included corncob bedding”
Begin simultaneous recording
Record all cages simultaneously with overhead cameras starting at 12 p.m. on day 1
View evidence from paper
“All cages were recorded simultaneously for 67 h, beginning at 12 p.m. on day 1”
Complete monitoring period
Continue recording until 7 a.m. to capture complete circadian cycles
View evidence from paper
“beginning at 12 p.m. on day 1 and ending at 7 a.m.”
Track mouse movement
Use EthoVision XT software to track mouse movement throughout the experiment duration
View evidence from paper
“EthoVision XT software was used to track the movement of the mice”
Analyze behavioral data offline
Divide cage recording into zones (arena center, arena perimeter, hidden shelter) and determine duration in each zone
View evidence from paper
“67 h of behavioral tracking data were analyzed offline in an automated manner”
Bin activity measurements
Divide behavioral activity measurements into 1-hour sessions and track activity across all zones
View evidence from paper
“Behavioral activity measurements were binned into 1-h sessions and activity tracked across all zones”