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
Open Field Test
Objective: Assessment of locomotor activity and anxiety-related behavior in a novel open arena
This is a Open Field Test protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 1 equipment items, 4 materials. Extracted from a 2016 paper published in Molecular Brain.
Model and subjects
mouse • C57BL/6J • male • Not specified • Not specified • 1739
Study window
~1 day study window
Core workflow
Animal housing and maintenance • Open field test timing • Apparatus cleaning between tests
Primary readouts
- Locomotor activity in novel open arena
- Anxiety-related behavior
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Animal housing and maintenance
Mice were housed in plastic cages with sterilized PaperClean Bedding under a 12-hour light/dark cycle with lights on at 7:00 am. Food (CRF-1) and water were provided ad libitum.
Note: Housing density varied: 1.3% housed 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 at beginning of test battery
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”
Open field test timing
Open field test was performed as part of the behavioral test battery between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Note: Open field test was typically performed after light/dark transition test and before elevated plus maze test in the standard test battery order
View evidence from paper
“Behavioral testing was performed between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.”
Apparatus cleaning between tests
After each test, all apparatus were cleaned with super hypochlorous water and 70% ethanol to prevent bias due to olfactory cues.
Note: Cleaning was performed to eliminate olfactory cues that could bias subsequent testing
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”
Test interval spacing
The interval between consecutive behavioral tests was at least 1 day.
Note: This spacing applied to the entire behavioral test battery
View evidence from paper
“The interval between tests was at least 1 day.”