Parallel Bars Test
Objective: Evaluation of motor coordination and balance by requiring mice to traverse two parallel elevated bars while remaining upright
This is a Parallel Bars Test protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 6 procedural steps, 3 equipment items, 1 materials. Extracted from a 2013 paper published in Journal of Visualized Experiments.
Model and subjects
mouse • C57BL/6 mentioned as example • unknown • Not specified • Not specified
Study window
~20 minutes hands-on
Core workflow
Pre-test acclimation • Position mouse on parallel bars • Measure orientation time
Primary readouts
- Orientation time: time taken to orient 90° from starting position
- Transit time: time taken to reach one of the end supports
- Whether mouse turns upside down (noted as event)
- Whether mouse remains upright during orientation and transit
Key equipment and reagents
Use this page as an execution guide, then fall back to the source paper whenever you need exact exclusions, dosing details, or assay-specific caveats.
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Protocol Steps
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Pre-test acclimation
Bring mice to the experimental room before testing to ensure they are fully awake
Note: Allow mice to acclimate to the testing environment
View evidence from paper
“For all tests, bring mice to the experimental room 5-20 min before testing, to ensure they are fully awake”
Position mouse on parallel bars
Place the mouse in the center of the two bars with its longitudinal axis perpendicular to that of the bars; both front paws should be on one bar, both hind paws on the other bar
Note: Proper positioning is critical for valid test execution
View evidence from paper
“Place the mouse in the center of the two bars with its longitudinal axis perpendicular to that of the bars; both front paws should be on one bar, both hind paws on the other bar”
Measure orientation time
Record the time taken until the mouse orients 90° to the start position. If the mouse turns upside down and clings below the bars, note this event
Note: Orientation is dependent on the mouse staying upright. If mouse turns upside down, assign maximum orientation score of 120 sec for statistical purposes
View evidence from paper
“Take two measures: the time taken until the mouse orients 90° to the start position, and the time until it subsequently reaches one of the end supports. If the mouse turns upside down, also note this event”
Measure transit time
Record the time taken until the mouse reaches one of the end supports after orienting
Note: For successful transit, mouse must stay upright on the bars. If mouse turns upside down during transit, assign maximum score
View evidence from paper
“Take two measures: the time taken until the mouse orients 90° to the start position, and the time until it subsequently reaches one of the end supports”
Remove mouse and allow recovery
Remove the mouse after it reaches the end of the bars or falls. Return mouse to home cage to rest
Note: Allow recovery of muscular strength and return to normal levels of arousal between tests
View evidence from paper
“Remove the mouse after it reaches the end of the rod or falls. After testing on one rod return the mouse to the home cage to rest while you test another mouse”
Clean and sterilize equipment
Clean and sterilize the equipment between each mouse tested
Note: Hygiene is critical for preventing disease transmission between animals
View evidence from paper
“Also, be sure to clean and sterilize the equipment between each mouse tested”