Repetitive Self-Grooming Behavior Assay
Objective: Measurement of repetitive self-grooming behavior in BTBR mice and evaluation of mGluR5 antagonist MPEP and risperidone effects on grooming and open field activity
This is a Repetitive Self-Grooming Behavior Assay protocol using mouse as the model organism. The procedure involves 6 procedural steps, 1 equipment items, 2 materials. Extracted from a 2009 paper published in Neuropsychopharmacology.
Model and subjects
mouse • BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) and C57BL/6J (B6) • unknown • Not specified in provided text • Not specified in provided text
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Animal strain selection and grouping • Drug administration - MPEP treatment • Drug administration - Risperidone treatment
Primary readouts
- Repetitive self-grooming behavior frequency and duration
- Open field activity and motor function
- Sociability and social approach behavior
- Sedation effects of treatments
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Animal strain selection and grouping
BTBR T+tf/J mice were used as the autism model strain exhibiting high levels of repetitive self-grooming. C57BL/6J mice served as the control strain with high sociability and low self-grooming baseline behavior.
Note: Two strains used for comparative analysis
View evidence from paper
“BTBR T+tf/J (BTBR) is an inbred mouse strain that shows robust behavioral phenotypes with analogies to all three of the diagnostic symptoms of autism, including well-replicated deficits in reciprocal social interactions and social approach, unusual patterns of ultrasonic vocalization, and high levels of repetitive self-grooming”
Drug administration - MPEP treatment
MPEP was administered at multiple doses to evaluate effects on repetitive self-grooming behavior in BTBR mice
Note: Doses selected that did not induce sedation in open field activity
View evidence from paper
“MPEP significantly reduced repetitive self-grooming in BTBR, at doses that had no sedating effects on open field activity”
Drug administration - Risperidone treatment
Risperidone was administered at multiple doses to evaluate effects on repetitive self-grooming behavior in BTBR mice
Note: Doses that reduced grooming also induced sedation in both strains
View evidence from paper
“Risperidone reduced repetitive self-grooming in BTBR, but only at doses that induced sedation in both strains”
Repetitive self-grooming behavior measurement
Quantification of repetitive self-grooming behavior in BTBR mice under baseline and drug-treated conditions
Note: Primary outcome measure for evaluating drug efficacy
View evidence from paper
“high levels of repetitive self-grooming. These phenotypes offer straightforward behavioral assays for translational investigations of pharmacological compounds”
Open field activity assessment
Measurement of non-social exploratory activity and motor functions in open field arena to assess for sedating effects of treatments
Note: Used as control measure to distinguish specific effects on grooming from general motor suppression
View evidence from paper
“Open field activity served as an independent control for non-social exploratory activity and motor functions”
Sociability assessment
Evaluation of social behavior and sociability in BTBR mice following MPEP and risperidone treatment
Note: No overall improvements in sociability were detected with either drug
View evidence from paper
“No overall improvements in sociability were detected in BTBR after treatment with either MPEP or risperidone”