Rotarod Motor Coordination Test
Objective: Assessment of motor coordination and balance deficits in mice using a rotating rod that accelerates from 4-40 rpm over 5 minutes
Gather these items before starting the experiment. Check off items as you prepare.
Equipment2
Software1
Noldus • Not mentioned
1 item available from ConductScience
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Protocol Steps
Animal placement on rotarod
Place animal on the rotarod apparatus
Note: Animals were placed on the rotating rod at the start of each trial
View evidence from paper
“Animals were placed on a rotarod apparatus (Med Associates) that accelerates 4–40 rpm for 5 minutes.”
Rod acceleration
The rotarod accelerates from 4 rpm to 40 rpm over the course of the test
Note: Continuous acceleration throughout the 5-minute trial
View evidence from paper
“Animals were placed on a rotarod apparatus (Med Associates) that accelerates 4–40 rpm for 5 minutes.”
Multiple trial administration
Each animal is tested for three separate trials with rest intervals between trials
Note: All three trials conducted in a single day
View evidence from paper
“Each animal was tested for three trials with 1–2 hours between trials in a single day.”
Video recording
All rotarod trials are videotaped for subsequent analysis
Note: Video recording enables manual analysis of latency to fall
View evidence from paper
“All trials were videotaped.”
Latency to fall analysis
An observer blinded to genotype manually analyzes video recordings to determine latency to fall for each trial using Noldus Observer software
Note: Observer must be blinded to genotype during analysis. Manual analysis performed on recorded videos.
View evidence from paper
“Latency to fall was manually analyzed for each trial on Noldus Observer by an observer”