Circuits and Behavior Core
New users
New users should complete this form first, followed by scheduling training with the equipment to be used. Emails for CNR training personnel are listed in the links to the cores below. For additional questions or inquiries, please contact Grant Weiss.
General Phenotyping Protocol
For research groups new to behavioral assays, we highly recommend our standard phenotyping pipeline. These automated, single-day tests offer a quick and reliable way to gather baseline data before designing more complex behavioral experiments.
| Behavioral Assay | Primary Phenotype / Application |
|---|---|
| Rotarod Test | Neuro-motor coordination and balance deficiencies |
| Open Field Test | Baseline locomotion, exploration, and anxiety |
| Y-Maze | Spatial working memory |
| Fear Conditioning | Long-term memory, extinction, and generalized fear |
| Object Placement Test | Spatial awareness and memory |
| Social Place Preference | Social interaction and behavior |
Please reach out to Grant Weiss for a brief consult regarding phenotyping or a more tailored protocol.
Reserve equipment by signing up in the appropriate calendar.
Aims
- Provide equipment, facilities, consultation, and technical expertise for carrying out behavioral experiments
- Ensure that NINDS investigators have access to equipment and services necessary to assess behavioral phenotypes
Services
The core provides expertise and equipment for many different behavioral assays. See list below.
* Any project involving animals must be approved by the Tufts University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) before initiation. The Core Manager can provide assistance in preparing amendments or sections to include behavioral testing in animal protocols.
Contact
Co-Directors
Chris Dulla, PhD
Jamie Maguire, PhD
Core Manager
Grant Weiss, PhD
Location
South Cove 3
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The following table shows the fee structure for Tufts neuroscientists and other academic users.
Use of equipment & facilities
(without assistance)
- $20/hr (max charge $80/day)
Equipment training session
- $75/hr
Consultation
(experimental design, data analysis)
- $50/hr
Assay services
(behavioral assays and surgeries by core personnel)
- $50/hr
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Complete list of behavior core services and assays below.
Learning, Memory, and Cognition
Emotional memory
- Fear conditioning (contextual or che-associated modalities)
Spatial memory
- Barnes maze
- Morris water maze
- Radial arm maze
- Spontaneous alteration (T maze) - "working memory"
- Novel object recognition
Motor Activity (baseline levels or drug-abused effects)
Locomotor activity
- Home cage (photobeam breaks)
- Open-field arena (photobeam breaks)
Motor coordination and balance
- Rotarod test
Pain
Reactivity to painful stimulation
- Tailflick test (spinal reflex)
- Hot plate test (supraspinal pain reflex)
Anxiety
Anxiety-like behavior
- Elevated plus maze (automated)
- Open-field activity (photobeam breaks)
- Light/dark box (automated)
- Startle response (acoustic stimulus)
Depression/Mood Disorders
Depressive-like behavior
- Porsolt forced swim test
- Tail suspension test
- Sucrose/saccharin preference
Schizophrenia
Prepulse Inhibition
- Acoustic startle response
Social Behavior
Interactive behavior
- Social interaction test
- Three-chamber test
Drug Addiction
Conditioned reward
- Conditioned place preference
Alcohol self-administration
- Preference (bottle-choice)
- Drinking in the dark
Locomotor activity
- Psychostimulant effect vs. depressant effects
- Tolerance and sensitization of psychomotor activity
Chronobiology
Circadian rhythm
- Phase controlled wheel running
Metabolism
Indirect Calorimetry
- Energy expenditure (respirometry)
- Food intake
- Locomotor activity
Epilepsy
EEG Recording
Contact Grant Weiss for additional information.