Here we provide a protocol which includes comprehensive instructions for the economical establishment of murine object location and novel object recognition behavioral testing, including the design, cost, and construction of required equipment as well as execution of behavioral testing, data collection, and analysis.
Total time
~2-3 weeks (including habituation and testing phases; ~30-45 min per mouse per test session)
Steps
1
Design and construct testing arenas
Build economical behavioral testing boxes with specified dimensions and materials. Includes detailed instructions for assembly and cost-effective equipment design.
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2
Acclimate mice to testing environment
Habituate mice to the arena through repeated exposure sessions to reduce anxiety and familiarize them with the testing space.
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3
Perform novel object recognition and location tests
Execute behavioral testing sessions including familiarization phases and test phases where mice encounter novel or relocated objects. Record exploration behavior and object interactions.
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4
Analyze novelty preference and memory data
Quantify exploration time and discrimination indices to assess novel object recognition and spatial memory performance. Present representative results demonstrating successful novelty discrimination.
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