scholarly journals The Open Field Test

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vootele Voikar ◽  
s. Clare Stanford

The Open Field Test (OFT) is the most widely used method for observing the behaviour of mice and rats 18 under laboratory conditions. It is used to evaluate the exploratory behaviour, general locomotor activity 19 and emotionality of rats and mice. However, it has to be kept in mind that these behaviours are not 20 independent, they interact and so a change in one will affect another. Despite being a seemingly simple 21 test, several caveats need to be acknowledged when selecting the variables for analysis and interpreting 22 the data with regard to the aforementioned domains. The observed behaviours can depend on a number of 23 procedural, environmental and biological factors, which should be carefully considered when planning the 24 experiment, as well as during the analysis and interpretation of the results. This review provides a critical 25 overview of these factors, followed by some warnings and practical tips for conducting the OFT.

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 51-57
Author(s):  
Ekaterina E. Yakovleva ◽  
Eugeny R. Bychkov ◽  
Maria M. Brusina ◽  
Levon B. Piotrovsky ◽  
Petr D. Shabanov

Objective: To study the antiparkinsonian activity of new 1,2-substituted imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acids in dopaminergic transmission suppression tests in mice and rats. Materials and methods: On a model of reserpine extrapyramidal disorders, the derivatives of imidazole-dicarboxylic acids (IEM2258, IEM2248, IEM2247) were injected into the lateral brain ventricles of the mice 30 minutes after injecting reserpine at the doses of 0.1–0.5 mmol. Locomotor activity was analyzed in the Open-field test 2 hours later. In the catalepsy model, the studied agents were injected, using a pre-implanted cannula, with a simultaneous intraperitoneal injection of haloperidol. The severity of catalepsy was assessed with the Morpurgo method. Amantadine was used as a comparator drug in all the tests. Results: It was shown that IEM2258 significantly increased the main indicators of locomotor activity in the Open-field test at all the studied doses. The value of the antiparkinsonian effect of IEM2258 at doses of 0.4–0.5 mmol significantly exceeded that of amantadine. The antiparkinsonian effect of IEM2247 was maximally expressed and was significantly different from those in the control and comparator group at doses of 0.2 and 0.3 mmol. For all the experimental groups, a significant decrease in the manifestations of catalepsy in comparison with control indexes was determined. Discussion: The results made it possible to suggest the involvement of imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acids derivatives in the process of experimental improvement of dopaminergic neuromodulation and efficiency in animals. Conclusion: The data showed a significant dose-dependent antiparkinsonian activity of new imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid derivatives, which makes it promising to develop these agents and to further search for effective and safe antiparkinsonian drugs in this pharmacological class. Graphical abstract


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1801300
Author(s):  
Gislei F. Aragão ◽  
Manoel O. de Moraes Filho ◽  
Paulo N. Bandeira ◽  
Antônio P. Frota Junior ◽  
Yasmin Ingrid S. Oliveira de ◽  
...  

A triterpenic mixture of α and β-amyrin (AMY) extracted from Protium heptaphyllum has demonstrated several pharmacological effects, including activity in the central nervous system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AMY administration on locomotor activity of mice by the open field test using some monoaminergic agonists and antagonists and the cerebral cortex levels of monoamines and their major metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography. Mice were treated acutely with AMY at doses of 1, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg given intraperitoneally and with the pharmacological agents and placed in open field test, then the animals were sacrificed and the cerebral cortex extracted, and monoamines were assayed in tissue homogenates. AMY at 1, 2.5 and 5 mg/kg decreased locomotor activity of animals by 25, 31 and 39%, respectively in the open field test. Ondasentron, doxazosin, oxymetazoline and clonidine did not reverse the inhibitory effect of 5 mg/kg AMY. Venlafaxine and yohimbine reversed the inhibitory effect of 5 mg AMY. In the cortex, the 5-HT and 5-HIAA were significantly reduced by the administration of AMY. NE and HVA were also reduced with 2.5 and 5 mg/kg AMY, while Dopamine and DOPAC were not increased with AMY. In conclusion, AMY decreased locomotor activity of animals accompanied by a decrease in 5-HT and NE levels in the cerebral cortex, this locomotor effect is reversed by drug that blocker the α-2-adrenoreceptor.


2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Balážová ◽  
Eva Baranyiová

The aim of this study was to observe the development of exploratory behaviour in growing broilers, i.e. their reaction to a novel environment (habituation) during the post-incubation period. Twelve males and twelve females of ROSS 308 line were kept from hatching until 42 days of age in separate pens, under identical husbandry conditions. To study their behaviour, we used the open-field test (OFT). Individual 10-min tests were initiated at the age of 3 days, and were repeated at weekly intervals, i.e. a total of 6 tests were carried out. The results were evaluated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures and Tukey post-hoc test. Broilers of both sexes were most active during the first OFT on day 3 after hatching. In male broilers, we found a significant decrease in all exploratory activities between the first and 2nd OFT; duration of their horizontal locomotor activity was reduced from 104 ± 51.86 s to 3.50 ± 3.50 s (p < 0.05), duration of visual orientation decreased from 327.50 ± 55.94 s to 125.00 ± 31.94 s (p < 0.001), and duration of vocalizations decreased from 412.50 ± 63.12 s to 90.00 ± 34.25 s (p < 0.001). In females, a significant decrease was observed betwen the first and 2nd OFT only in duration of horizontal locomotor activity that decreased from 234.25 ± 52.07 s to 14.25 ± 8.36 s (p < 0.001) and between the first and 3rd OFT in duration of vocalization (decreasing from 430.00 ± 66.30 s in 1st OFT to 60.00 ± 23.35 s; p < 0.001). On the other hand, a significant increase in duration of comfort behaviour was noted between the first and second OFT in both sexes (in males from 95.00 ± 40.76 s to 462.50 ± 38.81 s; p < 0.001; in females from 85.00 ± 31.73 s to 437.50 ± 67.74 s; p < 0.001). Changes in defecation numbers were not significant in either sex. Our findings show that the most profound changes in behaviour of broiler chickens occurred between the first and second OFT, that male broilers used visual orientation in the open field arena more than females in the first test, they vocalized less in the second test, and they seem to have habituated to the novel environment earlier than females.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 523
Author(s):  
Mohammad Alsalem ◽  
Ahmad Altarifi ◽  
Mansour Haddad ◽  
Belal Azab ◽  
Heba Kalbouneh ◽  
...  

Both opioids and cannabinoids have well-known antinociceptive effects in different animal models of chronic pain. However, unwanted side effects limit their use. The aim of this study is to evaluate the antinociceptive effect of combining synthetic cannabinoids with subtherapeutic doses of opioids, and to evaluate the effects of these drugs/combinations on rat’s locomotor activity. Intra-plantar injection of Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) into the left hindpaw and intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) were used to induce inflammatory and diabetic neuropathic pain in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, respectively. Von Frey filaments were used to assess the antinociceptive effects of opioids (morphine and tramadol) and the synthetic cannabinoids (HU210 and WIN55212) or their combinations on CFA and STZ-induced mechanical allodynia. Open field test was used to evaluate the effect of these drugs or their combinations on locomotion. HU210 and WIN55212 did not produce significant antinociceptive effect on inflammatory pain while only the maximal dose of HU210 (1 mg/kg) was effective in neuropathic pain. Only the maximal doses of morphine (3.2 mg/kg) and tramadol (10 mg/kg) had significant anti-allodynic effects in both models. Tramadol (1 mg/kg) enhanced the antinociceptive effects of WIN55212 but not HU210 in neuropathic pain with no effect on inflammatory pain. However, in open field test, the aforementioned combination did not change tramadol-induced depression of locomotion. Tramadol and WIN55212 combination produces antinociceptive effects in neuropathic but not inflammatory pain at low doses with no additional risk of locomotor impairment, which may be useful in clinical practice.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darya V. Bazovkina ◽  
Elena M. Kondaurova ◽  
Vladimir S. Naumenko ◽  
Evgeni Ponimaskin

In the present study behavioral effects of the 5-HT2Cserotonin receptor were investigated in different mouse strains. The 5-HT2Creceptor agonist MK-212 applied intraperitoneally induced significant dose-dependent reduction of distance traveled in the open field test in CBA/Lac mice. This effect was receptor-specific because it was inhibited by the 5-HT2Creceptor antagonist RS102221. To study the role of genotype in 5-HT2Creceptor-induced hypolocomotion, locomotor activity of seven inbred mouse strains was measured after MK-212 acute treatment. We found that the 5-HT2Creceptor stimulation by MK-212 decreased distance traveled in the open field test in CBA/Lac, C57Bl/6, C3H/He, and ICR mice, whereas it failed to affect locomotor activity in DBA/2J, Asn, and Balb/c mice. We also compared the interstrain differences in functional response to 5-HT2Cand 5-HT2Areceptors activation measured by the quantification of receptor-mediated head-twitches. These experiments revealed significant positive correlation between 5-HT2C and 5-HT2A receptors functional responses for all investigated mouse strains. Moreover, we found that 5-HT2Areceptor activation with DOI did not change locomotor activity in CBA/Lac mice. Taken together, our data indicate the implication of 5-HT2Creceptors in regulation of locomotor activity and suggest the shared mechanism for functional responses mediated by 5-HT2Cand 5-HT2Areceptors.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. JEN.S29843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazan Dolu ◽  
Azizuddin Khan ◽  
Şule Dokutan

The effect of vitamin E intake on spatial learning and working memory performances of young rats has been investigated in the Morris water maze and locomotor activity has been assessed by an open-field test. A total of 45 young male Wistar albino rats aged two months were divided into three equal groups: control, olive oil, and vitamin E groups. These groups were treated for 30 days with a once daily intraperitoneal injection. The rats were then tested for their ability to find the location of the platform (spatial learning). The results revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the time spent to find the platform and the time spent in half area of the tank, including the platform among the group, while the time spent to find the platform was found to have increased from the first day to the fourth day in all the groups. In the open-field test, the locomotor activity quite significantly increased in the peripheral area in the olive oil group. The supplementation with vitamin E for a short period had not improved the learning performance of the healthy young rats. It was concluded that the beneficial effect of vitamin E intake on learning is related to the beginning time and the duration of vitamin E intake.


2021 ◽  
pp. 287-292
Author(s):  
K Kmeťová ◽  
M Marônek ◽  
V Borbélyová ◽  
J Hodosy ◽  
P Celec

Caffeine is well known for reducing fatigue and its effect on behavior is widely studied. Usually, caffeine is not ingested in its pure form but rather in sugar-sweetened beverages such as cola. Our aim was to compare the acute effect of cola and caffeine on locomotor activity. Rats and flies ingested cola or caffeine solution for 24 hours. The open field test revealed higher locomotor activity in cola groups for both flies and rats. Surprisingly, no differences have been observed between caffeine and control group. We conclude that caffeine itself does not explain the effect of cola on locomotor activity. Effect of cola cannot be generalized and interpreted for any caffeinated drink with other contents. Rather, the observed effect on locomotor activity may be caused by interaction of caffeine with other substances present in cola.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
B. L. Pearce ◽  
J. A. Owens ◽  
M. Dziadek ◽  
P. A. Grant ◽  
M. Wlodek ◽  
...  

Background: Maternal folic acid supplementation (mFAS) during early pregnancy is recommended to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects and has recently been associated with improved neurodevelopment in children. However, the effect on neurodevelopment of mFAS from before conception and throughout pregnancy is unknown. We examined the effect of mFAS throughout the gestational period on postnatal growth, neurodevelopment and early adult motor function and behaviour in rat offspring. Methods: Female Wistar Rats were fed either a control (folic acid 2mg/kg, n=6) or moderate mFAS diet (folic acid 6mg/kg, n=6) from two weeks before mating with Lewis males, until birth of progeny. Male and female progeny (Control=36, mFAS=36) were weighed on postnatal day (PD) 3, 7, 14, 21, 40 and 90, and underwent various tests between PD4 and 14: righting reflex, palm-grasp reflex, negative geotaxis, forelimb hanging, ascent test and eye opening. Locomotor/ exploratory behaviour, motor coordination and anxiety were assessed using an open field test (PD52), rotarod (PD55) and elevated plus maze (PD58) (Control=24, mFAS=24). Results: mFAS did not alter maternal weight gain, litter-size at birth or progeny growth between PD3-90. mFAS tended to increase righting reflex time (p=0.057) and impair ascent ability (p=0.085). Negative geotaxis time was reduced at PD7 but not later (Diet x Age p=0.051). mFAS increased the proportion of progeny with eyes open at PD14 (p=0.008) and tended to increase forelimb hanging time(p=0.097). mFAS did not alter motor learning/function (rotarod), but increased ambulatory and exploratory behaviour (open field test; p=0.027). Conclusions: mFAS delays some early aspects of neurodevelopment including neonatal postural reflex maturation and proprioceptive/vestibular function, but accelerates others such as eye opening. However, the open field test indicated that mFAS improved the offspring's locomotion and exploratory behaviours in adulthood. Further studies will differentiate the neurodevelopmental effects of mFAS around conception from gestation-long mFAS.


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