中国科学院心理研究所机构知识库

本文详细描述了一种全自动化的行为检测方案。在自然饲养环境/检测环境(24/7)中,我们测量了小鼠针对两个给食器中获得食物的比例与它们在相应给食器停留时长的比例进行匹配的精确性与准确性。该方案是对传统条件性习得(trials-to-acquisition)行为测验设备的改进,可以检测动物时间间隔能力的精确性与准确性,对定时目标选择的相关概率的效果,以及记忆一天中从不同给食器中获得食物次数的精确性与准确性。该压缩系统避免了在整个实验过程中对小鼠的持握操作,可忽略实验者/技术员的实验操作时间,而且可以递送小鼠置入实验环境后,7～9个实验日中全部3组实验流程产生的大量结果。其中,第一个实验流程为单个24小时周期内完成的时间匹配能力的筛查,它对动物的时间、空间估计能力的记忆机制进行精确检测。因此,该系统允许在有限的实验空间、较短的实验周期内,对大量的实验小鼠进行有可能存在的学习记忆能力缺陷进行大规模筛查。此外,该系统运行所依赖的软件可以在公共开放平台获得。

We describe a fully automated, live-in 24/7 test environment, with experimental protocols that measure the accuracy and precision with which mice match the ratio of their expected visit durations to the ratio of the incomes obtained from two hoppers, the progress of instrumental and classical conditioning （trials-to-acquisition）, the accuracy and precision of interval timing, the effect of relative probability on the choice of a timed departure target, and the accuracy and precision of memory for the times of day at which food is available. The system is compact; it obviates the handling of the mice during testing; it requires negligible amounts of experimenter/technician time; and it delivers clear and extensive results from 3 protocols within a total of 7-9 days after the mice are placed in the test environment. Only a single 24-hour period is required for the completion of first protocol （the matching protocol）, which is strong test of temporal and spatial estimation and memory mechanisms. Thus, the system permits the extensive screening of many mice in a short period of time and in limited space. The software is publicly available.