The Panlab/Harvard Apparatus Infrared (IR) Actimeter allows the study of spontaneous locomotor activity, rearings and optionally hole-board test parameters for exploration in rodents. A reliable system for easy and rapid drug screening and phenotype characterization in both day and night lighting conditions.

The system is basically composed by a two dimensional (X and Y axes) square frame, a frame support and a control unit. Each frame counts with 16 x 16 infrared beams for optimal subject detection.

The system is completely modular: each frame may be used for evaluation of general activity (one or more animals), locomotor, stereotypic movements, rearings or exploration (nose-spoke detection in the hole-board option). The infrared photocell system can be set with up to 15 levels of sensitivity in order to adapt the frames to the typology of the animal (rats, mice). It can also be set to ignore the beams that are obstructed by objects (e.g. the walls/corners of the home cage).

The frames can be controlled by independent units or directly through SeDaCom computer Software, which allows easy exporation of data (through RS-232 serial port) in a format compatible with Excel™. Optionally, the ActiTrack software option may be used to analyze animal trajectories (distance, speed, permanence time in selected zones) and then provide additional complementary data to those obtained using the control units.

IR Actimeter for Locomotor Activity and Exploration

Citations
Sonnier L et al. (2007) Progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain of adult mice heterozygote for Engrailed1. J Neurosci. 27(5): 1063-1071. (mouse, France)
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Chipana C et al. (2006) Protection against NMDA-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity in mice by methyllycaconitine: Involvement of nicotinic receptors. (2006) Neuropharmacol. 51:885-895. (mouse, Spain)
Kucerova J et al. (2006) Gender differences in cannabinoid and ecstasy interacting effects in mice. Homeostasis in health and diseases. 2006(1-2): 95-96. (mouse, Czech Republic)
Menendez J et al. (2006) Suppression of Parkin enhances nigrostriatal and motor neuron lesion in mice over-expressing human-mutated tau protein. Human Molecular Genetics. 15(13): 2045-2058. (mouse, Spain)
Simonin Y et al. (2006) An Inhibitor of Serine Proteases, Neuroserpin, Acts as a Neuroprotective Agent in a Mouse Model of Neurodegenerative Disease. J. Neurosci. 26(41):10614-10619. (Mouse, Switzerland)