The Panlab/Harvard Apparatus Rota Rod provides an easy way to test the effects of drugs, brain damage, or diseases on motor coordination or fatigue resistance in rodents.

Basically, the animal is placed on the roller lane of the Rota Rod and the timer is started. When the animal drops safely into its own lane, the time latency to fall (minutes and seconds) and rotation speed are automatically recorded. A removable upper separator is included to prevent interference between animals running in adjacent lanes.

The Rota Rod is controlled by an advanced microprocessor which provides precise timing control and ultra-accurate speed regulation. Rotation can be electronically set at a constant speed (4-40 rpm) using a dial on the front panel. Alternatively, acceleration rate may be selected at a defined time (30 sec., 1, 2, 5 or 10 min). Acquired data is saved in the form of a table-lanes/trials. The Panlab/Harvard Apparatus Rota Rod is also provided with a computer interface enabling easy exportation of data through RS-232 serial port in a format that is compatible with Excel™.

Citations
Meziane H et al. (2007) Estrous cycle effects on behavior of C57BL/6J and BALB/cByJ female mice: implications for phenotyping strategies. Gen. Brain Behav.6(2): 192-200. (mouse, France)
Schindowski K et al. (2006) Alzheimer's Disease-Like Tau Neuropathology Leads to Memory Deficits and Loss of Functional Synapses in a Novel Mutated Tau Transgenic Mouse without Any Motor Deficits. Am. J. Pathol. 169: 599-616. (mouse, France, Belgium)
Ferrer I (2005) Inactivation of the peroxisomal ABCD2 transporter in the mouse leads to late-onset ataxia involving mitochondria, Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum. Hum. Mol. Gen. 14(23): 3565-3577. (mouse, France/Italy/Spain)
Grillet V et al. (2005) Generation and characterization of Rgs4 mutant mice. Mol. Cell. Biol. 25(10): 4221-4228. (mouse, France)
Venero C et al. (2005) Anxiety, memory impairment, and locomotor dysfunction caused by a mutant thyroid hormone receptor 1 can be ameliorated by T3 treatment. Gene & Development 19:2152-2163. (mouse, Spain/Sweden)