Mouse Maze Project Title: Automatizing of Behavioral Experiments ...

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Mouse Maze
Project Title: Automatizing of Behavioral Experiments to Reveal Memory Deficiency in Mouse Models of
Neurological Disorders
Contact (name, email, phone): Dr. Pavel V. Belichenko, MD, PhD and Alexander M. Kleschevnikov, PhD
Department of Neurosciences School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive,
George Palade Labs, Room 337 MC-0649, La Jolla, California 92093-0662. pavel_belichenko@yahoo.com,
Phone 858-534-0760. akleschevnikov@yahoo.com, 858-534-1089.
Availability During Kickoff Week:
The student team will contact each sponsor to arrange for a convenient meeting time during the kickoff
week, and weekly meetings thereafter. Please indicate if you will be in-town during the kickoff week
• For Winter kickoff during week of February 22-26: _YES__(yes/no)
Background, Significance and Project Description: Several behavioral tests can be used to assess the
cognitive and communication abilities in animals. Traditionally, T-maze alternation task, object recognition
test, social interaction test and vocalization recording can be used for behavioral evaluations of mouse
models of neurological disorders. Some of these approaches are currently use in our lab to revealed memory
deficiency. Performing and analysis of these tests require substantial man power. Automatization may
significantly increase productivity, precisions and reduce variability of results.
Specific Aims: There are 3 aims in this project: 1) design and test automated apparatus for T-maze; 2)
design and test automated apparatus for quantification of social behaviors; and 3) design and test apparatus
for the vocalization recording. Testing of these apparatuses will be done on different mouse models.
Preliminary Data and Procedures: An example of T-maze testing. Mice at age 3–4 months will be used. A
modified Deacon and Rawlins protocol (Deacon and Rawlins, 2006) for a continuous alternation task in a Tmaze
will be used to detect hippocampal function. The maze is made of opaque acrylic (Plexiglas) as
described (Deacon and Rawlins, 2006) with an additional sliding door at the beginning of the start arm.
During the test, a mouse will be placed at the beginning of the start arm, with its back to the closed sliding
door. After all doors will be opened automatically, the mouse ran down the start arm to choose either the
right or left goal arm. After all four legs of the mouse had entered one goal arm, sliding door to another goal
arm will be closed automatically for 5 s, and then all sliding doors will be opened again automatically,
allowing mice to go back to the start arm. T-maze activity will be monitored until mice finished 10
alternations. This procedure will be repeated for 3 consecutive days, for a total of 30 trials. The spontaneous
alternation score will be defined as the number of left–right and right–left alternations, expressed as a
percentage of the total number of possible alternations during the session. Results will be averaged for both
alternation scores and time spent.
Final Outcome: While finishing the project, students will have great lab experience and knowledge of
designing and conducting experiments. Results of experiments may be used in future publications.
Literature: Belichenko NP, Belichenko PV, Kleschevnikov AM, Salehi A, Reeves R, Mobley WC. (2009)
The “Down syndrome critical region” is sufficient to confer behavioral, neurophysiological, and synaptic
phenotypes characteristic of Down syndrome. J Neurosci. 29(18):5938-5948.
Skills Used in Project: There are no any citizenship or confidentiality issues required of the student team.
Budget
The budget for each project is a not-to-exceed amount, which will be billed to the sponsor at completion of
the project.

Equipment and Parts $1000
Machine Shop Expenses (reduced from $1500 for university sponsors) $1000
Total $2000
Sponsor's Fiscal Contact Person (Name, email, phone): Susan Quay, squay@ucsd.edu, 858-534-9434
Return to: Dr. Nathan Delson, Director MAE Design Center, UC San Diego ndelson@ucsd.edu (858) 534-
0655
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