LABORAS™: Initial pharmacological validation of a system allowing continuous monitoring of laboratory rodent behaviour

The mGlu2 but not the mGlu3 receptor mediates the actions of the mGluR2/3 agonist, LY379268, in mouse models predictive of antipsychotic activity

“…Mice were placed into individual makrolon type II cages (UNO Roestvaststaal, Zevenaar, The Netherlands) and assessed for locomotor activity using the laboratory animal behaviour observations registration and analysis system (Laboras™, Quinn et al 2003). In brief, this system works by transposing mechanical vibrations caused by the movement of an individually housed animal into electrical signals, which are scored and distinguished by a computer into various behavioural categories in accordance with unique amplitude and frequency patterns (Bulthuis et al 1998;Schlingmann et al 1998).…”

Further validation of LABORAS™ using various dopaminergic manipulations in mice including MPTP-induced nigro-striatal degeneration

“…Resultant electrical signals caused by the mechanical vibrations of the movement of the animal are transformed by each force transducer, amplified to a fixed signal range, filtered to eliminate noise, digitised and then stored on a computer. The computer then processes the stored data using several signal analysis techniques to classify the signals into the behavioural categories of feeding, drinking, climbing, immobility and grooming (for details see Quinn et al, 2003;Van de Weerd et al, 2001). The behaviour transitions are determined with a resolution of 0.01 s and the behaviour which dominates is scored.…”

“…In addition, further validation studies have been carried out to assess the ability of LABORAS TM to detect both pharmacological and lesion-induced behaviours in the rat (Quinn et al, 2001(Quinn et al, , 2003(Quinn et al, , 2005. The results of these studies now demonstrate that not only has LABORAS TM the ability to detect rat behaviour at a rate and accuracy comparable with conventional observer methods and standard LMA systems, but the capability of the LABORAS TM system to monitor rodent behaviour over a 24 h activity period may prove advantageous in the temporal analysis of pre-clinical models of disease and the assessment of potential therapies.…”

Behavioural and neurobiological consequences of 2 different chronic stressors in rats

“…This system is composed of a standard rat cage fixed on a platform with several force-displacement transducers, connected to a personal computer (Laboras, Metris, the Netherlands). The platform detects and classifies the behaviours by using the vibrations created by the movement of the animal (such as immobility, locomotor activity, and rearing) (20,21). Rats were free to access food or water located in standard rat cages and needed to rear to eat or drink.…”