Exercise and Neuromuscular Testing
The Columbus Instruments Mouse Home Cage Running Wheel measures spontaneous activity in a voluntary free-spinning running wheel. There is a magnetic indicator with each wheel and a hall effect sensor that connects to a computer interface and records wheel revolutions at user-specified intervals.
The Columbus Instruments Grip Strength Meter assesses neuromuscular function by sensing the peak amount of force an animal applies in grasping specially designed pull bar assemblies. Metering is performed with precision force gauges in such a manner as to retain the peak force applied on a digital display. The dual sensor model is employed by first allowing the animal to grasp the forelimb pull bar assembly. The animal is then drawn along a straight line leading away from the sensor. The animal will release at some point and the maximum force attained will be stored on the display.
The Columbus Instruments Animal Treadmill is a general purpose 3 (rats) or six (mice) lane animal exerciser utilizing single belt construction with dividing wall suspended over the tread surface. It can be supplied with or without an electrical stimulus assembly. In combination with Stoelting's AnyMaze system, it is possible to measure exercise-induced fatigue in these animals.
The paws of mice are dipped in ink or paint, so that the mice leave a trail of footprints
as they walk or run along a narrow corridor to a goal box. The footprint patterns are then analyzed for a range of measurements, including stride length, base width, overlap between fore and hind paws, and paw and finger splay.
The rotarod is a beam that can rotate at a fixed or an accelerating speed. Mice are placed on the beam and have to maintain balance, and their latency to fall provides a measurement of their motor coordination.
The balance beam tests motor coordination. The rodents are first pre-trained across a plank to help ensure the behavior during testing is more stable and more accurately reflects motor coordination as opposed to the rodent’s natural aversion to crossing over unprotected spaces. After the pre-training, the animals are tested on the balance beam for the latency to cross the beam and the number of slips.