Behavioral research activity wheel

for mice

The mouse runs on the top of the wheel and gets a reward according to behavioral outputs set by the experimenter. Electrophysiological and optogenetic studies may be conducted while the animal is running and getting the reward. The mouse is immobilized by the skull and walks on the top of the wheel. The animal may receive liquid rewards while running. The apparatus is composed of: a plated-steel platform on which a stereotaxic apparatus may be fixed a low-torque activity wheel equipped with rotation sensors two syringe pumps to deliver liquid in front of the mouth of the animal a sound generator and loudspeaker two buttons whose actions may be controlled by the experimenter in the exercise (a press on one button would lead to one drop of liquid and a press on the second would lead to the emission of a sound) a TTL command. This signal may be used as a trigger by any electrophysiological or optogenetical system.