Active avoidance, passive avoidance, learning and memory, ...
Shuttle Box
Apparatus
a ventilated sound attenuating cubicle, compact, with two symmetrical compartments,
a central speaker, a light above each compartment,
the 2 compartments are separated by an automatic door,
infrared frame to detect the animal in all the apparatus,
a scrambled electric shock generator.
This apparatus is connected to an electric interface that provides the formatting of signals from infrared sensors and allows the communication with the computer.
Software
The software can manage up to 8 apparatus in an independent and simultaneous manner.
It allows:
editing exercise, creating a library,
managing the exercise: clocks, light, sound, shock,
management of the experiment trial per trial,
monitoring graphs,
displaying shock, avoidance,
storage of data per configurable time unit (from 1 sec to several hours),
recording time: 1 minute to several days.
A software module for manages the data files and calculates a wide bunch of output variables, such as:
number of avoidances,
number of escapes,
number of punishments (errors),
sequence of behavioral responses,
latency to avoid and to escape,
locomotor activity,
kinetics of all variables.
It allows merging the files, displaying the output variables and their kinetics per configurable time units in Microsoft Excel datasheet.
Coupling with Electrophysiology / Optogenetics
We propose solutions to couple the analysis of the behavior with electrophysiological recordings and optogenetic activation.
a communication system to send TTLs pulses to an external device (such as a electrophysiological Input board). These electric signals are synchronous with the events that we manage on our software. In this way, all the events (anilal behavior as well as activation of actuators) will be signed on your electrophysiological trace.
a rotation and rearing compensator, compatible with any optical commutator,
a device to activate lasers. This accessory sends electric signals up to 500Hz. The experimenter decides the exact moment according to clocks or behavioral outputs at which a customized train of pulses may be sent to the laser to specifically activate the targeted bunch of neurons.
