Zone Preference in the Visual Water Maze
June 26, 2025
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Scopes are invaluable optical units used in numerous settings, such as medicine, production, industrial applications, and quality control. Here we should note that borescopes and endoscopes are one of the most popular scopes on the market.
Interestingly, borescopes are closely related to endoscopes. In fact, the first modern borescope was invented by the American physicists Narinder Kapany and Broan O’Brien in 1960. The design of borescopes has evolved over the years. Now there are different types of borescopes: rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible units. Rigid borescopes consist of straight tubes and lenses, which makes them affordable units. While their use is kind of restricted (e.g., straight pipes, gun barrels), rigid units provide high-quality views as the images are not obstructed. Semi-rigid models, on the other hand, are bendable and are ideal for small spaces, whereas flexible scopes have high mobility allowing experts to explore angels and small cavities. Note that some advanced digital units have video cameras and Wi-Fi and USB connectivity to improve image quality and user experience.
While the first borescope was used to examine large guns, now borescopes can be used in a variety of settings, such as aviation, automotive applications, plumbing, remote visual inspections, law enforcement, military settings, sanitation, and electronics. Borescopes can be used by professionals and do-it-yourself enthusiasts alike.
Although scopes are invaluable tools in research and production settings, getting a borescope can be challenging. Prospective buyers should consider three major factors: requirements, specifications, and total costs.
Requirements: As stated above, scopes are versatile optical tools that can be used in a variety of settings. Depending on the field of work, scopes can be broadly divided into borescopes and endoscopes utilized in industrial and medical settings, respectively. We should note that most of the scopes sold online are borescopes that can be used by both specialists and do-it-yourself enthusiasts.
Specifications: Apart from their different applications, one of the main differences between scopes is the type of tube they consist of; tubes can be rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible. Note that borescopes consist of an eyepiece, an optical tube, a light, and even a camera to allow specialists to view and analyze hard-to-reach areas. With the advancements in digital technology, digital units are also gaining popularity. As contemporary units provide USB and Wi-Fi connectivity, connectivity and compatibility are two major parameters to consider. If the scope allows users to download an app to record or visualize information, prospective buyers should check if the unit is compatible with their operating system (Android, iOS).
Total costs: Given the wide variety of borescopes for sale, costs can vary significantly. The type of scope, length, brand, optical quality, and additional features can all add to the final cost of a model. Naturally, flexible units that provide high-quality images and improved connectivity are more costly than traditional models.
Given the high popularity and diverse applications of scopes, it’s no surprise there’s a wide variety of models for sale. As stated earlier, most of the scopes sold online are borescopes suitable for both seasoned users and beginners. Based on different parameters and user reviews, here are the best borescopes available on the market.
1.1. Industrial Endoscope with Screen, Teslong Upgrade – 4.5-inch Borescope Monitor with 5.5 mm Waterproof Inspection Camera (5m/16ft)
Industrial Endoscope with Screen, Teslong Upgrade – 4.5-inch Borescope Monitor with 5.5 mm Waterproof Inspection Camera (5m/16ft) is one of the most powerful borescopes on the market. The unit comes with a 4.5-inch LCD display, a 720p HD camera, a semi-rigid cable of five meters, six LEDs, and an ultra-slim probe camera (5.5 mm). Note that this borescope uses a chargeable Li-Ion battery with 2500 mAh. With a variety of features, this waterproof unit is ideal for different applications and inspection of hard-to-reach areas.
1.2. Wireless Endoscope, DEPSTECH Wi-Fi Borescope – Inspection Camera 2.0 Megapixels HD, Snake Camera for Android and iOS Smartphone (with 33ft Cable)
Wireless Endoscope, DEPSTECH Wi-Fi Borescope – Inspection Camera 2.0 Megapixels HD, Snake Camera for Android, and iOS Smartphone (with 33ft Cable) is a high-quality wireless product, ideal for numerous applications, such as automobile maintenance, repair, and HVAC inspection. The unit comes with a 33ft (10 meters) semi-rigid cable, six LEDs, and an 8.5 mm camera. Besides, this scope is compatible with different smart devices via Wi-Fi and employs Camtele technology to broaden the focal range of the unit (of up to 15.7 inches / 0.398 meters). Note that the unit’s 2MP camera can take HD videos (in AVI format) and snapshots (in JPG format), which makes this powerful borescope highly popular.
1.3. BlueFire Semi-Rigid Flexible Wireless Endoscope / IP67 Waterproof Wi-Fi Borescope – 2 MP HD Resolutions Inspection Camera, Snake Camera for Android and iOS Smartphone, iPhone, Samsung, iPad, Tablet (33ft)
BlueFire Semi-Rigid Flexible Wireless Endoscope / IP67 Waterproof Wi-Fi Borescope – 2 MP HD Resolutions Inspection Camera, Snake Camera for Android, and iOS Smartphone, iPhone, Samsung, iPad, Tablet (33ft) is a versatile wireless scope that can support both Android and iOS systems. The unit is equipped with a semi-rigid cable, a 2 MP camera with three adjustable resolutions (320×240, 640×480, 1280 x 720), as well as six adjustable LEDs. Note that the scope is powered by a built-in Li-Ion battery. With a variety of settings, this model is ideal for both beginners and experienced users.
1.4. Actron CP7669 Video Inspection Scope
Actron CP7669 Video Inspection Scope is a great video inspection scope with a 9 mm camera that allows the observation of remote areas and hard-to-reach places. Note that the set includes a magnet to retrieve dropped metallic particles and a hook clip for non-magnetic and other small items. Additionally, there’s a mirror included that can also be attached to the end of the camera, making the unit ideal for inspecting different angles (e.g., cylinders). Note that this scope has a 2.4-inch color LCD to facilitate accuracy and user comfort.
Scopes are advanced instruments used in numerous settings. To guarantee accurate and long use, however, maintenance is a must. Always consult your instruction manual to ensure proper setup, use, and storage conditions.
When it comes to borescopes, waterproof units are recommended to ensure a borescope’s accurate use and long life. Note that training might be required as flexible scopes are difficult to navigate. Last but not least, do-it-yourself enthusiasts should let specialists handle sophisticated equipment, especially electrical systems.
To sum up, scopes are versatile optical units used in a variety of settings, such as medicine, quality control, and industrial settings. Although scopes for professional use, especially those used within medical settings, are hard to purchase online, there are different borescopes for sale. Borescopes can be used in aviation, automotive settings, plumbing, remote visual inspections, law enforcement, military settings, sanitation, and electronics.
Note that before choosing a unit, users should consider three major factors: requirements, specifications, and total costs. As explained above, there are three main types of borescopes: rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible units. Rigid borescopes that consist of a straight tube provide high-quality views. Semi-rigid models, on the other hand, are bendable and are ideal for small spaces, whereas flexible scopes have high mobility allowing users to explore different angles and small cavities. The size of the unit, materials used, power source, illumination system, camera settings, and consumables are all factors to consider. Additionally, when it comes to digital units, prospective buyers should consider the unit’s connectivity and compatibility parameters.
In behavioral neuroscience, the Open Field Test (OFT) remains one of the most widely used assays to evaluate rodent models of affect, cognition, and motivation. It provides a non-invasive framework for examining how animals respond to novelty, stress, and pharmacological or environmental manipulations. Among the test’s core metrics, the percentage of time spent in the center zone offers a uniquely normalized and sensitive measure of an animal’s emotional reactivity and willingness to engage with a potentially risky environment.
This metric is calculated as the proportion of time spent in the central area of the arena—typically the inner 25%—relative to the entire session duration. By normalizing this value, researchers gain a behaviorally informative variable that is resilient to fluctuations in session length or overall movement levels. This makes it especially valuable in comparative analyses, longitudinal monitoring, and cross-model validation.
Unlike raw center duration, which can be affected by trial design inconsistencies, the percentage-based measure enables clearer comparisons across animals, treatments, and conditions. It plays a key role in identifying trait anxiety, avoidance behavior, risk-taking tendencies, and environmental adaptation, making it indispensable in both basic and translational research contexts.
Whereas simple center duration provides absolute time, the percentage-based metric introduces greater interpretability and reproducibility, especially when comparing different animal models, treatment conditions, or experimental setups. It is particularly effective for quantifying avoidance behaviors, risk assessment strategies, and trait anxiety profiles in both acute and longitudinal designs.
This metric reflects the relative amount of time an animal chooses to spend in the open, exposed portion of the arena—typically defined as the inner 25% of a square or circular enclosure. Because rodents innately prefer the periphery (thigmotaxis), time in the center is inversely associated with anxiety-like behavior. As such, this percentage is considered a sensitive, normalized index of:
Critically, because this metric is normalized by session duration, it accommodates variability in activity levels or testing conditions. This makes it especially suitable for comparing across individuals, treatment groups, or timepoints in longitudinal studies.
A high percentage of center time indicates reduced anxiety, increased novelty-seeking, or pharmacological modulation (e.g., anxiolysis). Conversely, a low percentage suggests emotional inhibition, behavioral avoidance, or contextual hypervigilance. reduced anxiety, increased novelty-seeking, or pharmacological modulation (e.g., anxiolysis). Conversely, a low percentage suggests emotional inhibition, behavioral avoidance, or contextual hypervigilance.
The percentage of center time is one of the most direct, unconditioned readouts of anxiety-like behavior in rodents. It is frequently reduced in models of PTSD, chronic stress, or early-life adversity, where animals exhibit persistent avoidance of the center due to heightened emotional reactivity. This metric can also distinguish between acute anxiety responses and enduring trait anxiety, especially in longitudinal or developmental studies. Its normalized nature makes it ideal for comparing across cohorts with variable locomotor profiles, helping researchers detect true affective changes rather than activity-based confounds.
Rodents that spend more time in the center zone typically exhibit broader and more flexible exploration strategies. This behavior reflects not only reduced anxiety but also cognitive engagement and environmental curiosity. High center percentage is associated with robust spatial learning, attentional scanning, and memory encoding functions, supported by coordinated activation in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and basal forebrain. In contrast, reduced center engagement may signal spatial rigidity, attentional narrowing, or cognitive withdrawal, particularly in models of neurodegeneration or aging.
The open field test remains one of the most widely accepted platforms for testing anxiolytic and psychotropic drugs. The percentage of center time reliably increases following administration of anxiolytic agents such as benzodiazepines, SSRIs, and GABA-A receptor agonists. This metric serves as a sensitive and reproducible endpoint in preclinical dose-finding studies, mechanistic pharmacology, and compound screening pipelines. It also aids in differentiating true anxiolytic effects from sedation or motor suppression by integrating with other behavioral parameters like distance traveled and entry count (Prut & Belzung, 2003).
Sex-based differences in emotional regulation often manifest in open field behavior, with female rodents generally exhibiting higher variability in center zone metrics due to hormonal cycling. For example, estrogen has been shown to facilitate exploratory behavior and increase center occupancy, while progesterone and stress-induced corticosterone often reduce it. Studies involving gonadectomy, hormone replacement, or sex-specific genetic knockouts use this metric to quantify the impact of endocrine factors on anxiety and exploratory behavior. As such, it remains a vital tool for dissecting sex-dependent neurobehavioral dynamics.
The percentage of center time is one of the most direct, unconditioned readouts of anxiety-like behavior in rodents. It is frequently reduced in models of PTSD, chronic stress, or early-life adversity. Because it is normalized, this metric is especially helpful for distinguishing between genuine avoidance and low general activity.
Environmental Control: Uniformity in environmental conditions is essential. Lighting should be evenly diffused to avoid shadow bias, and noise should be minimized to prevent stress-induced variability. The arena must be cleaned between trials using odor-neutral solutions to eliminate scent trails or pheromone cues that may affect zone preference. Any variation in these conditions can introduce systematic bias in center zone behavior. Use consistent definitions of the center zone (commonly 25% of total area) to allow valid comparisons. Software-based segmentation enhances spatial precision.
Evaluating how center time evolves across the duration of a session—divided into early, middle, and late thirds—provides insight into behavioral transitions and adaptive responses. Animals may begin by avoiding the center, only to gradually increase center time as they habituate to the environment. Conversely, persistently low center time across the session can signal prolonged anxiety, fear generalization, or a trait-like avoidance phenotype.
To validate the significance of center time percentage, it should be examined alongside results from other anxiety-related tests such as the Elevated Plus Maze, Light-Dark Box, or Novelty Suppressed Feeding. Concordance across paradigms supports the reliability of center time as a trait marker, while discordance may indicate task-specific reactivity or behavioral dissociation.
When paired with high-resolution scoring of behavioral events such as rearing, grooming, defecation, or immobility, center time offers a richer view of the animal’s internal state. For example, an animal that spends substantial time in the center while grooming may be coping with mild stress, while another that remains immobile in the periphery may be experiencing more severe anxiety. Microstructure analysis aids in decoding the complexity behind spatial behavior.
Animals naturally vary in their exploratory style. By analyzing percentage of center time across subjects, researchers can identify behavioral subgroups—such as consistently bold individuals who frequently explore the center versus cautious animals that remain along the periphery. These classifications can be used to examine predictors of drug response, resilience to stress, or vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders.
In studies with large cohorts or multiple behavioral variables, machine learning techniques such as hierarchical clustering or principal component analysis can incorporate center time percentage to discover novel phenotypic groupings. These data-driven approaches help uncover latent dimensions of behavior that may not be visible through univariate analyses alone.
Total locomotion helps contextualize center time. Low percentage values in animals with minimal movement may reflect sedation or fatigue, while similar values in high-mobility subjects suggest deliberate avoidance. This metric helps distinguish emotional versus motor causes of low center engagement.
This measure indicates how often the animal initiates exploration of the center zone. When combined with percentage of time, it differentiates between frequent but brief visits (indicative of anxiety or impulsivity) versus fewer but sustained center engagements (suggesting comfort and behavioral confidence).
The delay before the first center entry reflects initial threat appraisal. Longer latencies may be associated with heightened fear or low motivation, while shorter latencies are typically linked to exploratory drive or low anxiety.
Time spent hugging the walls offers a spatial counterbalance to center metrics. High thigmotaxis and low center time jointly support an interpretation of strong avoidance behavior. This inverse relationship helps triangulate affective and motivational states.
By expressing center zone activity as a proportion of total trial time, researchers gain a metric that is resistant to session variability and more readily comparable across time, treatment, and model conditions. This normalized measure enhances reproducibility and statistical power, particularly in multi-cohort or cross-laboratory designs.
For experimental designs aimed at assessing anxiety, exploratory strategy, or affective state, the percentage of time spent in the center offers one of the most robust and interpretable measures available in the Open Field Test.
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