All Protocols
Browse every automated behavioral testing protocol available in ConductMaze. Select a category to filter, or scroll to explore all 183 protocols.
Operant Conditioning
Progressive Ratio
The progressive ratio (PR) schedule is the gold standard for measuring the reinforcing efficacy of drugs, food, and other rewards.
8 parametersFixed Ratio
The fixed ratio (FR) schedule is one of the four foundational reinforcement schedules described by B.
7 parametersVariable Ratio
The variable ratio (VR) schedule delivers reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses that varies around a specified mean.
7 parametersFixed Interval
The fixed interval (FI) schedule reinforces the first response emitted after a fixed period of time has elapsed since the last reinforcer.
7 parametersVariable Interval
The variable interval (VI) schedule reinforces the first response after a variable time period that averages around a specified mean.
8 parametersDiscrimination Training
Discrimination training teaches an animal to respond in the presence of a specific discriminative stimulus (SD) and withhold responding in the presence of a different stimulus (S-delta).
8 parametersReversal Learning
Reversal learning assesses cognitive flexibility by training an animal on a stimulus-response contingency and then reversing the reward contingencies.
7 parametersDelayed Matching-to-Sample
Delayed matching-to-sample (DMTS) is a working memory paradigm in which the subject is presented with a sample stimulus, followed by a delay period, and then must select the matching stimulus from a set of comparisons.
7 parametersDelayed Non-Matching-to-Sample
Delayed non-matching-to-sample (DNMTS) is a recognition memory paradigm in which the subject must choose the novel (non-matching) stimulus after a delay period.
7 parametersExtinction
Extinction is the process by which a previously reinforced operant response decreases in frequency when the reinforcement contingency is removed.
7 parametersGo/No-Go
The go/no-go task measures inhibitory control — the ability to execute a response on "go" trials and withhold responding on "no-go" trials.
8 parametersDifferential Reinforcement
Differential reinforcement of low rates (DRL) is a schedule that reinforces a response only if a minimum inter-response time (IRT) has elapsed since the previous response.
7 parametersSelf-Administration
Intravenous self-administration (IVSA) is the gold standard for assessing the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse.
9 parametersReinstatement
The reinstatement model is the most widely used preclinical paradigm for studying relapse to drug seeking.
8 parametersIncubation of Craving
The incubation of craving phenomenon describes the time-dependent increase in drug-seeking behavior during protracted withdrawal.
8 parametersPavlovian Autoshaping
Pavlovian autoshaping (sign-tracking versus goal-tracking) measures individual differences in Pavlovian conditioned approach behavior by presenting a retractable lever-CS that predicts food delivery to an adjacent magazine.
8 parametersConditioned Taste Aversion
Conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is a robust associative learning paradigm in which a novel taste (typically saccharin solution) is paired with gastrointestinal malaise induced by lithium chloride injection, producing rapid and durable avoidance of the conditioned taste.
9 parametersFear Conditioning
Contextual Fear Conditioning
Contextual fear conditioning is a Pavlovian learning paradigm in which an animal associates an environmental context — the constellation of visual, olfactory, tactile, and spatial cues in the conditioning chamber — with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US), typically a mild foot shock.
8 parametersCued Fear Conditioning
Cued (or auditory/tone) fear conditioning is a Pavlovian paradigm in which an explicit conditioned stimulus (CS) — typically a pure tone or a light — is paired with a foot shock unconditioned stimulus (US).
8 parametersFear Extinction
Fear extinction is the progressive reduction of a conditioned fear response that occurs when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus (US).
7 parametersLearned Helplessness
Learned helplessness (LH) is a behavioral phenomenon in which prior exposure to inescapable and uncontrollable stress — typically repeated foot shocks — produces subsequent deficits in escape learning when the animal is later given the opportunity to avoid or escape identical shocks.
8 parametersTrace Fear Conditioning
Trace fear conditioning introduces a stimulus-free temporal gap (trace interval) between the offset of the conditioned stimulus (CS, typically a tone) and the onset of the unconditioned stimulus (US, footshock).
10 parametersDiscriminative Fear Conditioning
Discriminative fear conditioning trains subjects to differentiate between a CS+ (paired with footshock) and a CS- (explicitly unpaired), assessing the ability to form selective threat associations while inhibiting fear responses to safety signals.
10 parametersFear Renewal
Fear renewal demonstrates that extinguished conditioned fear returns when the subject is tested in the original conditioning context (ABA renewal) or in a novel context different from the extinction context (ABC renewal).
9 parametersAvoidance
Active Avoidance (Shuttle Box)
Two-way active avoidance (shuttle box) is a classical aversive learning paradigm in which the animal must cross from one compartment to another to avoid or escape a foot shock.
8 parametersPassive Avoidance (Step-Through)
The passive avoidance (step-through) test measures inhibitory learning — the ability of an animal to suppress a natural behavior (entering a dark compartment) after that behavior has been paired with an aversive outcome.
6 parametersShuttle Box Avoidance
The shuttle box avoidance paradigm measures an animal's ability to learn a predictive association between a warning signal (tone or light) and an impending aversive stimulus (foot shock), and to execute an instrumental escape or avoidance response by shuttling to the opposite compartment.
7 parametersPlace Avoidance (Active Allothetic)
The active place avoidance task measures spatial navigation, cognitive coordination, and conflict resolution by requiring an animal on a continuously rotating circular arena to avoid a stationary shock zone defined by room-frame (allothetic) cues.
7 parametersInhibitory Avoidance
Inhibitory avoidance (IA), also termed step-down avoidance, is a single-trial aversive learning paradigm in which the animal learns to refrain from stepping down from an elevated platform onto a shock grid (Gold, 1986).
6 parametersZebrafish Predator Avoidance
The zebrafish predator avoidance test quantifies innate defensive behaviors evoked by exposure to a predator stimulus, which can take the form of an animated predator image displayed on a screen adjacent to the tank, a live predator (such as Indian leaf fish, Nandus nandus) visible behind a transparent partition, or chemical alarm substance (Schreckstoff) extracted from conspecific skin.
10 parametersSensory & Pain
Von Frey Filament Test
The von Frey filament test is the gold-standard method for measuring mechanical sensitivity (allodynia and hyperalgesia) in rodent models of pain.
6 parametersHot Plate Test
The hot plate test measures supraspinal nociceptive processing by placing a rodent on a heated metal surface (typically 52–55 °C) and recording the latency to a nocifensive response — hind paw lick, hind paw shake, or jumping.
5 parametersTail-Flick Test
The tail-flick test measures spinal nociceptive reflex latency by applying a focused radiant heat source (or hot water immersion) to the tail and recording the time until the animal reflexively flicks its tail away from the stimulus.
5 parametersPlantar Test (Hargreaves)
The plantar test (Hargreaves method) measures thermal nociceptive sensitivity by directing a focused radiant heat source through a glass floor onto the plantar surface of a hind paw in freely moving, unrestrained animals.
6 parametersAcoustic Startle & Prepulse Inhibition
Acoustic startle response (ASR) and prepulse inhibition (PPI) measure sensorimotor gating — the brain's ability to filter sensory information by attenuating the motor response to a startling stimulus when it is preceded by a weaker prepulse.
8 parametersOrofacial Pain Assessment Device (OPAD)
The Orofacial Pain Assessment Device (OPAD) is an operant-based assay that measures pain sensitivity in the trigeminal (V2/V3) dermatome by requiring rodents to contact a thermal stimulus with their face to access a reward (Anderson et al.
7 parametersVogel Conflict Test
The Vogel conflict test (Vogel et al.
7 parametersPrepulse Inhibition (PPI)
Prepulse inhibition (PPI) is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating in which a weak, non-startling acoustic stimulus (the prepulse) presented 30-500 ms before a startling pulse reduces the magnitude of the startle reflex.
10 parametersFear-Potentiated Startle
Fear-potentiated startle (FPS) is a Pavlovian conditioning paradigm in which a previously neutral conditioned stimulus (CS), such as a light or tone, acquires the ability to enhance the acoustic startle reflex after being paired with an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US), typically a mild footshock.
10 parametersVon Frey Up-Down Method
The von Frey up-down method, based on the Dixon staircase procedure, is the gold-standard technique for determining the 50% mechanical withdrawal threshold of the hindpaw in rodents.
8 parametersFormalin Test
The formalin test is a tonic chemical pain model in which a small volume (20-50 μL for mice, 50-100 μL for rats) of dilute formalin (1-5% formaldehyde in saline) is injected subcutaneously into the plantar surface of one hindpaw.
9 parametersCold Plate Test
The cold plate test assesses cold sensitivity by placing rodents on a temperature-controlled metal surface maintained at a noxious cold temperature, typically 0-4°C.
9 parametersZebrafish Acoustic Startle and Habituation
The zebrafish acoustic startle and habituation assay quantifies the C-start escape response, a rapid (< 15 ms latency) full-body bend triggered by abrupt acoustic or vibrational stimuli, and the progressive reduction of this reflex upon repeated stimulus presentation.
9 parametersAuditory Brainstem Response
The auditory brainstem response (ABR) is a far-field auditory evoked potential that provides an objective, non-invasive measure of hearing sensitivity and neural conduction through the ascending auditory pathway.
8 parametersThermal Gradient Preference
The thermal gradient preference apparatus provides a continuous, non-forced assessment of thermosensory function and thermoregulatory behavior in rodents.
8 parametersOlfactory Discrimination
The automated olfactory discrimination task provides a rigorous, operant-based assessment of olfactory sensory function, perceptual acuity, and odor learning in rodents.
9 parametersZebrafish Rheotaxis Assay
The zebrafish rheotaxis assay measures the innate orientation and locomotor response of zebrafish to water flow, providing a quantitative readout of lateral line mechanosensory function, vestibular processing, and sensorimotor integration.
8 parametersMotor Assessment
Rotarod
The rotarod test is the most widely used assay for motor coordination, balance, and fatigue resistance in rodents.
8 parametersBalance Beam
The balance beam test assesses fine motor coordination and balance by requiring rodents to traverse a narrow, elevated beam to reach an enclosed safety platform.
6 parametersGrip Strength
The grip strength test measures peak forelimb (or combined forelimb and hindlimb) grip force by allowing the animal to grasp a force transducer bar or grid while the experimenter gently pulls the animal away by the tail.
6 parametersGait Analysis
Automated gait analysis systems such as the CatWalk provide a comprehensive, quantitative assessment of locomotor function by recording paw prints as the animal traverses an illuminated glass walkway.
7 parametersPole Test
The pole test evaluates bradykinesia and motor coordination by measuring the time required for a mouse to turn head-downward (T-turn) and descend a vertical pole to the base.
6 parametersWire Hang (Inverted Grid)
The wire hang test (also called the inverted grid or wire suspension test) measures muscular strength and endurance by placing the animal on a wire grid or single wire that is then inverted, forcing the animal to hang by its paws against gravity.
6 parametersTreadmill Endurance Test
The treadmill endurance test is a standardized paradigm for quantifying aerobic capacity and fatigue resistance in rodents.
8 parametersParallel Rod Floor Test
The parallel rod floor test quantifies motor coordination and gait regularity by requiring animals to traverse a platform of evenly spaced parallel rods.
6 parametersSkilled Pellet Reaching Task
The skilled pellet reaching task assesses fine motor dexterity and forelimb function by requiring rodents to reach through a narrow aperture, grasp a small food pellet from an external shelf, and retrieve it to the mouth.
7 parametersCatalepsy Bar Test
The catalepsy bar test measures the inability to correct an externally imposed abnormal posture, a hallmark of extrapyramidal motor dysfunction.
5 parametersAccelerating Rotarod
The accelerating rotarod is the gold-standard apparatus for quantifying motor coordination and balance in rodents, consisting of a rotating cylinder (typically 3 cm diameter for mice, 7 cm for rats) elevated above a platform with individual lanes separated by flanged dividers.
10 parametersConstant Speed Rotarod
The constant speed rotarod protocol maintains a fixed rotation rate throughout the trial, providing a sustained motor endurance challenge that isolates fatigue resistance and tonic postural control from the progressive coordination demands of the accelerating paradigm.
10 parametersRotarod Fatigue Protocol
The rotarod fatigue protocol employs repeated accelerating or constant-speed trials with short inter-trial intervals (typically 60 seconds) to deliberately induce progressive motor fatigue and quantify the rate and magnitude of performance decline across a high-volume session of 10 or more trials.
10 parametersBeam Walk Test
The beam walk test (also called the balance beam test) assesses fine motor coordination and balance by requiring rodents to traverse an elevated narrow beam to reach a dark goal box at the opposite end.
9 parametersFootprint Gait Analysis
Footprint gait analysis provides a detailed quantitative assessment of locomotor patterns by recording paw placement coordinates during continuous voluntary walking along a straight runway.
8 parametersCylinder Test (Forelimb Asymmetry)
The cylinder test (also known as the spontaneous forelimb use asymmetry test) places a rodent in a transparent glass or Plexiglas cylinder and quantifies the relative use of left versus right forepaws during spontaneous vertical exploratory behavior (rearing and wall contact).
8 parametersTremor Analysis
Tremor analysis provides a quantitative, frequency-domain characterization of involuntary oscillatory movements in rodent models of movement disorders.
7 parametersLever Pull
The isometric lever pull task is a precision instrument for measuring forelimb grip force, skilled pulling, and motor learning in rodents.
8 parametersZebrafish Swim Tunnel Performance Test
The zebrafish swim tunnel is a forced-exercise apparatus designed to measure critical swimming speed (Ucrit), aerobic capacity, and endurance in zebrafish by exposing individuals to incrementally increasing water flow velocities within an enclosed swim chamber.
8 parametersCognitive & Attention
5-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task
The five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is a translational assay for sustained visual attention and impulse control, modeled after the human continuous performance task (CPT).
8 parametersIntra/Extradimensional Set Shifting
The intradimensional/extradimensional (ID/ED) set-shifting task is a translational assay for attentional set formation and cognitive flexibility, originally adapted from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) for use in rodents.
7 parametersTouchscreen Visual Discrimination
Touchscreen visual discrimination is a translational cognitive task in which rodents learn to discriminate between two visual stimuli displayed on a touch-sensitive screen, responding to the rewarded stimulus (S+) and withholding responses to the unrewarded stimulus (S−).
8 parametersDifferential Reinforcement of Low Rate (DRL)
The differential reinforcement of low rate (DRL) schedule requires subjects to withhold responding for a minimum inter-response time (IRT) before a lever press is reinforced; premature responses reset the timing clock without reward delivery.
8 parametersTouchscreen Paired Associates Learning
The touchscreen paired associates learning (PAL) task requires rodents to learn specific object-location associations and select the correct spatial location for each visual stimulus presented on a touchscreen display.
8 parametersTouchscreen Extinction and Reversal
The touchscreen extinction and reversal task assesses the ability to suppress previously reinforced responses and flexibly update stimulus-reward associations.
9 parameters5-Choice Continuous Performance Test
The five-choice continuous performance test (5-CCPT) extends the classic five-choice serial reaction time task by introducing non-target stimuli that the subject must withhold from responding to, creating a Go/No-Go discrimination embedded within a sustained attention framework.
9 parametersHoleboard Exploration
The holeboard test is a widely used paradigm for assessing spatial working memory, exploratory motivation, and selective attention in rodents.
8 parametersVisual Water Task
The visual water task, developed by Prusky, West, and Douglas (2000), is the definitive behavioral method for measuring visual acuity and pattern discrimination in freely swimming mice and rats.
8 parametersVisual X Maze
The Visual X Maze is a four-arm cross-shaped maze developed in collaboration with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and described by Vit et al.
8 parametersZebrafish Five-Choice Serial Reaction Time Task
The zebrafish five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is an aquatic adaptation of the widely used rodent 5-CSRTT originally developed by Robbins and colleagues for measuring sustained attention and executive function.
8 parametersSpatial Memory
Morris Water Maze
The Morris water maze (MWM) is the most widely cited behavioral test for hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and memory in rodents.
8 parametersRadial Arm Maze
The radial arm maze (RAM) is an eight-arm apparatus used to assess both working memory and reference memory in a single testing session.
7 parametersBarnes Maze
The Barnes maze is a dry-land spatial navigation task that assesses hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and memory without the stress of forced swimming.
7 parametersT-Maze Spontaneous Alternation
The T-maze spontaneous alternation task exploits the innate tendency of rodents to explore novel environments by measuring their propensity to alternate arm choices across successive trials.
7 parametersY-Maze Spontaneous Alternation
The Y-maze spontaneous alternation test measures spatial working memory by exploiting the natural exploratory drive of rodents to visit novel arms in a three-armed maze with 120-degree angles between each arm.
6 parametersY-Maze Forced Alternation
The Y-maze forced alternation test is a two-trial procedure that evaluates spatial working memory by constraining the animal to a single arm during a sample phase and then allowing free choice after a defined inter-trial interval.
8 parametersY-Maze Novel Arm Recognition
The Y-maze novel arm recognition test is a two-phase spatial memory paradigm that exploits the innate preference of rodents for exploring previously inaccessible environments.
8 parametersY-Maze Continuous Alternation
The Y-maze continuous alternation protocol extends the standard spontaneous alternation test to 15-20 minutes of uninterrupted free exploration, enabling researchers to track the temporal dynamics of alternation behavior as the session progresses.
8 parametersT-Maze Forced Alternation
The T-maze forced alternation task is a discrete-trial procedure that assesses spatial working memory by first directing the animal into one arm (sample run) and then presenting a free choice between the previously visited and the alternative arm (choice run).
8 parametersT-Maze Delayed Alternation
The T-maze delayed alternation task introduces a variable delay between the sample and choice runs of a forced alternation procedure, enabling researchers to probe the temporal limits of spatial working memory.
8 parametersT-Maze Rewarded Alternation
The T-maze rewarded alternation task combines spatial working memory demands with appetitive motivation by placing food rewards in the goal arms according to an alternation rule.
9 parametersT-Maze Delayed Non-Matching to Place
The delayed non-matching to place (DNMTP) task in the T-maze is widely considered the gold-standard hippocampal-dependent working memory test for rodents.
10 parametersMorris Water Maze Visible Platform
The Morris water maze visible platform (cued) task serves as an essential sensorimotor and motivational control procedure that accompanies spatial learning experiments in the hidden-platform version of the water maze.
9 parametersMorris Water Maze Probe Trial
The Morris water maze probe trial is the definitive test of spatial reference memory, conducted after the animal has learned to locate a hidden escape platform over multiple acquisition days.
7 parametersMorris Water Maze Reversal Learning
The Morris water maze reversal learning protocol tests cognitive flexibility by relocating the hidden escape platform to a new position—typically the quadrant diagonally opposite—after the animal has acquired the original platform location.
9 parametersMorris Water Maze Working Memory
The Morris water maze working memory protocol, also known as the delayed matching-to-place (DMP) task, tests rapid one-trial spatial learning by relocating the hidden platform to a new position each day.
9 parametersBarnes Maze Probe Trial
The Barnes maze probe trial assesses the precision and strength of spatial reference memory after the animal has learned the location of the escape hole over multiple acquisition sessions on an elevated circular platform with 20 equally spaced holes around the perimeter.
8 parametersBarnes Maze Reversal Learning
The Barnes maze reversal learning protocol assesses cognitive flexibility by relocating the target escape hole 180 degrees to the opposite side of the platform after the animal has acquired the original escape location.
9 parametersRadial Arm Maze Working Memory
The radial arm maze (RAM) working memory task evaluates spatial working memory by baiting all arms of an 8-arm radial maze and measuring the animal's ability to visit each arm only once to collect all rewards without re-entering previously visited arms.
9 parametersRadial Arm Maze Reference Memory
The radial arm maze reference memory task simultaneously assesses both working memory and long-term reference memory by baiting a fixed subset of arms (typically 4 of 8) consistently across all sessions while leaving the remaining arms permanently unbaited.
10 parametersZebrafish T-Maze Learning
The zebrafish T-maze learning task assesses spatial and associative learning by training fish to navigate a T-shaped aquatic maze to locate a reward (food, social conspecifics, or a preferred environment) in one arm based on visual, chromatic, or spatial cues.
10 parametersAtlantis Platform
The Atlantis platform is an ingenious modification of the Morris water maze designed to test the precision of spatial memory rather than mere quadrant-level recall.
9 parametersZebrafish Y-Maze Spatial Alternation
The zebrafish Y-maze is an automated three-arm aquatic maze used to assess spatial working memory, exploratory behavior, and turn preference in adult zebrafish through spontaneous alternation and forced-choice alternation paradigms.
8 parametersAnxiety
Elevated Plus Maze
The elevated plus maze (EPM) is the most widely used test for anxiety-like behavior in rodents, exploiting the natural conflict between the drive to explore novel environments and the aversion to open, elevated spaces.
6 parametersOpen Field Test
The open field test (OFT) is a foundational behavioral assay that simultaneously measures locomotor activity, exploratory behavior, and anxiety-like behavior in rodents.
6 parametersLight-Dark Box Test
The light-dark box (also called the light-dark transition test) exploits the natural conflict between rodent exploratory drive and innate aversion to brightly illuminated open spaces.
7 parametersApproach-Avoidance Conflict Test
The approach-avoidance conflict test (also known as the Vogel conflict test or punished responding paradigm) measures anxiety by placing an appetitive motivation (water or food reward) in direct conflict with an aversive consequence (typically mild footshock).
7 parametersElevated Zero Maze
The elevated zero maze (EZM) is a continuous circular runway (typically 60 cm outer diameter for mice, 100-105 cm for rats) elevated 40-70 cm above the floor and divided into four equal quadrants: two open (no walls) and two enclosed (with 25-30 cm opaque walls).
9 parametersOpen Field Thigmotaxis Analysis
Thigmotaxis, the tendency to remain close to walls, is one of the most robust and spontaneous behavioral indicators of anxiety in rodents placed in an open field arena.
9 parametersOpen Field Locomotor Habituation
The open field locomotor habituation protocol measures the day-over-day decline in exploratory activity when rodents are repeatedly exposed to the same arena across multiple sessions (typically 3-5 consecutive days).
8 parametersMarble Burying Test
The marble burying test measures repetitive, compulsive-like digging behavior by presenting rodents with a standardized grid of 20 glass marbles (typically arranged 5 x 4, evenly spaced) placed on 5 cm of clean bedding material in a standard polycarbonate cage.
9 parametersDefensive Burying (Shock Probe)
The defensive burying test, also called the shock-probe burying test, measures an active coping response to a localized threat.
9 parametersZebrafish Novel Tank Diving Test
The novel tank diving test exploits the innate geotactic response of zebrafish (Danio rerio) when introduced to an unfamiliar environment.
10 parametersZebrafish Light-Dark Preference (Scototaxis)
The light-dark preference test, or scototaxis assay, exploits the natural preference of adult zebrafish for dark environments to quantify anxiety-like behavior.
9 parametersMetabolism
Metabolic Cage (Indirect Calorimetry)
Metabolic cage systems (indirect calorimetry) provide comprehensive, continuous monitoring of whole-body energy metabolism by measuring oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), and the respiratory exchange ratio (RER = VCO2/VO2) over extended periods (24-72 hours).
7 parametersFood Intake Monitoring
Automated food intake monitoring provides continuous, high-resolution measurement of feeding behavior by recording food hopper weight at frequent intervals (typically every second to every minute).
6 parametersVO2/VCO2 and Respiratory Exchange Ratio
Indirect calorimetry measures oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) to quantify whole-body energy expenditure and substrate utilization in rodents.
8 parametersMetabolic Treadmill Exercise Testing
The metabolic treadmill protocol combines graded exercise testing with indirect calorimetry to measure maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max), exercise endurance, and substrate utilization during physical exertion in rodents.
8 parametersBody Composition Tracking
Body composition tracking is a longitudinal phenotyping protocol that combines regular body weight measurements with non-invasive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry to quantify lean mass, fat mass, and free fluid compartments in live, conscious rodents over the course of an experimental intervention.
8 parametersIndirect Calorimetry Fasting Challenge
The indirect calorimetry fasting challenge measures metabolic flexibility by tracking the shift in respiratory exchange ratio (RER) from carbohydrate oxidation (RER approaching 1.
10 parametersBlood Pressure Monitoring
Non-invasive tail-cuff blood pressure measurement provides repeated, longitudinal hemodynamic monitoring in conscious mice without surgical instrumentation.
8 parametersHome Cage
Circadian Activity Monitoring
Circadian activity monitoring provides continuous, non-invasive recording of locomotor activity patterns in the home cage over days to weeks using infrared beam-break arrays, passive infrared motion sensors, or running wheel rotations.
6 parametersHome Cage Monitoring
Home cage monitoring provides continuous, undisturbed observation of rodent behavior in the home environment using overhead video, side-view cameras, or multi-sensor arrays.
7 parametersRunning Wheel Activity Monitoring
Running wheel activity monitoring provides continuous, non-invasive measurement of voluntary locomotor behavior and circadian rhythmicity in rodents within their home cage.
6 parametersLickometer Fluid Intake Monitoring
Lickometer systems provide precise, continuous measurement of fluid consumption behavior in rodents by detecting individual lick events at one or more drinking spouts within the home cage.
7 parametersNest Building Assessment
The nest building assessment is a simple, non-invasive assay that exploits the innate motivation of mice to construct nests from available material, providing a sensitive readout of general well-being, thermoregulatory drive, and hippocampal integrity.
8 parametersBurrowing Test
The burrowing test measures the innate species-typical behavior of rodents to displace material from a tube placed in their cage, providing one of the most sensitive assays for detecting sickness behavior, hippocampal dysfunction, and prion-related neurodegeneration.
9 parametersVoluntary Wheel Running
Voluntary wheel running is a continuous home-cage monitoring paradigm that leverages the intrinsic motivation of rodents to run on freely accessible wheels, providing high-resolution data on locomotor activity, circadian rhythmicity, and reward-related behavior without experimenter intervention or food restriction.
9 parametersIntelliCage Automated Home-Cage Testing
The IntelliCage is a fully automated home-cage testing system that enables continuous cognitive and behavioral assessment of group-housed mice without experimenter handling, providing unprecedented throughput and ecological validity for behavioral phenotyping.
8 parametersDrosophila Activity Monitor (DAM)
The Drosophila Activity Monitor (DAM) is a high-throughput infrared beam-break system for continuous recording of locomotor activity, circadian rhythms, and sleep in individually housed Drosophila melanogaster over periods spanning days to weeks.
8 parametersDepression & Mood
Forced Swim Test
The forced swim test (FST), originally described by Porsolt et al.
9 parametersModified Forced Swim Test
The modified forced swim test (mFST), developed by Cryan, Markou, and Lucki (2002), extends the classic Porsolt FST by introducing a structured two-day protocol with distinct behavioral scoring that separates active coping strategies.
10 parametersTail Suspension Test
The tail suspension test (TST), developed by Steru et al.
8 parametersSucrose Preference Test
The sucrose preference test (SPT) is the primary preclinical assay for anhedonia — the reduced capacity to experience pleasure that is a core symptom of major depressive disorder.
9 parametersSucrose Splash Test
The sucrose splash test (SST) is a rapid behavioral assay that measures self-directed grooming motivation as a proxy for hedonic and motivational state.
8 parametersNovelty-Suppressed Feeding
The novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) test, also known as the hyponeophagia test, measures the latency of a food-deprived animal to approach and eat a familiar food pellet placed in the center of a novel, brightly lit open arena.
9 parametersChronic Unpredictable Stress Protocol
The chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) protocol, also known as chronic mild stress (CMS) or chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), is the most widely used animal model for inducing a depression-like phenotype through prolonged exposure to a rotating battery of mild stressors over 3-6 weeks.
10 parametersRecognition Memory
Novel Object Recognition
The novel object recognition (NOR) test evaluates episodic-like recognition memory in rodents by exploiting their innate preference for novelty.
8 parametersTemporal Order Recognition
The temporal order recognition (TOR) test assesses recency discrimination, the ability to distinguish which of two previously encountered objects was experienced more recently.
7 parametersObject-Place Recognition
The object-place recognition (OPR) test evaluates the ability to bind object identity with spatial location, a core component of episodic-like memory in rodents.
8 parametersObject-in-Context Recognition
The object-in-context (OiC) test assesses the ability to associate specific objects with the environmental context in which they were encountered, modeling episodic-like "what-where-which" memory in rodents.
8 parametersReward & Motivation
Conditioned Place Preference
Conditioned place preference (CPP) is a classical conditioning paradigm that measures the rewarding or aversive properties of pharmacological or natural stimuli by pairing them with distinct environmental contexts.
8 parametersConditioned Place Preference Extinction
CPP extinction measures the decay of conditioned drug-context associations through repeated non-reinforced exposure to both compartments.
6 parametersConditioned Place Preference Reinstatement
CPP reinstatement models relapse by testing whether a drug priming injection, stress exposure, or conditioned cue can restore an extinguished place preference.
7 parametersSocial Conditioned Place Preference
Social conditioned place preference (sCPP) adapts the classical CPP paradigm to measure the rewarding properties of social interaction by using a conspecific partner as the unconditioned stimulus.
8 parametersConditioned Place Aversion
Conditioned place aversion (CPA) measures the aversive properties of stimuli by pairing them with a distinct environmental context and quantifying subsequent avoidance of that compartment.
8 parametersDelay Discounting
The delay discounting task measures impulsive choice by presenting rodents with repeated decisions between a small-immediate reward and a larger reward delivered after an escalating delay.
8 parametersEffort Discounting
The effort discounting task measures cost-benefit decision-making by requiring rodents to choose between a low-effort option yielding a small reward and a high-effort option yielding a larger reward.
9 parametersProbabilistic Reversal Learning
The probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task measures cognitive flexibility and reward-guided learning under uncertainty by presenting two response options with asymmetric probabilistic contingencies, typically 80% versus 20% reward delivery.
8 parametersSign-Tracking vs Goal-Tracking
The sign-tracking versus goal-tracking paradigm classifies individual differences in Pavlovian conditioned approach behavior by measuring whether subjects direct responses toward a reward-predictive cue (sign-tracking) or toward the reward delivery location (goal-tracking).
8 parametersZebrafish Conditioned Place Preference
The zebrafish conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm measures the rewarding or aversive properties of pharmacological compounds by pairing drug exposure with a visually distinct compartment in a two-chamber aquatic apparatus.
9 parametersIntegrations
EthoVision XT Integration
The ConductMaze–EthoVision integration establishes bidirectional communication between ConductMaze behavioral control and Noldus EthoVision XT video tracking via a persistent TCP/IP socket connection.
8 parametersElectrophysiology Synchronization
The ConductMaze electrophysiology synchronization module generates precisely timed TTL digital output pulses on every behavioral event, enabling frame-accurate alignment of neural recordings with apparatus-controlled experimental events.
8 parametersOptogenetics (PulsePal)
The ConductMaze optogenetics module interfaces with the Sanworks PulsePal v2 pulse generator to deliver precisely timed optical stimulation synchronized to behavioral events.
8 parametersMetabolic Treadmill Integration
The ConductMaze metabolic treadmill integration synchronizes automated treadmill speed control with real-time indirect calorimetry gas exchange analysis, enabling graded exercise testing and metabolic profiling in a single automated workflow.
10 parametersTTL Interfaces
T-Maze TTL Interface
The T-Maze TTL interface sends a digital pulse each time the animal triggers an infrared sensor along the maze stem or enters a goal arm.
Radial Maze TTL Interface
The Radial Maze TTL interface provides 16 distinct event signals corresponding to paired infrared sensors on each of the 8 radial arms.
D-Maze TTL Interface
The D-Maze TTL interface maps 24 infrared sensors across the double-T (D-shaped) maze layout, providing fine-grained spatial tracking for complex decision-making and navigation studies.
Y-Maze TTL Interface
The Y-Maze TTL interface encodes 12 spatial events across the three arms and central hub of the Y-Maze.
Lickometer TTL Interface
The Lickometer TTL interface transmits 4 events for lick-detection experiments: individual lick contact on left and right spouts, plus session start and end markers.
Fear Conditioning TTL Interface
The Fear Conditioning TTL interface uses the complex 9-byte protocol to route 6 distinct event types to separate BNC channels on the BNC-6 connector.
Active Avoidance TTL Interface
The Active Avoidance TTL interface provides 8 event signals covering the complete shuttle-box avoidance paradigm: CS onset, US onset/offset, shuttle crossings, avoidance responses, escape responses, and trial boundaries.
Self-Administration TTL Interface
The Self-Administration TTL interface provides 6 event types per chamber across up to 4 simultaneous chambers, totaling 24 events.
Operant Chamber TTL Interface
The Operant Chamber TTL interface provides 6 event types per chamber across up to 4 chambers for general operant conditioning paradigms.
Two-Choice TTL Interface
The Two-Choice TTL interface supports two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) paradigms with 6 event types per chamber across 4 chambers.
Startle Response TTL Interface
The Startle Response TTL interface sends a single pulse event marking the onset of the acoustic startle stimulus.
Approach-Avoidance TTL Interface
The Approach-Avoidance TTL interface provides 4 event signals for conflict paradigms where animals choose between appetitive and aversive zones.
Noldus EthoVision TTL Adapter
The Noldus EthoVision TTL Adapter bridges ConductMaze behavioral events to Noldus EthoVision XT video tracking software.
5 parametersANY-maze TTL Adapter
The ANY-maze TTL Adapter connects ConductMaze to Stoelting ANY-maze video tracking and behavioral analysis software.
5 parametersInscopix nVue TTL Adapter
The Inscopix nVue TTL Adapter synchronizes ConductMaze behavioral events with Inscopix miniature microscope calcium imaging recordings.
5 parametersPlexon TTL Adapter
The Plexon TTL Adapter connects ConductMaze behavioral events to Plexon OmniPlex or MAP neural recording systems.
5 parametersNI USB-6501 TTL Adapter
The NI USB-6501 TTL Adapter interfaces ConductMaze with National Instruments USB-6501 digital I/O devices, providing 24 individually addressable digital lines.
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