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Grid Test

SKU ME-5021

$890.00

IncludesStandard care · Standard delivery

Motor coordination assessment apparatus featuring elevated grid platforms with precise openings for quantifying foot fault frequency and limb placement accuracy in rodent models of neurological dysfunction.

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Louise Corscadden, PhD

Director of Science · ConductScience

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Key Specifications

Full details →

Model fit: Mouse, Rat
SKU family: ME-5020/5021
Sizing: 43.2 x 38.0 x 27.9 cm
Ordering: Online checkout and quote request available
Category: Behavioral Mazes
Build notes: Plexiglass

Category: Behavioral Mazes

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The Grid Test is a standardized motor coordination assessment apparatus designed for evaluating limb placement accuracy and sensorimotor function in rodents. The system consists of an elevated grid platform with precisely spaced openings that challenge animals to navigate without foot faults, providing quantitative measurements of motor deficits associated with neurological conditions, injury models, or pharmacological interventions.

Available in two configurations, the Grid Test accommodates different experimental protocols and species requirements. Version 1 features a compact 32 cm x 20 cm platform with 1.1 cm diameter circular openings, while Version 2 provides a larger 41 cm x 41 cm surface with 3.5 cm x 3.5 cm square grid cells. Both versions incorporate plexiglass construction with clear or opaque material options and include rotational capability through a center bar mechanism connected to side poles, enabling both horizontal and vertical grid orientations at 90-degree angles relative to the testing surface.

How It Works

The Grid Test operates on the principle of challenging normal limb placement patterns during locomotion. Animals must navigate across an elevated grid surface where precise paw placement is required to avoid stepping through openings. The test exploits natural rodent locomotor behavior, as healthy animals typically maintain coordinated limb movements that prevent foot faults through grid openings.

Motor deficits manifest as increased foot fault frequency when animals fail to accurately place paws on grid bars, instead allowing limbs to slip through openings. This quantifiable endpoint reflects impairments in sensorimotor integration, proprioception, muscle strength, or coordination. The elevated platform at 20 cm height adds a motivational component, as animals naturally avoid falling while traversing the grid surface.

Test duration of 30 seconds provides sufficient observation time to capture multiple locomotor sequences while minimizing habituation effects. The rotational grid mechanism enables assessment in both horizontal and vertical orientations, allowing evaluation of different motor challenges and gravitational influences on coordination performance.

Features & Benefits

Dual version configurations with different grid dimensions

Accommodates various species sizes and experimental sensitivities, with 1.1 cm openings for fine motor assessment and 3.5 cm cells for broader coordination evaluation.

Rotational grid mechanism with center bar control

Enables testing in both horizontal and vertical orientations to assess different motor challenges and gravitational effects on coordination.

Plexiglass construction with clear or opaque options

Provides durable, easy-to-clean surfaces while allowing material selection based on visual cue requirements for specific protocols.

Elevated platform at 20 cm height

Creates natural motivation for careful paw placement while maintaining standardized testing conditions across laboratories.

Standardized 30-second test duration

Balances adequate observation time with prevention of habituation effects that could confound motor assessment data.

Precise grid opening dimensions

Ensures consistent challenge level across testing sessions and enables reliable quantification of foot fault frequency.

Stable side pole mounting system

Prevents apparatus movement during testing, maintaining consistent platform position for accurate behavioral measurements.

Feature	This Product	Typical Alternative	Advantage
Platform Size Options	Two versions: 32x20 cm and 41x41 cm platforms	Single platform size in most commercial systems	Enables protocol optimization based on species size and experimental sensitivity requirements.
Grid Opening Precision	1.1 cm diameter circular or 3.5x3.5 cm square openings	Limited opening size options or less precise dimensions	Provides consistent challenge level for reliable foot fault quantification across studies.
Orientation Flexibility	90-degree rotation capability via center bar mechanism	Fixed horizontal orientation in basic models	Enables assessment of different motor challenges and gravitational effects on coordination.
Material Options	Clear or opaque plexiglass construction	Single material option without visual customization	Allows protocol adaptation based on visual cue requirements for specific experimental designs.
Test Duration Standardization	30-second standardized test period	Variable or unspecified testing durations	Balances adequate data collection with prevention of habituation effects that could confound results.
Elevation Consistency	Standardized 20 cm platform height	Variable heights or lack of specification	Ensures consistent motivational factors and enables reliable cross-laboratory data comparison.

The Grid Test offers dual-platform configurations with precise opening dimensions and rotational capability, providing standardized motor coordination assessment with greater experimental flexibility than single-configuration alternatives. The system's emphasis on dimensional consistency and material options supports reliable data collection across different experimental protocols.