The social interaction test employed in this study was adapted from the social approach-avoidance paradigm outlined by Berton et al. (2006). During the experimental setup, each subject was positioned in the center of a square arena and given the opportunity to explore the space fully during two separate sessions. In the initial “object” session, an empty, perforated plexiglass cage was placed against one wall of the arena. For the second “social” session, an unfamiliar rodent was introduced into the cage to serve as a social stimulus.

This Social Interaction Test is a behavioral assessment tool designed to evaluate social behaviors and interactions in animals, especially rodents. It involves placing a test subject in a chamber with either a novel conspecific or an inanimate object and observing their behavioral responses. Key behaviors such as sniffing, grooming, following, and aggression are monitored and analyzed. This test provides valuable insights into social behaviors and can be instrumental in examining the impact of various treatments, including drugs or neurological interventions, on social interactions. It is widely used in behavioral neuroscience to explore social behaviors and their neural underpinnings.

Mazeengineers provides the social interaction test for both mice and rats, with options for custom coloring and additional customization available upon request.