Define the measure
Behavior, event boundary, unit, epoch, and derived score are specified before interpretation.
Science Library
Behavioral endpoint methods.
Use these guides to define behavioral readouts before analysis: what was measured, which units apply, how the apparatus shapes the value, and what a methods section needs to include.
Browse endpoint methods11
endpoint guides
3
methods checks
24
linked references
Behavioral endpoint guides
Start with the measured value, then check the unit, apparatus assumptions, common confounds, and minimum reporting details before comparing groups.
Methods index
Pain and nociception
Endpoint guide
Mechanical withdrawal threshold
Force at which a paw withdrawal response occurs during von Frey or electronic aesthesiometer testing.
Unitgrams or millinewtons
ConfoundFilament angle, habituation, paw placement
ReportStimulus series, cutoff rule, withdrawal definition
Fear and defensive behavior
Endpoint guide
Freezing
Percent time or duration spent immobile except for respiration during fear, threat, or defensive-behavior assays.
Unitpercent, seconds, bouts
ConfoundLow baseline locomotion before the cue or context exposure
ReportConditioning protocol, cue timing, shock parameters, and test context
Locomotor activity
Endpoint guide
Distance traveled
Total path length covered during a defined assay window, commonly used as an activity, exploration, or motor-confound readout.
Unitcm or m
ConfoundCamera calibration drift or mismatched pixel-to-distance conversion
ReportArena dimensions, lighting, session duration, and analysis window
Spatial occupancy
Endpoint guide
Time in zone
Duration or percentage of a trial spent inside a predefined arena, arm, chamber, target quadrant, platform, or stimulus zone.
Unitseconds or percent
ConfoundZone boundaries drawn differently between cohorts or sessions
ReportZone dimensions, coordinate calibration, and zone inclusion rule
Learning and task-completion
Endpoint guide
Escape latency
Time from trial start to reaching a hidden platform, escape box, shelter, goal arm, or other task-defined escape criterion.
Unitseconds
ConfoundDifferent trial cutoffs, start locations, or inter-trial intervals
ReportTask, apparatus dimensions, goal definition, and maximum trial duration
Motor coordination
Endpoint guide
Latency to fall
Time an animal remains on a rotating rod, beam, ladder, or elevated motor task before meeting a fall or failure criterion.
Unitseconds
ConfoundRod diameter, surface texture, acceleration rate, or calibration mismatch
ReportApparatus type, rod or beam dimensions, surface, speed range, and acceleration profile
Thermal nociception
Endpoint guide
Hot plate latency
Time from placement on a heated plate to a predefined nocifensive response such as hindpaw licking, withdrawal, shaking, or jumping.
Unitseconds
ConfoundPlate temperature drift or uneven heat distribution across the surface
ReportPlate temperature, verification method, response criterion, and cutoff duration
Spinal thermal reflex
Endpoint guide
Tail flick latency
Time from radiant heat or tail-immersion stimulus onset to tail withdrawal, flick, or removal according to a predefined cutoff rule.
Unitseconds
ConfoundTail temperature, circulation, pigmentation, or local tissue condition
ReportRadiant heat or immersion method, stimulus intensity, tail position, and cutoff
Plantar thermal nociception
Endpoint guide
Hargreaves paw withdrawal latency
Time from radiant heat application under the hind paw to paw withdrawal during plantar thermal testing.
Unitseconds
ConfoundPaw not flat on glass or animal moving during stimulus onset
ReportStimulus source, heat intensity, glass temperature, cutoff, and paw-side schedule
Startle reflex
Endpoint guide
Acoustic startle amplitude
Peak or integrated movement response to a startling acoustic pulse, usually measured with a force plate, accelerometer, or startle chamber.
Unitarbitrary units, grams-force, or volts
ConfoundHearing impairment or unmeasured acoustic threshold differences
ReportPulse intensity, duration, rise time, background noise, and response window
Reward and anhedonia
Endpoint guide
Sucrose preference
Percentage of total fluid intake consumed from a sucrose solution during a two-bottle or equivalent preference test.
Unitpercent of total fluid intake
ConfoundBottle side bias, leakage, evaporation, or inaccurate weighing
ReportSucrose concentration, test duration, bottle type, and position counterbalancing
Methods checklist
Written for reproducible reporting
Control sources of variation
Apparatus setup, handling, lighting, trial order, tracking quality, and exclusion rules stay visible.
Report enough to reproduce
Each guide turns the endpoint into methods language, data fields, and reporting requirements.
