Mouse Activity Monitoring System (MAMS): a novel and practical approach to in-rack home cage laboratory mice monitoring

Wednesday, October 26, 2011 — Poster Session III
10:00 a.m. – Noon	Natcher Conference Center	CIT	TECH-10

Authors

• G Salem
• J Dennis
• L Abuhatzira
• JP Gillet
• A Shamir
• M Bustin
• MM Gottesman
• JB Mitchell
• TJ Pohida

Abstract

A Mouse Activity Monitoring System (MAMS) has been developed to quantify mice activity 24/7 while housed within a typical NIH vivarium cage rack. The video-based dual-camera MAMS enables continuous day-night monitoring over multiple weeks for one or two mice while maintaining their normal environment. The custom hardware design is animal facility user friendly and space efficient, and does not require homecage modification or removal from the rack for monitoring. MAMS aims to eliminate concerns, often associated with traditional mouse monitoring methods, such as circadian rhythm disruption, acclimation periods, lack of nighttime measurements, and short monitoring periods. In order to preserve the environment diurnal cycle, the MAMS video system operates in the near-infrared. Custom machine vision motion tracking software was developed to extract several mouse activity measures. Access to these measures will enable the behavioral effects of experimental cancer treatments or genetic manipulations to be easily demonstrated and analyzed. The MAMS would open the following avenues for study: (1) assessment of behavior and activity of mouse models during short- and long-term experiments, (2) interventions affecting cancer pain, and (3) interventions affecting Quality of Life. Example of MAMS preliminary data supporting NCI studies will demonstrate system functionality.

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