Automated Video-Based Assessment of Behavior for Solitary Housed Mice in a Home-Cage Environment

Thursday, October 11, 2012 — Poster Session IV
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.	Natcher Conference Center, Building 45	CIT	NEURO/BEHAV/SENSYS-20

Authors

• G Salem
• J Dennis
• J Krynitsky
• JP Gillet
• T Furusawa
• M Bustin
• M.M. Gottesman
• J.B. Mitchell
• S Pajevic
• J Malley
• T.J. Pohida

Abstract

The Mouse Activity Monitoring System (MAMS) was developed to quantify mouse activity over full diurnal cycles while housed within a commercial ventilated cage rack. The MAMS home-cage in-rack design provides an improved monitoring method by ensuring consistent environmental conditions. The dual-video camera custom hardware design makes efficient use of space, does not require home-cage modification, and is animal facility user friendly. MAMS aims to eliminate concerns often associated with many 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 with near-infrared illumination. Custom machine vision software integrates the two video streams to extract several mouse activity measures with high accuracy. These measures enable the detection, analysis, and validation of the behavioral effects of experimental cancer treatments and/or genetic manipulations. MAMS greatly facilitates behavior and activity assessment of mouse models during short- and long-term experiments, interventions affecting cancer pain, and interventions affecting quality of life. The activity profile for both genders of the common C57BL/6J wild type strain in solitary housing was characterized using MAMS.

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