Development and Optimization of Advanced High-Throughput Behavioural Testing Platforms for the Screening of Mouse Models of Schizophrenia

Operant chambers equipped with touchscreens are a new technology that has been used for the mass behavioural phenotyping of rodent models of neurological disease. These chambers have the potential to make behavioural testing more reliable, faster, and translationally valid to human cognitive testing. To further increase the utility of these systems, technology capable of tracking animal behaviour in the chamber will be integrated into the operant system. In order to measure neural activity in the touchscreen systems, fibre photometry will be incorporated to measure the neural activity of large structures, while mini-scope technology will be incorporated to measure neural activity of smaller circuits. All of these technologies will be applied to the screening of a newly developed mouse model of schizophrenia. Through this work, the partner organization will be able to optimize touchscreen technology and increase the overall utility of these high-throughput behavioural systems.

Faculty Supervisor:

Lisa Saksida

Student:

Daniel Palmer

Partner:

Lafayette Instrument Company

Discipline:

Pharmacy / Pharmacology

Sector:

Life sciences

University:

Program: