PhenoTyper: 3 days Spontaneous behavior (Light/dark phase transition pattern)
LSID: http://syli.cz/urn:lsid:public.sylics.com:automatedtest:5EA7-2B5E-D3G9Materials and Methods
Mice were singly housed on sawdust in standard Makrolon type II cages enriched with cardboard nesting material for at least one week prior to experiments, with water and food ad libitum (7:00/19:00 lights on/off; providing an abrupt phase transition).
Activity in the home cage was automatically recorded by video tracking in specially designed cages (PhenoTyper model 3000, Noldus Information Technology, www.noldus.com/phenotyper). Each cage contains a top unit with built-in hardware for video-tracking, that is, an infrared-sensitive video camera. The latter provide constant and even illumination of the cage. An infrared filter placed in front of the camera prevents interference with room illumination. This method allows continuous behavioural recordings in both dark and light periods. EthoVision was used as video tracking and trial control software. PhenoTyper cages were connected in a specially designed computer network. The cages (L =30 × W =30 × H =35 cm) were made of transparent Perspex walls with an opaque Perspex floor covered with bedding based on cellulose. A feeding station and a water bottle were attached on to two adjacent walls outside of the cage. A shelter (height: 10 cm, diameter: 9 cm; non-transparent material) was fixed in one of the corners. The X-Y coordinates of the centre of gravity of mice were acquired and smoothed using EthoVision software and processed to generate behavioural parameters using AHCODA analysis software (Synaptologics BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, http://www.sylics.com/bioinformatics/ahcodatm-data-analysis/).
Associated Mammalian Phenotype Ontologies (MGI)
- MP:0001392 abnormal locomotor behaviour
- MP:0001502 abnormal circadian rhythm
Spontaneous behavior
With respect to spontaneous behaviors in the first three days in the PhenoTyper, 6 groups of behavioral parameters are defined as described below. The first two groups describe specific behavioral elements related to kinematics of mice (description of movement characteristics, group1) and sheltering behavior (group 2). These behavioral parameters were analyzed with respect to temporal aspects, in particular over 4 different time scales, i.e., habituation effects across multiple days (group 3), effects of DarkLight phase across 24h (group 4), differences in the pattern of behavior in the few hours before and after phase shifts (group5), and differences in activity bout properties on the sub-minute time scale (group 6).
Group 5: Activity pattern
The activity of mice follows a complex circadian pattern, with prominent changes during periods surrounding light/dark phase transition. To capture strain-specific circadian patterns, we studied the behavior of mice by quantifying the anticipation and response to the onset of both light and dark phases.
change in anticipation of dark (fraction of total time) : Change in activity during the last 5 hours of the light phase in anticipation of the upcoming dark phase
change in anticipation of light (fraction of total time) : Change in activity during the last 5 hours of the dark phase in anticipation of the upcoming light phase
change in response to to dark (fraction of total time) : Change in activity during the first 2 hours of the dark phase in response to the onset of the dark phase
change in response to to light (fraction of total time) : Change in activity during the first 2 hours of the light phase in response to the onset of the light phase
Parameter information
| Parameter name | Units | Explanation |
| *Activity change in anticipation of dark | fraction of total time | Change in activity during the last 5 hours of the light phase in anticipation of the upcoming dark phase |
| *Activity change in anticipation of light | fraction of total time | Change in activity during the last 5 hours of the dark phase in anticipation of the upcoming light phase |
| *Activity change in response to dark | fraction of total time | Change in activity during the first 2 hours of the dark phase in response to the onset of the dark phase |
| *Activity change in response to light | fraction of total time | Change in activity during the first 2 hours of the light phase in response to the onset of the light phase |
| Feeding zone change in anticipation dark | fraction of time outside | Change in Feeding zone during the last 5 hours of the light phase in anticipation of the upcoming dark phase |
| Feeding zone change in anticipation light | fraction of time outside | Change in Feeding zone during the last 5 hours of the dark phase in anticipation of the upcoming light phase |
| Feeding zone change in response to dark | fraction of time outside | Change in Feeding zone during the first 2 hours of the dark phase in response to the onset of the dark phase |
| Feeding zone change in response to light | fraction of time outside | Change in Feeding zone during the first 2 hours of the light phase in response to the onset of the light phase |
| OnShelter zone change in anticipation dark | fraction of time outside | Change in OnShelter zone during the last 5 hours of the light phase in anticipation of the upcoming dark phase |
| OnShelter zone change in anticipation light | fraction of time outside | Change in OnShelter zone during the last 5 hours of the dark phase in anticipation of the upcoming light phase |
| OnShelter zone change in response to dark | fraction of time outside | Change in OnShelter zone during the first 2 hours of the dark phase in response to the onset of the dark phase |
| OnShelter zone change in response to light | fraction of time outside | Change in OnShelter zone during the first 2 hours of the light phase in response to the onset of the light phase |
| Spout zone change in anticipation dark | fraction of time outside | Change in Spout zone during the last 5 hours of the light phase in anticipation of the upcoming dark phase |
| Spout zone change in anticipation light | fraction of time outside | Change in Spout zone during the last 5 hours of the dark phase in anticipation of the upcoming light phase |
| Spout zone change in response to dark | fraction of time outside | Change in Spout zone during the first 2 hours of the dark phase in response to the onset of the dark phase |
| Spout zone change in response to light | fraction of time outside | Change in Spout zone during the first 2 hours of the light phase in response to the onset of the light phase |