The Treadmill For Behavioral Studies In Different Environments

The belt can be loaded with a range of tactile stimuli thanks to its standard length of 1 m.

System of rewards for applying solution at any preferred moment.

A headrest stand. can be altered for XYZ positioning, tilting, and rotation.

Three screens set up for virtual reality.

Setup of 5 monitors for virtual reality.

Key features of the technique:

• stress-free, voluntary treadmill running;
• assortment of belts for walking up to 4 meters in length;
• certain textile and optical cues;
• simple-to-use tools and software;
• precise analog and digital location;
• automated fluid augmentation at a given location, a given distance, or a specific speed.

In awake animals, novel neurophysiological tests are carried out to study behavior, assuming the animal's head is fixed but mobile. In these trials, it's important to precisely record the animal's behavior — such as its speed — and to manage outside factors. One potential benchmark among the neurophysiology techniques used in the behavioral research is a customizable treadmill with exact monitoring of velocity and location as well as direct reinforcement.

The intended treadmill will be used to research how the mouse brain integrates sensory and spatial information. The apparatus enables stimulation of a mouse's tactile, visual, and olfactory senses while the mouse's head is fixed in a stereotactic device as it moves the treadmill belt in a virtual environment. The animal's fixed head is used in parallel optical or electrophysiological registration as well as other manipulations, enabling, for instance, the study of movement strategies.