RU226180U1 - Device for studying the behavioral reactions of laboratory animals under conditions of vital stress using the open field technique - Google Patents

Abstract

The proposed useful model belongs to the field of scientific research and is intended to study behavioral reactions under conditions of vital stress. The device allows you to assess the level of anxiety of an experimental animal (rat) based on the use of the methodological apparatus of the “Open Field” test under conditions of vital stress caused by exposure to the smell of a predator. The purpose of the proposed utility model is to create conditions for studying the behavioral reactions of laboratory animals using the open field method when modeling vital stress in an experiment on laboratory animals. The goal is achieved using a device that contains a square “open field” installation, complemented by starting and finishing arms, with a wall height equal to the height of the walls of the “open field” installation, located in the middle of two opposite walls and connecting to the “open field” installation by two passages, in this case, the floor of the square “open field” installation is divided into 25 squares of equal area, formed by the intersection of ten black thin lines, five lines parallel to each side of the square “open field” installation, at the intersections of the lines closest to the walls of the square “open field” installation there are holes in the floor, a total of 12 holes with a diameter of 3 cm, the passages to the starting and finishing sleeves are square holes located within the central squares of two opposite walls of the “open field” installation, the exit to the starting sleeve is separated by a guillotine door. 1 ill.

Description

The utility model relates to the field of experimental research on animals and is intended for studying behavioral reactions under conditions of vital stress.

The prototype of the proposed utility model consists of three models. First, the square "open field" setup. The “open field” test is included in the list of guidelines for studying the activity of the following pharmacological groups: antipsychotics, antidepressants, tranquilizers, nootropics, psychostimulants [1, 3]. The advantages of the “open field” installation are considered to be the modeling of weak emotional stress [2], as well as the established multi-criteria methodology for quantitative assessment of behavioral reactions. The main disadvantage is the lack of ability to simulate vital stress factors in laboratory animals.

Secondly, the predatory test, the inevitable exposure of the cotton pad to cat urine. The exposure of rats to cat odor is carried out in a closed box 120 cm long, 30 cm high and 15 cm wide. The upper part of the box was made of wire mesh. As a source of odor, several wooden blocks were used, wrapped in cloth, on which the cat had been rubbed on the eve of the study. The number of movements of animals past these bars was recorded [4]. Another study used a large arena in which animals were exposed to the odor of a predator, with a small darkened box as a hiding place connected to the arena by a passage. The animals moved freely in the installation, and the time spent by the rats in the shelter was recorded [5]. The disadvantage of the method is the lack of multi-criteria quantitative assessment of behavioral reactions, as well as the difficulty of tracking the dosage of the predator’s odor; the sense of smell is variable, since it is determined by perception. Rodents use the olfactory sensory system for survival behaviors.

Third, setting up a T-maze with positive food reinforcement. The “T-shaped maze” test is included in the list of guidelines for studying the nootropic activity of pharmacological substances (basic tests) [1, 3]. In accordance with the concept of a T-shaped maze, a food reward is placed in the finishing arm, the entrances to the finishing and starting arms are made the same in size and located exactly opposite each other, the open field is considered as a branch of the T-shaped maze. The advantages of the T-maze setup are the ability to form behavioral patterns in rats and evaluate their safety when administered pharmacological substances. The disadvantages of the prototype are, firstly, that during the test it is necessary to take various measures to deprive the animal of the opportunity to use its own smell as a guide (including the smell of its own traces - marks), and secondly, the lack of the possibility of modeling factors vital stress in laboratory animals.

The validity of the development of vital stress is often tested using various classical tests such as the plused maze and open field, as well as by measuring hormonal or drug response. At the moment, there are several models of acute vital stress, but their common disadvantage is that they do not allow the use of open field methodology during the development of vital stress, as well as the assessment of behavioral reactions aimed at minimizing the impact of stress factors.

The problem to be solved by the stated technical solution is to create conditions for studying the behavioral reactions of laboratory animals under conditions of vital stress using the open field method.

The problem is solved by developing a square “open field” installation, supplemented by starting and finishing arms, with a wall height equal to the height of the walls of the “open field” installation, located in the middle of two opposite walls and connecting to the “open field” installation with two passages, while the floor is square The installation is divided into 25 squares of equal area, formed by the intersection of ten black thin lines, five lines parallel to each side of the square “open field” installation; at the intersections of the lines closest to the walls of the square “open field” installation, holes are located in the floor, 12 holes in total 3 cm in diameter, the passages to the starting and finishing sleeves are square holes located within the central squares of two opposite walls of the “open field” installation, the exit to the starting sleeve is separated by a guillotine door.

The device allows you to assess the level of anxiety of an experimental animal (rat) based on the use of the methodological apparatus of the “open field” test under conditions of vital stress caused by exposure to the smell of a predator, as well as evaluate behavioral reactions aimed at minimizing the impact of stress factors - time spent in the starting sleeve and on open field arena. When conducting experiments using this method, the activity indicators of laboratory animals in an open field are recorded. Exposure to predator odor is achieved by placing a Petri dish containing a cotton ball soaked in cat urine in a starter tube and spraying the inert surface of an open field with cat urine using a spray bottle. Exposure to predator odor, necessary for the development of vital stress, is achieved through the presence of a closing guillotine door separating the starting sleeve from the open field.

The device makes it more efficient and convenient to develop and test pharmacological drugs planned for use on humans under conditions of vital stress.

The technical result provided by the given set of characteristics is to provide the possibility of modeling vital stress factors in laboratory animals.

The main purpose of the useful model is to provide the ability to assess the motor activity of experimental animals, aimed at minimizing vital stress factors, through the use of the “open field” installation, which allows you to assess the level of anxiety using the methodological apparatus of the “Open Field” test in conditions of vital stress caused by exposure to the smell of a predator.

The technical solution is illustrated in Fig. 1, which shows a diagram of a test setup for conducting experiments using the open field method, where:

1 – entrance to the starting sleeve;

2 – guillotine door;

3 – entrance to the finishing sleeve;

A – open field;

B – starting sleeve;

B – finishing sleeve.

The result of the technical solution implemented in the utility model is:

reliability of the development of vital stress and reproducibility of the final results due to dosed exposure to stress factors.

Working with the device can be divided into two stages: the training stage and the stage of reproducing combat stress. At the training stage, the animal is placed in the starting sleeve with the guillotine door open. Food reinforcement is placed in the finishing sleeve. Over the course of several days, motor behavior is developed aimed at overcoming the open field arena and moving to the finishing arm.

At the second stage, modeling of vital stress is carried out. During the day before modeling, the animals under study are subjected to food deprivation. The animal is placed in the starting sleeve with the guillotine door closed. A Petri dish containing urine from an adult domestic cat is also placed in the starter sleeve. To simulate vital stress, the exposure time is 10 minutes, after which the arena of the “open field” installation, with the exception of the finishing sleeve 3, is sprayed with cat urine in an amount of 1 ml using a sprayer, which forms the urine marks of the predator. After this, the guillotine door opens and the rat has the opportunity to move from the starting arm to the open field and then to the finishing arm.

The time spent in the open field at the training stage and, when urinary marks of a predator are applied to the arena at the vital stress modeling stage, is recorded as an indicator associated with behavior aimed at minimizing the impact of vital stress factors. Also, when modeling vital stress, the classic indicators of the “Open Field” test are recorded: the number of intersections of squares, vertical and horizontal motor activity, grooming, defecation and urination.

Literature

1. Mironov A.N., Butanyan N.D. Guidelines for conducting preclinical studies of drugs. M.: Grif i K. 2012. 751 p.

2. Permyakov A.A., Isakova L.S., Mokhova L.Ya., Filimonov A.M. Factor analysis of behavioral models in experimental animals with different stress reactivity // Bulletin of modern clinical medicine. – 2019. – Vol. 12, No. 4, – pp. 106-109. – doi 10.20969/VSKM.2019.12(4).106-109.

3. Khabriev R.U. Guidelines for experimental (preclinical) study of new pharmacological substances // M.: Medicine. 2005. 832 p. ISBN 5-225-04219-8.

4. Blanchard R.J. Blanchard D.C., Weiss S.M., Meyer S. The effects of ethanol and diazepam on reactions to predatory odors // Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior. – 1990. – Vol.35. – P. 775-780, 137, 279, 485

5. McGregor I.S., Schrama L., Ambermoon P., Dielenberg R.A. Not all ‘predator odors’ are equal: cat odor but not 2,4,5 trimethylthiazoline (TMT; fox odor) reveals specific defensive behaviors in rats // Behavioral brain research. – 2002. – Vol.129. – P. 1-16.

Claims (1)

Installation for studying the behavioral reactions of laboratory animals under conditions of vital stress using the open field method, consisting of a square installation, in the middle of the floor of which, on the sides of the square, 12 holes with a diameter of 3 cm are made to test the mink reflex; the start and finish are connected to the middles of two opposite walls of the square installation sleeves connected to the internal space of the square installation through square holes, and the starting sleeve is separated from the square installation by a guillotine door.