RU143683U1 - AUTOMATED CAMERA FOR PRODUCING FOOD CONDITIONAL REFLEXES IN LABORATORY ANIMALS - Google Patents

Abstract

An automated camera for generating conditioned reflexes in laboratory animals, which has two compartments with light and sound sensors that create a stimulus, and a floor made in the form of a swinging platform with contacts, and characterized in that the camera is equipped with optoelectronic infrared radiation sensors that record the transition of the animal from the compartment in the compartment, automatic feeders are available in both compartments of the chamber and are made in the form of rotary disks with recesses for individual portions of feed that operate in that compartment of the chamber in which ory passed the animal in response to the perception of the stimulus.

Description

The invention relates to experimental biology and medicine and can be used in the study of higher nervous activity of animals and testing of psychotropic drugs.

The state-of-the-art technology is known for an automated chamber for generating conditioned reflexes in laboratory animals, consisting of one compartment with a lever inside for recording the motor response of the animal, the associated feeder for portioned feeding of food reinforcement and light and sound sensors. When the sensors are turned on, an incentive is created, which is remembered by the animal, which presses the lever, which leads to the activation of the feeder that supplies reinforcements (N. Guttman, WK Estes, A Modified Apparatus for the Study of Operant Behavior in the Rat, The Journal of General Psychology, 41 : 2, p. 297-301, 1949).

A known camera for generating conditioned reflexes in laboratory animals, made in the form of a three-beam labyrinth with sound and light sensors in each beam, having a conductive floor connected to a current source, optoelectronic sensors that record the movement of the animal when it crosses the infrared rays and controls the computer. The supply of electric current is switched on and off at the command of a computer in response to the operation of the optoelectronic sensors (patent SU 1576163 A1, publ. 07.07.1990).

Closest to the claimed technical solution, which can be taken as a prototype, is an automated camera for generating conditioned reflexes in laboratory animals, which has two compartments with a conductive floor made in the form of a swinging platform that records the position of the animal, sound and light sensors, a current source and a control COMPUTER. At the command of the computer, light or sound sensors are turned on before the current is supplied, and after a certain period of time, the current in the compartment in which the animal is located is turned on. The transition of the animal to another compartment, changing the position of the platform, turns off the current and sensors, after which, after a certain time, the sensors and current are turned on in the compartment in which the animal is located (patent SU 1600700 A1, publ. 23.10.1990).

The disadvantages of the prototype include the lack of the possibility of developing a food conditioned reflex in laboratory animals, since the development of a defensive conditioned reflex has less reliability, the duration of the production of a conditioned reflex and the low accuracy of fixing the transition of the animal between the compartments in the chamber.

The purpose of the proposed device is to enable automatic generation of the conditioned food reflex in laboratory animals, which has greater reliability, accelerate the process of its production and increase the accuracy of fixing the transition of the animal from compartment to compartment of the chamber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 presents a camera for the automatic generation of food conditioned reflexes in laboratory animals, having 2 compartments (1 and 2) with light (3, 4) and sound (5, 6) sensors, optoelectronic infrared ray sensors (7, 8) and a floor made in the form of a swinging platform (9) with make contacts (10). In both compartments there are automated feeders (11 and 12), made in the form of rotary disks with recesses for individual feed portions mounted on the rotors of stepper motors. The synchronization of the operation of the nodes of the device is carried out using a host computer.

The proposed camera works as follows. At predetermined time intervals (interstimulus interval, equal to 10-50 seconds), light and sound sensors (5-30 seconds) are turned on in that compartment of the chamber where the animal is located, which creates the stimulus necessary for the development of a conditioned reflex, which is remembered by the animal, which the response to the stimulus goes into the opposite compartment. The transition of the animal is recorded as the displacement of the position of the swinging platform with the closure of the contacts and the intersection of the infrared ray of the optoelectronic sensors, and leads to the activation of the feeder in that compartment of the chamber into which the animal has passed, while one portion of the feed is fed due to the limited rotation of the stepper motor. This sequence in the camera is repeated a specified number of times. In the case of the transition of the animal to another compartment without the preliminary appearance of an incentive, the operation of the feeder does not occur.

The following materials illustrate goal achievement.

From the presented Table 1 shows the achievement of the objectives of the proposed device and its advantages compared to the prototype.

The increase in the rate of development of the conditioned reflex can be seen from a comparison of the number of samples necessary for its first manifestation and strengthening.

Improving the reliability of the proposed camera is represented by the fact that, compared with the prototype, a larger number of animals from the test group developed a conditioned food reflex.

Improving the accuracy during operation of the proposed camera is achieved by the joint use of infrared rays and a swinging platform with contacts, due to which the transition of the animal from the compartment to the compartment of the camera is recorded.

Examples of the proposed device

Example No. 1

The animal (laboratory rat) is located in compartment 1. The sensor (3 or 5) on the wall of compartment 1 is turned on, creating a stimulus that lasts 30 seconds. After 18 seconds of the stimulus, the animal enters compartment 2, which is recorded as a change in the position of the swinging platform and the intersection of the infrared ray. As soon as the animal makes the transition, the feeder (12) in compartment 2 turns and the animal receives one portion of food reinforcement. This is followed by a 30 second interstimulus interval when the sensors are still turned off, and then the sequence repeats, starting with the inclusion of sensors on the wall of compartment 2.

Example No. 2

The animal is in compartment 2. The sensor (4 or 6) on the wall of compartment 2 is turned on, creating a stimulus that lasts 5 seconds. After 4 seconds of the stimulus, the animal enters compartment 1, which is recorded as a change in the position of the swinging platform and the intersection of the infrared ray. As soon as the animal makes the transition, the feeder (11) in compartment 1 turns and the animal receives one portion of food reinforcement. This is followed by a 10 second interstimulus interval when the sensors are still turned off, and then the sequence is repeated, starting with the inclusion of sensors on the wall of compartment 1.

Example No. 3

According to example 1, the same operations are performed, but the duration of the stimulus is set to 12 seconds, and the interstimulus interval lasts 50 seconds.

Example No. 4

The animal is in compartment 1. The sensor (3 or 5) on the wall of compartment 1 is turned on, creating a stimulus that lasts 5 seconds. The animal does not enter compartment 2 during the stimulus. This is followed by a 10 second interstimulus interval. After 6 seconds of the interstimulus interval (sensors are not yet included), the animal enters compartment 2, which is recorded as a change in the position of the swinging platform and the intersection of the infrared ray. The feeder (12) in compartment 2 does not work and the animal does not receive food reinforcement. After the end of the interstimulus interval, the sequence is repeated, starting with the inclusion of sensors on the wall of compartment 2.

Claims (1)

An automated camera for generating conditioned reflexes in laboratory animals, having two compartments with light and sound sensors that create a stimulus, and a floor made in the form of a swinging platform with contacts, and characterized in that the camera is equipped with optoelectronic infrared radiation sensors that record the transition of the animal from the compartment in the compartment, automatic feeders are available in both compartments of the chamber and are made in the form of rotary disks with recesses for individual portions of feed that operate in that compartment of the chamber in which ory passed the animal in response to the perception of the stimulus.