Hi Ashley,

We routinely tether animals without commutators for 24 h and longer recordings. The cables we use are about >2m long and are passed through a metal ring attached above the cage to the shelf (about 65 cm above the cage. The metal ring (like a big key ring) can wiggle and rotate a bit, which reduces the stress on the cable. We then secure the cable with some tape on the side of the cage before it goes to the aquisition system. This should work well for one hour recordings, unless you have a mouse model that circles a lot. The distance of cage to ring depends a little on the size of the cage, the bigger the cage the further away you need to attach it. The cages we use to record have the floor size of standard rat cages. 

I hope that helps, let me know if you have more questions.

Best wishes,

Conni

Hi Ashley,

We do chronically recording with commutators on free moving mice in a  38X18X16 cm cage and the recording cable is about 80 cm length. We can do chronical recording about  to 1 h without rotating the commutator.  Attached image file is our commutator.

I hope that helps, let me know if you have more questions.

Best wishes,

Dinghong

In the past we have used an inexpensive turntable AKA Lazy Susan under the observation cage fpr acute experiments so you can simply rotate the cage in reverse direction to unwind the cable if it gets twisted and creates torsion on your animal's head mount.  There are other solutions for chronic and continuous recordings that I can share if you are interested.  see link for turntables from Target:

https://www.target.com/p/lipper-international-bamboo-turntable-10/-/A-12200026?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Dining+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Dining&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=s&device=c&location=9016722&gclid=CJG9vJeivdQCFdS1wAodhLQFdg&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hope this is helpful,

Dr.  Walls

Dinghong Zhang

Can you please tell me more about your commutator?

I want to build one, for my social behavior recording. and my recording takes more than 24 hours sometimes.

Conducting electrophysiological recordings in freely moving mice is a technique that has significantly advanced our understanding of the brain's functioning in conditions that are closer to natural behavior. This approach allows for the monitoring of neuronal activity during various behaviors, providing insights into the neural mechanisms underlying cognition, emotion, and motor functions. The methodology involves several critical steps, each tailored to ensure the welfare of the animal while maximizing the quality of the data obtained.

Preparation

Equipment and Setup

Experimental Procedure

Ethical Considerations

Conclusion

Electrophysiological recordings in freely moving mice provide invaluable insights into the dynamic nature of neural activity in the context of unrestrained behavior. This methodology requires meticulous planning and execution, from the surgical implantation of electrodes to the analysis of complex neural data. By adhering to ethical standards and employing advanced recording and analysis technologies, researchers can uncover the neural substrates of behavior with unprecedented detail and precision.

With this protocol list, we might find more ways to solve this problem.