For some reasons most of the time multiple behavioral tests such as open field, rotarod, walking beam, and novel object recognition need to conduct in parallel. However, there may be time issue and the physical health of the rodents if multiple tests are run in parallel. Therefore, how many tests can be performed in a day or a cohort of mice?
Thanks
Monokesh
Hi Monokesh,
This depends on the specific experiment and strain, and may not be something you really want to force. More is not always better, and even with counterbalancing, too many behavioral test are going to add variability to your experiment and general and make it harder to see significant differences. This will happen long before you see any adverse health effects. With each behavioral test you are adding, you may also be added additional stress. I would try to use a few key tests, and try not to do them on the same day. Rather than multiple tests, try to get as much behavioral information out of a single test. Record exploratory behavior from the novel object recognition test, for example.
Hi Benjamin,
Great answer! May be I need to find out which test is better for any/each behavioral phenotype.
I'd be happy to provide feedback if you want to send me a message with details about your experiment.