Hartman Behavioral Neuroscience Lab:Notebook/Neonatal hypoxic-ischemia and hydrogen therapy/2008/05/09

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Melissa S. Dulcich

  1. Animals weighed this afternoon
  2. Conducted neurological evaluations using the "Garcia" (ref?) neurological evaluation for rodents (48-point scale):
Test Scores
0123
1. Alertnessno responseresponse to painresponse to touchresponse to sound (startle reflex)
Motor function:
2. Spontaneous activity (5 min)No walkingWalks without wall approachingApproaches 1-2 wallsApproaches 3-4 walls
3. Symmetry of walkingFalls while walkingCircling to one sideTurns to one side while pulling tailWalking straight
4. Head/neck movement when suspended on tailTurns <45 degree to both sidesTurns <45 degree to one sideTurns >45 degree to both sidesTurns >90 degree
5. Symmetry of forelimbs when suspended on tailOne front limb flexionOne front paw flexionOne front limb partial outreachSymmetrical outreach
6. ClimbingSlides down within 2 secondsHolds without climbingClimbing with difficultySteady climbing
7.Balance on rodFalls within 2 secondsHolds without walkingWalking with difficultySteady walking
Sensory function:
8. Q-tip to VibrissaeNo head turning on both sidesNo head turning on one sideDecreased response (one or both side)Instant bilateral head turn
9. Q-tip to neckNo head turning on both sidesNo head turning on one sideDecreased response (one or both side)Instant bilateral head turn
10. Pin stick to body sidesNo response on both sideOne side no responseDecreased response (one or both side)Instant bilateral response
11. Pinch to earsNo response on both sideOne side no responseDecreased response (one or both side)Instant bilateral response
Reflexes:
12. Corneal reflexNo blinks on both sidesNo blink on one sideDecreased responseInstant bilateral blinks

1. tested for alertness (by response to touch (q-tip run down side of rat pup, either side); response to sound Researcher wanted to throw out (none were responding to sound (rub my fingers together by the ear). Response to pain (tail pinch); however researcher didn't want me to do anything to cause them pain. Motor Function Tests: 2. tested for spontaneous activity (for 5 min): in a cage top (in the Zhang lab) 0-3 score (no walking, walks without wall approaching, approaches 1-2 walls; approaches 3-4 walls 3. symmetry of walking: watched for falling, circling, or straight-walking 4. head/neck movement while suspended on tail: held rat by tail & watched for angle of head/neck movement. 5. symmetry of forelimbs when suspended on tail: watched for how they moved their limbs and forepaws. Occasionally touched rat down on hard surface to see how it reached with its paws 6. climbing (used the Zhang lab inclined plane): placed them in the center of the plane, was told to put them face up. Almost all of them climbed with some difficulty 8. balance on rod (used the Zhang lab neonate rod): placed rat with all limbs facing sideways on rod (as directed by an RA), allowed them to try to grasp, and then I let go. Watched for falling, walking, or just grasping Sensory function tests: 8. Q-tip to whiskers (held rat pup in hand and ran a q-tip end across whiskers (2x on one side, than switched to the other) 9. Q-tip to neck: ran q-tip down side of neck (2x) then switched to other side (measuring their head turn response) 10. we did not run pinstick to body (I was going to use the blunt end of the q-tip, but Researcher was adamantly opposed to this measurement, so I did not do it). 11. Again did not do pinch to ears; Researcher was opposed

  • Reflex test

12. We did not do corneal reflex as eyes were not yet open.

Notes: P11… what can be measured? Cage for measuring walking and wall approach was geared for older rats. Do we need smaller cage cover for neonates?

III. rat pups sacrificed at 4pm by decapitation IV. Next step  histology analysis


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