Rodent behavioural facility

Observing changes in behaviour is essential for our research, and for that we uphold the behavioural phenotyping and in vivo experimentation facility located at Biomedicum Helsinki at the Meilahti campus.

The facility enables a diverse setting for any research related to rodent (mouse, rat) disease models of neurological and psychiatric disorders: the facility has equipment and methodology for analysis of locomotor activity and motor coordination as well as sensory, emotional and cognitive functions.

The premises and the eqipment are not a core facility but are managed and maintained by the neuropsychopharmacology PI’s Esa Korpi, Anni-Maija Linden, Petri Hyytiä, and Teemu Aitta-Aho. The facilities and the know-how of the investigators are available to other research groups and individual scientists in a collaborative manner. Please, contact for further information.
The available equipment
  1. Infra-red beam frames for activity monitoring (MedAssociates)
    4 chambers (43 x 43 x 30 cm) with inserts for dark/light test
  2. Ethovision XT10 (single or multiple arena) video based detection system (Noldus)
  3. Ethovision 3.0 (single arena) video based detection system (Noldus)
  4. Intracranial self-stimulation system (MedAssociates)
    4 chambers with soundproof cabinets
  5. Touch-screen based operant system (MedAssociates)
    6 chambers with soundproof cabinets
  6. Running wheels for activity detection (MedAssociates)
    40 home cage running wheels with wireless transmitters
  7. Acoustic startle unit (MedAssociates)
    2 chambers with soundproof cabinets
  8. Fear conditioning unit (MedAssociates)
    2 chambers with soundproof cabinets
  9. Rotarod (UgoBasile)

Mazes (useable with both Ethovision tracking systems)

  1. Watermaze (diameter 1.2 m)
  2. Elevated-plus maze
  3. T-maze
    Remotely operateable
  4. Y-maze

 
Contact

If you are interested in research collaboration, using the facilities, getting training for the equipement, or in general knowing more, contact Dr. Linden.

Anni-Maija Linden
anni-maija.linden@helsinki.fi