Tarantino1 project protocol

Drug study: Initial locomotor sensitivity to cocaine in males of 45 inbred strains of mice   (2015)

Tarantino LM, Wiltshire T
With: Ervin RB, Duan H, Zamboni WC, Cook S, Chung W, Zou F




Project protocol - Contents

Workflow and sampling

Step
Procedure
Data collected *
Day 1
 Mice receive i.p. injection of physiological saline immediately prior to open field test
-
Day 2
 Mice receive second i.p. injection of physiological saline immediately prior to open field test
Locomotor activity (see below)
Day 3 Mice receive i.p. injection of cocaine immediately prior to open field test Locomotor activity (see below)

*Supplementary data are available for this project. See Tarantino1

Equipment and supplies

  • Syringes, needles
  • Open Field apparatus (Med Associates ENV515-16, St. Albans VT)
  • Software (Med Associates Windows-based Open Field Activity, v5)

Open Field: 17 x 17" square arena with white Plexiglas floor and clear Plexiglas walls surrounded by infrared beams spaced 1" apart on the X, Y, and Z-axes to detect both horizontal and vertical movement.

Reagents and solutions

  • Physiological saline
  • Cocaine HCl (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis MO)

Acclimation

    Mice were acclimated at least 10 days prior to testing.

Procedure: Locomotor activity in the Open Field

    1. Mice are tested over three consecutive days:
    2. Day 1: First i.p. injection of physiological saline in a volume of 0.01 mL/g immediately prior to Open Field testing (30-min test).
    3. Day 2: Second i.p. injection of physiological saline in a volume of 0.01 mL/g immediately prior to Open Field testing (30-min test).
    4. Day 3: i.p. injection of cocaine HCl (20 mg/kg) immediately prior to Open Field testing (30-min test).

Data collected by investigator

  • Body weight
  • Distance traveled
  • Number of ambulatory (directed) movements
  • Rearing episodes
  • Average velocity and
  • Percent time resting

Difference scores were obtained by subtracting Day 2 (baseline) from Day 3 (cocaine-treated), or Day 3 (cocaine-treated) from Day 2 (baseline) (see measurement descriptions for specific method)

*Supplementary data are available for this project. See Tarantino1