A NewAutomated MethodtoEstimate theBehavioral Response ofa SmallAnimalUsing aMulticolor Detection Technique

A newautomated method toestimate thebehavioral response ofasmall animal wasdeveloped using a multicolor detection technique. Twocolor markers werepreliminarily applied torats -yellow dyeonthemouthand fluorescent green tapeontheright hindpaw.Behaviors oftheanimals wererecorded indualmode,frombothabove andbelowthesubject, bytwodigital video cameras. Dualmodeimage processing proved approximately 20%more effective thansingle mode.Tocheck errors ofcolor discrimination principal component analysis andcluster analyses wereperformed, andtheresults demonstrated thatthese twocolors werewelldiscriminated andclassified, predominantly bydifferences oftheredcomponent inthese colors. A typical biphasic response oflicking behavior induced byformalin wasobserved whenthecolor rangewassetwithin appropriate limits. Thistechnique hasthe potential tomeasure notonlysimple locomotor activity butalso moreelaborate behaviors suchasflinching, biting or licking withhighspatial andtemporal resolution.