AUTOMATIC MONITORING SYSTEM FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF BODY WEIGHT, FOOD AND WATER CONSUMPTION AND SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY OF A MOUSE

• Published in: Journal of toxicological sciences Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 61 - 73
• Main Authors: MINEMATSU, Sumio, HIRUTA, Masahiro, TAKI, Masayuki, FUJII, Yuichi, ABURADA, Masaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo The Japanese Society of Toxicology 1991; Japanese Society of Toxicology; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight; Circadian Rhythm; Drinking; Eating; Equipment Design; Feeding Behavior; General pharmacology; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Microcomputers; Monitoring, Physiologic - instrumentation; Monitoring, Physiologic - methods; Monitoring, Physiologic - veterinary; Motor Activity; mouse; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; Drug; Body weight; Rodentia; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Spontaneous physical activity; Investigation method; Mouse; Food intake; Automatic measurement; Animal; Water consumption; Poison
• ISSN: 0388-1350; 1880-3989
• DOI: 10.2131/jts.16.61

The simultaneous recording system for body weight, food and water consumption and behavior (spontaneous motor activity and drinking and feeding behavior) of a mouse was developed. The body weight and food consumption were measured by force transducers. Food and water consumption and drinking and feeding behavior were measured by an infrared luminous diode and a phototransistor. Spontaneous motor activity was measured by photosensors. The system control and data acqusition were performed by using a personal computer. Every parameter could be monitored with a desired time interval. All the data collected by this system revealed apparent circadian rhythm. In conclusion, this system would be a powerful tool for pharmacological and/or toxicological research.