title: A microcomputer-based data acquisition system for continuous recording of feeding and drinking by rats.
abstract: A monitoring system to continuously record the daily pattern of drinking and eating of rats is described. This system, based on a North Star microcomputer, can record the amount of food ingested with a temporal resolution of +/- 1.0 second and quantitative accuracy within +/- 5%. Drinking behavior is detected using a drinkometer which also has a temporal resolution of +/- 1.0 second. Data are analyzed by computer to determine absolute amounts of consumption and patterns of intake. The patterns of feeding and drinking recorded by this system are similar to those observed using other monitoring devices.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003201:Computers; D003625:Data Collection / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004326:Drinking; D004327:Drinking Behavior; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D008297:Male; D008838:Microcomputers; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains