title: Procedures for behavioral experiments in head-fixed mice.
abstract: The mouse is an increasingly prominent model for the analysis of mammalian neuronal circuits. Neural circuits ultimately have to be probed during behaviors that engage the circuits. Linking circuit dynamics to behavior requires precise control of sensory stimuli and measurement of body movements. Head-fixation has been used for behavioral research, particularly in non-human primates, to facilitate precise stimulus control, behavioral monitoring and neural recording. However, choice-based, perceptual decision tasks by head-fixed mice have only recently been introduced. Training mice relies on motivating mice using water restriction. Here we describe procedures for head-fixation, water restriction and behavioral training for head-fixed mice, with a focus on active, whisker-based tactile behaviors. In these experiments mice had restricted access to water (typically 1 ml/day). After ten days of water restriction, body weight stabilized at approximately 80% of initial weight. At that point mice were trained to discriminate sensory stimuli using operant conditioning. Head-fixed mice reported stimuli by licking in go/no-go tasks and also using a forced choice paradigm using a dual lickport. In some cases mice learned to discriminate sensory stimuli in a few trials within the first behavioral session. Delay epochs lasting a second or more were used to separate sensation (e.g. tactile exploration) and action (i.e. licking). Mice performed a variety of perceptual decision tasks with high performance for hundreds of trials per behavioral session. Up to four months of continuous water restriction showed no adverse health effects. Behavioral performance correlated with the degree of water restriction, supporting the importance of controlling access to water. These behavioral paradigms can be combined with cellular resolution imaging, random access photostimulation, and whole cell recordings.
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Zengcai V
authors: ZV
authors: Guo
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: S Andrew
authors: SA
authors: Hires
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Nuo
authors: N
authors: Li
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Daniel H
authors: DH
authors: O'Connor
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Takaki
authors: T
authors: Komiyama
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Eran
authors: E
authors: Ophir
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America ; Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Huber
authors: Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Bonardi
authors: Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Morandell
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Diego
authors: D
authors: Gutnisky
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Peron
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Ning-long
authors: NL
authors: Xu
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: James
authors: J
authors: Cox
authors: Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, Virginia, United States of America.
authors: Karel
authors: K
authors: Svoboda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005010:Ethology / Q000379:methods*; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012201:Reward; D013395:Sucrose; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014867:Water; D014868:Water Deprivation
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D013395:Sucrose