title: A fully automated Drosophila olfactory classical conditioning and testing system for behavioral learning and memory assessment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aversive olfactory classical conditioning has been the standard method to assess Drosophila learning and memory behavior for decades, yet training and testing are conducted manually under exceedingly labor-intensive conditions. To overcome this severe limitation, a fully automated, inexpensive system has been developed, which allows accurate and efficient Pavlovian associative learning/memory analyses for high-throughput pharmacological and genetic studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  The automated system employs a linear actuator coupled to an odorant T-maze with airflow-mediated transfer of animals between training and testing stages. Odorant, airflow and electrical shock delivery are automatically administered and monitored during training trials. Control software allows operator-input variables to define parameters of Drosophila learning, short-term memory and long-term memory assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The approach allows accurate learning/memory determinations with operational fail-safes. Automated learning indices (immediately post-training) and memory indices (after 24h) are comparable to traditional manual experiments, while minimizing experimenter involvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  The automated system provides vast improvements over labor-intensive manual approaches with no experimenter involvement required during either training or testing phases. It provides quality control tracking of airflow rates, odorant delivery and electrical shock treatments, and an expanded platform for high-throughput studies of combinational drug tests and genetic screens. The design uses inexpensive hardware and software for a total cost of ∼$500US, making it affordable to a wide range of investigators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates the design, construction and testing of a fully automated Drosophila olfactory classical association apparatus to provide low-labor, high-fidelity, quality-monitored, high-throughput and inexpensive learning and memory behavioral assays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
authors.forename: Eriny
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
authors.forename: Cheryl L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gatto
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Page
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA.
authors.forename: Bharat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhuva
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA; Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA. Electronic address: kendal.broadie@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Kendal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Broadie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning; D057205:Automation, Laboratory / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical; D004330:Drosophila; D004597:Electroshock; D004867:Equipment Design; D057567:Memory, Long-Term; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009812:Odorants; D055696:Olfactory Perception; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012984:Software / Q000191:economics
keywords: Automation; Drosophila; Learning; Memory; Olfactory; Pavlovian classical conditioning