title: The supination assessment task: An automated method for quantifying forelimb rotational function in rats.
abstract: Neurological injuries or disease can impair the function of motor circuitry controlling forearm supination, and recovery is often limited. Preclinical animal models are essential tools for developing therapeutic interventions to improve motor function after neurological damage. Here we describe the supination assessment task, an automated measure of quantifying forelimb supination in the rat.
  
  
  
  Animals were trained to reach out of a slot in a cage, grasp a spherical manipulandum, and supinate the forelimb. The angle of the manipulandum was measured using a rotary encoder. If the animal exceeded the predetermined turn angle, a reward pellet was delivered. This automated task provides a large, high-resolution dataset of turn angle over time. Multiple parameters can be measured including success rate, peak turn angle, turn velocity, area under the curve, and number of rotations per trial. The task provides a high degree of flexibility to the user, with both software and hardware parameters capable of being adjusted.
  
  
  
  We demonstrate the supination assessment task can effectively measure significant deficits in multiple parameters of rotational motor function for multiple weeks in two models of ischemic stroke.
  
  
  
  Preexisting motor assays designed to measure forelimb supination in the rat require high-speed video analysis techniques. This operant task provides a high-resolution, quantitative end-point dataset of turn angle, which obviates the necessity of video analysis.
  
  
  
  The supination assessment task represents a novel, efficient method of evaluating forelimb rotation and may help decrease the cost and time of running experiments.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States; The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States. Electronic address: ecm081000@utdallas.edu.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.affiliation: Burke Medical Research Institute, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605, United States.
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sindhurakar
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States.
authors.forename: Ruby
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Solorzano
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States.
authors.forename: Taylor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: Vulintus Inc., 17217 Waterview Pkwy, Ste 1.202BB, Dallas, TX 75252, United States.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sloan
authors.affiliation: Burke Medical Research Institute, 785 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605, United States; Weill Cornell Medical College, Brain Mind Research Institute and Departments of Neurology and Pediatrics, United States.
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carmel
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States; The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Behavioral Brain Sciences, 800 West Campbell Road, GR41, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States; The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Kilgard
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States; Vulintus Inc., 17217 Waterview Pkwy, Ste 1.202BB, Dallas, TX 75252, United States; The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States.
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rennaker
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas at Dallas, Texas Biomedical Device Center, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States; The University of Texas at Dallas, Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080-3021, United States.
authors.forename: Seth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hays
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D057205:Automation, Laboratory / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012399:Rotation; D012984:Software; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology; D013484:Supination / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Automated task; Forelimb; Motor function; Operant behavior; Stroke; Supination