Behavioral Assays

By comparing behavioral rhythmicity to periodicities recorded from cultured cells in tissue and in small networks, we seek to understand the level of cellular organization that determines specific rhythmic behaviors. We have the ability to simultaneously monitor the running wheel activity from over 100 rodents using Clocklab data collection and analysis. For example, we are studying rhythm precision of animals on running wheels and of cells in vitro. This plot of locomotor activity of a mouse in a light-dark cycle and then in constant darkness shows that rhythmic behaviors can be remarkably precise. The mouse ran on the wheel every 23.7 hours with little variability from day to day.