Detecting fine and elaborate movements with piezo sensors provides non-invasive access to overlooked behavioral components
Neuropsychopharmacol.. 2021-11-11; :
DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01217-w
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Carreño-Muñoz MI(#)(1), Medrano MC(#)(1), Ferreira Gomes Da Silva A(2), Gestreau C(2), Menuet C(2), Leinekugel T(1), Bompart M(1), Martins F(1), Subashi E(1), Aby F(3), Frick A(1), Landry M(3), Grana M(4), Leinekugel X(5)(6).
Author information:
(1)Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France.
(2)INMED, INSERM, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France.
(3)IINS, CNRS, Bordeaux, France.
(4)Facultad de Informatica, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastian, Spain.
(5)Université de Bordeaux, INSERM, Neurocentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France. .
(6)INMED, INSERM, Aix Marseille University, Marseille, France. .
(#)Contributed equally
Behavioral phenotyping devices have been successfully used to build ethograms,
but many aspects of behavior remain out of reach of available phenotyping
systems. We now report on a novel device, which consists in an open-field
platform resting on highly sensitive piezoelectric (electromechanical)
pressure-sensors, with which we could detect the slightest movements (up to
individual heart beats during rest) from freely moving rats and mice. The
combination with video recordings and signal analysis based on time-frequency
decomposition, clustering, and machine learning algorithms provided non-invasive
access to previously overlooked behavioral components. The detection of
shaking/shivering provided an original readout of fear, distinct from but
complementary to behavioral freezing. Analyzing the dynamics of momentum in
locomotion and grooming allowed to identify the signature of gait and
neurodevelopmental pathological phenotypes. We believe that this device
represents a significant progress and offers new opportunities for the awaited
advance of behavioral phenotyping.