Behavioural research

Behavioural Research Equipment for Preclinical Studies

Comprehensive apparatus for anxiety, depression, motor coordination, spatial learning and social behaviour research in rodents and zebrafish.

Behavioural research is the cornerstone of modern neuroscience and preclinical drug discovery. Whether you are screening anxiolytic or antidepressant compounds, evaluating cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease models, assessing motor deficits in neurodegenerative research or characterising social behaviour in autism spectrum disorder studies — the quality and reliability of your behavioural apparatus directly determines the validity and reproducibility of your results.

Animalab offers one of Europe's most comprehensive collections of validated behavioural research systems, sourced from the world's leading scientific instrument manufacturers: Ugo Basile, TSE Systems, Viewpoint, Campden Instruments, Inscopix, STARR Life Sciences, UID and MDE Heidelberg.

Our catalogue covers every major category of preclinical behavioural testing:

• Anxiety & fear: Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), Elevated Zero Maze (EZM), Light/Dark Box, Open Field, Hole Board, Lickometer (Vogel Conflict Test)
• Depression: Forced Swim Test, Porsolt Test, Learned Helplessness set-up
• Spatial learning & memory: Morris Water Maze, Barnes Maze, Radial Arm Maze, T-Maze, Y-Maze, Passive Avoidance
• Motor coordination: RotaRod, Running Wheels, Rodent Treadmill, Grip Strength Meter, Balance Beam, AI Gait Analysis
• Social behaviour: 3-Chamber Sociability Apparatus, Agora Maze
• Home-cage monitoring: IntelliCage, PhenoWorld, Mouse Matrix, ActiMot2
• Zebrafish behaviour: ZebraBox, ZebraLab, ZebraTower, ZebraCube

All major systems are compatible with automated video tracking software (including ANY-Maze) for objective, observer-independent data acquisition.

Browse our subcategories below or use the product filter to find the ideal system for your research protocol.

Why Choose Animalab for Behavioural Research Equipment?

Preclinical behavioural testing has become increasingly sophisticated. Modern neuroscience demands not only validated, standardised apparatus, but also seamless integration with advanced video tracking, automated data capture, AI-based analysis and home-cage monitoring — all within reproducible experimental conditions.

A complete ecosystem for behavioural neuroscience

Animalab supplies the full spectrum of apparatus required for standardised preclinical protocols. For anxiety research, the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) and Elevated Zero Maze (EZM) exploit rodents' innate aversion to open, elevated spaces to provide sensitive, pharmacologically validated measures of anxiety-like behaviour. The Light/Dark Box and Open Field Test offer complementary paradigms for the quantification of anxiety and locomotor activity. For depression models, the Forced Swim Test (Porsolt Test) and the Learned Helplessness multiple-cage set-up are the most widely published behavioural endpoints for screening antidepressant compounds and investigating the neurobiology of anhedonia and despair-like behaviour.

For spatial learning and memory — critical in Alzheimer's disease, cognitive ageing and brain injury research — our catalogue includes the Morris Water Maze with remote-controlled Atlantis platforms, the Barnes Maze, the Y-Maze, T-Maze, 8-Arm Radial Maze and Delta-Maze. For motor coordination and neuromuscular function, the RotaRod, Rodent Treadmill, Grip Strength Meter and AI-based gait analysis systems provide objective, quantitative endpoints that meet the rigorous standards of modern CNS drug development.

Advanced technology for higher-quality data

Beyond classical apparatus, Animalab offers next-generation solutions including:

• IntelliCage and PhenoWorld for fully automated, stress-free home-cage behavioural phenotyping without human intervention
• MIRA platform by Inscopix for in vivo calcium imaging (miniscope) combined with behaviour
• 3D-AI BehaviorAtlas (TSE Systems) for deep, AI-driven behavioural classification
• Neurologger for wireless brain activity monitoring in freely moving animals
• ZebraBox, ZebraLab and ZebraCube (Viewpoint) — the gold-standard platform for high-throughput zebrafish behaviour analysis and drug screening

Validated, publication-ready systems

Every instrument in our behavioural research category is designed and validated for scientific reproducibility. Ugo Basile EPM, EZM and water maze systems, TSE automated platforms and Viewpoint zebrafish systems have been cited in thousands of peer-reviewed publications across pharmacology, neurology, psychiatry, toxicology and cognitive neuroscience.

Expert support across Central and Eastern Europe

With over 21 years of experience and offices across Europe, Animalab provides not only equipment supply, but also technical support, installation, training, and after-sales service — ensuring your behavioural research lab is fully operational and publication-ready from day one.

📩 Request a quote or consultation for any behavioural research system via our online form, or contact our team of life science specialists directly.