Ugo Basile

Fear conditioning system

Code 46000

Fear conditioning is one of the most common methods to measure memory in rodents. It exploits the Pavlovian association between an unpleasant unconditioned stimulus (shock) to a conditioned neutral stimulus (sound cue). The reaction of rodents, as predated animals, is to freeze (stay immobile) when exposed to fearful situations, such as a shock.

Once the association has happened and the animal has memorized it, freezing will happen also when the sound is presented without shock. This is the principle of Fear Conditioning, which is also coupled to the change of the change context (appearance) to ensure that the animal is reacting to the association to the sound and not to the environment (cued and contextual fear conditioning).

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Features

Background of fear conditioning experiments

  • Fear conditioning is one of the most common methods to measure memory in rodents
  • It exploits the Pavlovian association between an unpleasant unconditioned stimulus (shock) to a conditioned neutral stimulus (sound cue or context)
  • The reaction of rodents, as predated animals, is to freeze (stay immobile) when exposed to fearful situations, such as a shock
  • The ratio between the freezing with and without shock gives a measure of the memorization of the event and hence allows for a fast memory screening

Easy control, easy set up, easy expansion of Fear conditioning system

The Ugo Basile fear conditioning system comes complete with:

  • Visible and IR lights
  • Ventilated isolation cubicle
  • Shocker and electrified cage
  • High intensity speaker for frequency and white noise sounds
  • IR camera, cables and lenses
  • Color-coded easy connections with the onboard electronics
  • Seamless to be expanded from 1 to 4 or more units for high throughput
  • Detection of the Freezing is automated through Any-maze or any other software, as well as the control of lights, sounds, shocker, etc.

Features&benefits of Fear conditioning system from UGO Basile

  • One USB cable connection: seamless installation and connection to PC
  • Miniaturized USB-IR camera with 2 lenses (normal and fish-eye): camera mounted on the ceiling and working in any light conditioning and with any cage dimension
  • Interchangeable contexts: easy to mount on the walls with different patterns
  • IR and visible illumination: experiments can be run in light or darkness, also as a tool to alter the context
  • Same software controls devices and analyses freezing: fast learning curve in building protocols and automatic detection of freezing
  • Version for tethered animals: compatible with optogenetics and electrophysiology
  • Multiple cage dimensions: most suitable dimension for rats or mice
Components
Standard system components
  • 46001 Fear conditioning unit
  • 46000-596 Sound attenuating cubicle: inside dimensions wide 48.5 x deep 38.5 x hight 48.5 cm
  • 46000-325 Dual visible/I.R. light
  • 46000-165 Speaker
  • 46000-105 Controller on-board
  • 47400-035 USB camera
  • Cables and power supply
Extend system with following add-ons
  • 60000 ANY-maze software
  • 46001-2 Bundle of 2 Fear conditioning units
  • 46001-3 Bundle of 3 Fear conditioning units
  • 46001-4 Bundle of 4 Fear conditioning units
  • 46002 Rat cage, inside dimensions 26 x 26 x height 30 cm
  • 46002-D03 Mouse XL cage, inside dimensions 26 x 26 x height 30 cm, with mouse floor
  • 46003 Mouse cage, inside dimensions 17 x 17 x height 25 cm
  • 46003-D03 Mouse cage with front door
  • 46004-D03 Mouse cage XL for fear conditioning
  • 46005 Fear conditioning cage for observational learning
Models
Product name
46001- 4  Fear conditioning with mouse cage (vertical, hinded front door)
46002  Fear conditioning with mouse cage
46003  Fear conditioning with rat cage
46004  Fear conditioning with mouse XL cage
46005  Fear conditioning cage for observational learning
46003-D03  Fear conditioning cage for tethered mice
46003-D03  Fear conditioning cage for tethered rats
46004-D03  Fear conditioning cage for tethered rats XL