Thermal Place Preference (TPP Test) for Mice & Rats

Features

• Two-environment temperature test
• Unrestrained animals
• Based on validated standard Ugo Basile devices
• Optional Videotracking System for automatic scoring and behavioral tracking
• Versatile device

Benefits

• Easily monitor thermal place preference and nociceptive thresholds
• less stress for the animal, less user errors, integrated learned responses to thermal painful and non-painful stimuli
• Can be used as independent Hot/Cold Plate Device and Auxiliary Hot Plate
• Bias-free reproducible data
• Allows flexibility of tests and methods

Application of thermal place preference system

Both heat and cold evoke thermosensation, which, if of sufficient intensity, may elicit feelings of pain. Thermosensation is an essential sensory function that is subserved by a variety of transducer molecules.

Well-established methods are available to measure thermal and mechanical sensitivity in awake behaving rodents, however, they require experimenter manipulations and tend to emphasize reflexive behaviors.

The TPP (or 2-choice temperature test), is a thermal sensitivity assessment tool designed to emphasize integrated learned responses to thermal painful and non-painful stimuli that are applied dynamically to a surface on which the animal is standing. It documents escape behaviour in awake, unrestrained animals to innocuous and noxious heating of the floor where the animal is located. Animals learn to minimize pain by escaping to the opposite non-heated side; escape latency can be recorded automatically. (from 2005 Baliki et al, Molecular Pain 2005, 1:18 doi:10.1186/1744-8069-1-18)

Detailed information on UGO BASILE website.