Social Interaction Tests

Social Interaction Tests

Five-Trial Social Memory Test

The Five-Trial Social Memory test assesses cognition, namely the ability to recognize novel versus familiar animals, in rodent models of CNS disorders. Over the course of multiple exposures, rodents will become habituated to intruders and no longer find them as interesting as a completely novel intruder.


Olfactory Habituation and Dishabituation

This experiment measures olfaction, memory, and social interest. Mice are first presented with three non social odor cues. Each odor is given three times in three consecutive trials. Mice should become habituated to a familiar smell, and spend less time investigating the smell over each trial if they have normal olfaction and memory. 


Three-Chamber Sociability and Social Novelty Test

The Three-Chamber test assesses cognition in the form of general sociability and interest in social novelty in rodent models of CNS disorders. Rodents normally prefer to spend more time with another rodent (sociability) and will investigate a novel intruder more so than a familiar one (social novelty). Based on these inclinations, the Three Chamber Test can help identify rodents with deficits in sociability and/or social novelty.


Tube Dominance Test

The Tube Dominance test assesses cognition in rodent models of CNS disorders, particularly social dominance through the measurement of aggression. Subjects of different genotypes are released into opposite ends of a clear, narrow tube. The animals interact in the middle of the tube; the more dominant animal will show greater aggression and force its opponent out of the tube. When one animal has all four paws out of the tube, it is declared the loser while the animal remaining inside the tube is the winner, ending the match. 


Two-Trial Social Memory Test

The Two-Trial Social Memory test assesses cognition, namely the ability to recognize novel versus familiar animals, in rodent models of CNS disorders. Over the course of multiple exposures, rodents will become habituated to an intruder and no longer find them as interesting as a completely novel intruder.


Ultrasonic Vocalization Test

Rodent communication includes calls in the ultrasonic range. Mice pups will start emitting ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) shortly after birth. These calls elicit pup retrieval by the dam, maternal licking, and crouching behavior.