Open Field

The Open Field task is a simple sensorimotor test used to determine general activity levels, gross locomotor activity, and exploration habits in rodent models of CNS disorders. Assessment takes place in a square, white Plexiglas box. The animal is placed in the arena and allowed to freely move about for 10 minutes while being recorded by an overhead camera. The footage is then analyzed by an automated tracking system for the following parameters: distance moved, velocity, and time spent in pre-defined zones. The Open Field test is useful for phenotyping transgenic strains of mice and evaluating the effect of novel chemical entities on general activity.