Firma:              Ugo Basile

Modell:            Shuttle Box

Kommentar:    Dokumente engl.

7530 - Automatic Reflex Conditioner

This fully automated apparatus is designed to study conditioned reflexes (avoidance reaction) in rats and mice. Two types of cages are available, 7532 designed for rats and 7533 for mice. Each cage is provided with acoustic and visual stimulators, which supply conditioning stimuli. The "reinforcement" consists of an electrical stimulus applied to the floor bars of the cage by a special "static scrambler" circuit. Trial by trial digital and analogic graphics is provided by a microcontrolled circuit. The direct connection to the PC of a single 7530 is feasible, via a RS 232 port. Win-DAS Data Acquisition software is required.

General

The new model of Ugo Basile Automatic Reflex Conditioner Cat. 7530 has been designed to enable the researcher to perform a wide range of avoidance experiments, each according to a flexi­ble schedulä, namely the Shuttle-box classical test in its vari­ous modest multiple crossing, conflict, timing evaluation, etc.

The 7530 consists of a programming-recording unit (Cat. 7531) and a cage divided into two sections by a partition with an in­tercommunicating door at floor level.

Two types of cages are available, 7503 designed for mice and 7502 designed for rats. The cages are provided with acoustic and visual stimulators, which supply conditioning stimuli.

The Operator can switch on either the visual or acoustic sti-inula­tor, or both, at will.

The reinforcement consists of an electrical stimulus applied to the floor bars of the cage by a special "scrambler" circuit.

The Programming circuits supply the stimuli, the magnitude, rate and duration of which can be varied, while the recording section of Cat. 7531 records the animal responses in several selectable analog and digital formats.

A PRESETTING COUNTER presets the desired number of trials. The trials can be adjusted on what concern acoustic/visual stimulus, delay, shock intensity, inter-trial pause duration.

When the animal passes throtigh the door, the floor of the cage tilts, thus operating a reell contact/magnet arrangement which Cuts out all the stimuli or, if the crossing takes place during the pause, records the intertrial crossing.

The recording, both analog and digital, discriminates between re­sponses caused by acoustic and/or visual stimuli (CONDITIONED RE­FLEXES) and those requiring an electrical stimulus as well (REI­NFORCEMENTS).