Open Field

Species

Mouse

Fields of application

The Open Field is a simple tool for measuring locomotor activity and anxiety. Mice are placed into an arena with high walls. They naturally try to avoid brightly lit and open areas and have a tendency to be thigmotaxic. The time the mice stay close to the walls or centre region is measured.

The model can be used for the following fields of application:

  • Disease effects on anxiety or locomotor activity
  • Drug administration
  • Therapeutic efficacy
  • Proof of concept

Endpoints / outcome parameter

  • Measuring of anxiety-like behaviour
  • Locomotor activity

Readout parameter

  • Speed [m/sec]
  • Distance [cm]
  • Time spend in central/peripheral regions [sec or %]

Quality management and validation

  • Controls
  • Randomisation
  • Blinded data collection and analysis
  • Biometric expertise
  • Internal quality management
Open field set-up including a video tracking system (BioServe) to analyze locomotor activity and presence of the test animal within the open field arena.
© Fraunhofer IZI
Open field set-up including a video tracking system (BioServe) to analyze locomotor activity and presence of the test animal within the open field arena.