Association of alcohol consumption with brain volume in the Framingham study.

Background: While adults who drink low to moderate amounts of alcohol have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than other adults, the effect of alcohol on the brain is less clear. There is evidence that drinking large amounts of alcohol is related to brain atrophy. It is uncertain what the effects of low to moderate consumption might be.

The nissl stain: a stain for cell bodies in brain sections.

INTRODUCTIONThe Nissl stain is used widely in many research labs to examine the overall morphology of the brain. It is often used to verify the location of a lesion or an electrode.

Subbing slides.

INTRODUCTIONWhen mounting sections on a slide, it is essential that the slide be ultraclean. To ensure that the section sticks to the slide, slides can be covered with a thin layer of gelatin. The process of cleaning and gelatin-coating is called "subbing.

Dissection of rat brains.

INTRODUCTIONIn this protocol, the perfused brain of a rat is separated from the surrounding tissue and post-fixed in a formalin/sucrose solution in preparation for freezing and sectioning. Dissection should be done as soon as possible after perfusion to prevent desiccation of the brain. This procedure can also be used to dissect fresh (non-perfused) brains, for example, for Golgi-Cox stain or neurochemical assays.

Perfusion of brain tissues with fixative.

INTRODUCTIONIn many experiments it is necessary to section the brain to determine the location of a treatment (lesion or electrode) or to look at the histology of the brain using various staining techniques. Because the texture of the brain is so soft (often likened to soft cheese), it must be "fixed" before it can be removed from the skull. A fixative is a chemical that cross-links the molecules of the tissue, rendering it hard and preserving the tissue.

Sectioning of brain tissues.

INTRODUCTIONA fixed brain, although harder than the brain in its natural state, is still not hard enough to cut into very thin slices. To make uniform, thin sections, the brain must be frozen. A wide variety of sectioning devices are available, each with their own requirements.

IFEL TOUR: A Description of the Introduction to FUN Electrophysiology Labs Workshop at Bowdoin College, July 27-30, and the Resultant Faculty Learning Community.

The workshop "Introduction to FUN Electrophysiology Labs" was organized by Patsy Dickinson (Bowdoin College), Steve Hauptman (Bowdoin College), Bruce Johnson (Cornell University), and Carol Ann Paul (Wellesley College). It took place July 27-30 2006 at Bowdoin College. There were fifteen participants, most of whom were junior faculty at college and universities around the country.

Observational methods used to assess rat behavior: general principles.

INTRODUCTIONThe behavioral approach to solving neuroscience questions, unlike cellular and molecular approaches, is difficult to define and is therefore sometimes considered a less-disciplined approach. Methods describing behavioral procedures are often thought to be crude when compared to the precision of physiological or molecular methods. This apparent lack of precision results from the problems inherent in the study of behavior--deciding what to measure among the large number of variables, understanding that behavior is the final output of a vast array of neurochemical and electrophysiological changes, designing reproducible experiments that have appropriate controls, and most importantly, interpreting results.

Observational methods used to assess rat behavior: behavioral patterns.

INTRODUCTIONThis protocol describes a method for quantifying observation of normal rat behaviors in a controlled environment and in a defined area. It is necessary to have precise definitions of the behaviors to be quantified and a reliable procedure for quantifying them. The observation room should be quiet, and it should be equipped for light or dark observations (rats cannot see red light so dark observations can be made using a red light).

Observational methods used to assess rat behavior: general activity.

INTRODUCTIONThe activity-inactivity continuum is an important parameter of behavior, and quantification of overall locomotor activity in the rat should identify it as a naturally nocturnal animal. Disruptions in nocturnal activity can be caused by damage in visual inputs to the brain or damage in the hypothalamus. Many commercial devices are available to measure activity automatically; some can be integrated with a computer to allow overnight monitoring in the absence of an observer.

Observational methods used to assess rat behavior: neurological testing.

INTRODUCTIONThe rat is the most frequently used animal for behavioral experiments, and several methods can be used to assess behavioral changes that result from modifications to its nervous system. Objective neurological tests can be used to establish a "behavioral baseline" for a normal animal, and to study the effects of drugs or a lesion on behavior. Neurological tests should be administered much like a doctor would administer a battery of tests after a trauma, with objective observation, precise documentation, and repeated measurements by the same experimenter.

Testing spatial and nonspatial learning using a morris water maze.

INTRODUCTIONAnimal studies of memory have used many different types of mazes and tasks, where the animal is required to learn the demands of the test and then perform correctly until a predetermined performance criterion is reached. Traditional studies have relied on water or food deprivation to motivate the animal to do the test using food or water rewards. In 1984, Richard Morris introduced the water maze.

Exploring neurogenesis in crustaceans.

Plasticity, learning and memory, and neurological disease are exciting topics for students. Discussion around these subjects often results in the consideration of the role of neurogenesis in development, or its involvement in a potential cure for some diseases. We have therefore designed a lab that allows students to experimentally examine how the rate of neurogenesis can be altered by environmental factors.