Rodent Gait Analysis
Using Gait Analysis to Study Conditions Affecting the Central Nervous System
SDR Scientific supplies a variety of tools for researchers studying conditions that affect the central nervous system (CNS), peripheral nervous system (PNS) and skeletal structures or muscles. A significant part of this is the study of gait and locomotion in rodents.
Gait and locomotion can be affected in many disorders and disabilities and research in those areas depends on accurately assessing parameters from rodent models such as foot placement, body weight distribution, cadence, step sequence, velocity, and others. CatWalk XT from Noldus IT is suitable for any kind of experimental model or procedure that affects the locomotor ability of rodents.
CatWalk XT has been validated in research and experimental procedures for several neurological disorders and lesions. Examples include spinal cord and other nerve injuries, neuropathic pain, arthritis, stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, cerebellar ataxia, traumatic brain injury, peripheral nerve damage and more.
The CatWalk XT system provides a stress-free environment for the animal, with voluntary movement and motivation to achieve good throughput. Animals quickly learn to walk across the gait analysis corridor in a consistent manner, so it is easy to extract a significant amount of meaningful data from the run videos. It therefore comes as no surprise that CatWalk XT is the most cited tool for rodent gait analysis.
The software automatically detects each part of the animal that contacts the floor. These are typically the four paws but can also be the animal’s tail or abdomen. The Illuminated Footprints™ technology allows for an accurate distinction between the parts of the animal that contact the floor, and parts that do not.
The Illuminated Footprints technology even allows for assessment of how the animal’s body weight is distributed across the paws during locomotion. The Automatic Footprint Classification™ Module eliminates the need to classify each footprint manually.
CatWalk XT automatically classifies each footprint with high temporal and spatial resolution.
Based on the dimensions, position, dynamics, and pressure of each footfall, numerous parameters are calculated for qualitative and quantitative analysis of footfalls and gait. After data analysis, CatWalk XT generates parameter charts within the software. With these charts, you can keep track of how your experiment is going and how your final results will look, without the need for exporting your data.
CatWalk XT
CatWalk XT – Gait Analysis System
CatWalk XT is a complete gait analysis system for quantitative assessment of footfalls and locomotion in rats and mice. Why use it?
- Quantification of footprints and gait in unforced moving animals
- Accurate and objective data, validated in peer-reviewed research
- Illuminated Footprints: detection of real footprints and body weight distribution
CatWalk XT is the most cited tool for rodent gait analysis
Links to source webpages
Links to any resources
Bombeiro, A. L., Pereira, B. T. N., & de Oliveira, A. L. R. (2018). Granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor improves mouse peripheral nerve regeneration following sciatic nerve crush. European Journal of Neuroscience, 48(5), 2152-2164.
Moritz, M. S., Tepp, W. H., N’te Inzalaco, H., Johnson, E. A., & Pellett, S. (2019). Comparative functional analysis of mice after local injection with botulinum neurotoxin A1, A2, A6, and B1 by catwalk analysis. Toxicon, 167, 20-28.
Crowley, S. T., Kataoka, K., & Itaka, K. (2018). Combined CatWalk Index: an improved method to measure mouse motor function using the automated gait analysis system. BMC research notes, 11(1), 263.
From Noldus website