Excellence Strategy "Science of Intelligence": Big Mouse Data – Designing “natural” tasks from a mouse-centric perspective

Funded by: DFG

Funding period: 2022 - 2025

Project website:

External Link:https://www.scienceofintelligence.de/

External Link:https://www.scienceofintelligence.de/research/researchprojects/project_40/

To provide mice with the most natural housing conditions possible in laboratory experiments a novel cage system was developed. This allows large social groups of mice to be kept in a complex environment under controlled conditions. A combination of cameras, ultrasonic microphones and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) antennas offers the possibility to extensively record the behavior of the animals. Based on these observations, a test is being developed for the mice that reflects their natural behavior and focuses on the perspective of the mice. It is assumed that such a test can measure the cognitive performance of the animals better than conventional behavioral tests.

The housing system used represents a suitable alternative to standard housing cage (refinement).