Communications Biology (Jul 2024)
RECORD, a high-throughput, customizable system that unveils behavioral strategies leveraged by rodents during foraging-like decision-making
- Raquel J. Ibáñez Alcalá,
- Dirk W. Beck,
- Alexis A. Salcido,
- Luis D. Davila,
- Atanu Giri,
- Cory N. Heaton,
- Kryssia Villarreal Rodriguez,
- Lara I. Rakocevic,
- Safa B. Hossain,
- Neftali F. Reyes,
- Serina A. Batson,
- Andrea Y. Macias,
- Sabrina M. Drammis,
- Kenichiro Negishi,
- Qingyang Zhang,
- Shreeya Umashankar Beck,
- Paulina Vara,
- Arnav Joshi,
- Austin J. Franco,
- Bianca J. Hernandez Carbajal,
- Miguel M. Ordonez,
- Felix Y. Ramirez,
- Jonathan D. Lopez,
- Nayeli Lozano,
- Abigail Ramirez,
- Linnete Legaspy,
- Paulina L. Cruz,
- Abril A. Armenta,
- Stephanie N. Viel,
- Jessica I. Aguirre,
- Odalys Quintanar,
- Fernanda Medina,
- Pablo M. Ordonez,
- Alfonzo E. Munoz,
- Gustavo E. Martínez Gaudier,
- Gabriela M. Naime,
- Rosalie E. Powers,
- Laura E. O’Dell,
- Travis M. Moschak,
- Ki A. Goosens,
- Alexander Friedman
Affiliations
- Raquel J. Ibáñez Alcalá
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Dirk W. Beck
- Computational Science Program, University of Texas at El Paso
- Alexis A. Salcido
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Luis D. Davila
- Computational Science Program, University of Texas at El Paso
- Atanu Giri
- Computational Science Program, University of Texas at El Paso
- Cory N. Heaton
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Kryssia Villarreal Rodriguez
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Lara I. Rakocevic
- Computational Science Program, University of Texas at El Paso
- Safa B. Hossain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Neftali F. Reyes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Serina A. Batson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Andrea Y. Macias
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Sabrina M. Drammis
- Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Kenichiro Negishi
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Qingyang Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School
- Shreeya Umashankar Beck
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Paulina Vara
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Arnav Joshi
- Computational Science Program, University of Texas at El Paso
- Austin J. Franco
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Bianca J. Hernandez Carbajal
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Miguel M. Ordonez
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Felix Y. Ramirez
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Jonathan D. Lopez
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Nayeli Lozano
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Abigail Ramirez
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Linnete Legaspy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Paulina L. Cruz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Abril A. Armenta
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Stephanie N. Viel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Jessica I. Aguirre
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Odalys Quintanar
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Fernanda Medina
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Pablo M. Ordonez
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Alfonzo E. Munoz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Gustavo E. Martínez Gaudier
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Gabriela M. Naime
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Rosalie E. Powers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Laura E. O’Dell
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at El Paso
- Travis M. Moschak
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- Ki A. Goosens
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Alexander Friedman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06489-8
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 7,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 35
Abstract
Abstract Translational studies benefit from experimental designs where laboratory organisms use human-relevant behaviors. One such behavior is decision-making, however studying complex decision-making in rodents is labor-intensive and typically restricted to two levels of cost/reward. We design a fully automated, inexpensive, high-throughput framework to study decision-making across multiple levels of rewards and costs: the REward-COst in Rodent Decision-making (RECORD) system. RECORD integrates three components: 1) 3D-printed arenas, 2) custom electronic hardware, and 3) software. We validated four behavioral protocols without employing any food or water restriction, highlighting the versatility of our system. RECORD data exposes heterogeneity in decision-making both within and across individuals that is quantifiably constrained. Using oxycodone self-administration and alcohol-consumption as test cases, we reveal how analytic approaches that incorporate behavioral heterogeneity are sensitive to detecting perturbations in decision-making. RECORD is a powerful approach to studying decision-making in rodents, with features that facilitate translational studies of decision-making in psychiatric disorders.
