Motor Function in Rodent Models of Neurodegenerative Disorders

AbstractMotor dysfunction and behavior abnormalities are often present in neurological diseases and disorders. Rodent models of neurological diseases may display motor dysfunctions or behavior and cognitive deficits similar to human disease, but these are often difficult to measure and interpret. Nevertheless, tests of motor function and behavior are important tools for characterizing mouse models of diseases and for measuring motor function and cognitive deficits after treatment. In this chapter we will describe some of the most commonly-used tests of motor dysfunction, behavior, and cognition.KeywordsBehaviorMotor dysfunctionRotarodOpen fieldMorris water mazeBalance beamPaw printsNovel object recognition