Sweiss et al. (2016)
- Integration of motor co-ordination tasks and anxiety-like behavior is important to asses brain injury in rodents that impact performance on both the tasks
- Sweiss et al. (2016) propose modified walking beam to achieve the integration of these two tasks
- modified beam-walking (MBW) apparatus has an added platform to support a darkened safe box
- Safe box made with semicircular opening of approximately 15 cm diameter for rodent to enter easily
- Safe-box is painted black to mimic enclosed arms of Elevated plus maze
- rat is placed on the end of the beam opposite the safe box to measure motor latency to cross the beam – motor task performance
- After beam crossing the rat is left in the safe box for 5 min – Anxiety testing