Display options
Cite
Zaretsky DV, Kline H, Zaretskaia MV, et al. Automatic analysis of treadmill running to estimate times to fatigue and exhaustion in rodents. PeerJ. 2018;6:e5017doi: 10.7717/peerj.5017.
Zaretsky, D. V., Kline, H., Zaretskaia, M. V., & Rusyniak, D. E. (2018). Automatic analysis of treadmill running to estimate times to fatigue and exhaustion in rodents. PeerJ, 6e5017. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5017
Zaretsky, Dmitry V, et al. "Automatic analysis of treadmill running to estimate times to fatigue and exhaustion in rodents." PeerJ vol. 6 (2018): e5017. doi: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5017
Zaretsky DV, Kline H, Zaretskaia MV, Rusyniak DE. Automatic analysis of treadmill running to estimate times to fatigue and exhaustion in rodents. PeerJ. 2018 Jul 06;6:e5017. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5017. eCollection 2018. PMID: 30002953; PMCID: PMC6037152.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

PeerJ. 2018 Jul 06;6:e5017. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5017. eCollection 2018.

Automatic analysis of treadmill running to estimate times to fatigue and exhaustion in rodents.

PeerJ

Dmitry V Zaretsky, Hannah Kline, Maria V Zaretskaia, Daniel E Rusyniak

Affiliations

  1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
  2. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.

PMID: 30002953 PMCID: PMC6037152 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5017

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The determination of fatigue and exhaustion in experimental animals is complicated by the subjective nature of the measurement. Typically, it requires an observer to watch exercising animals, e.g. rats running on the treadmill, and to identify the time of the event. In this study, we hypothesized that automatic analysis of the time-averaged position of a rat on a treadmill could be an objective way for estimating times to fatigue and exhaustion. To test this hypothesis, we compared these times measured by a human observer to the results of an automated video tracking system.

METHODS: Rats, previously familiarized to running on the treadmill, ran at a fixed speed with zero incline, until exhaustion. The experiments were performed at either room temperature (24 °C) or in a hot environment (32 °C). Each experiment was video recorded. A trained observer estimated the times to fatigue and exhaustion. Then, video tracking software was used to determine the position of the animals on the treadmill belt. The times to fatigue and exhaustion were determined, based on the position on the treadmill using predefined criteria.

RESULTS: Manual scores and the average position on the treadmill had significant correlation. Both the observer and the automated video tracking determined that exercise in a hot environment, compared with the exercise at room temperature, results in shorter times to exhaustion and fatigue. Also, estimates of times made by the observer and the automated video tracking were not statistically different from each other.

DISCUSSION: A similarity between the estimates of times to fatigue and exhaustion made by the observer and the automated technique suggests that video tracking of rodents running on a treadmill can be used to determine both parameters in experimental studies. Video tracking technique allows for a more objective measure and would allow for an increased performance in experimentation. The Supplemental information to this manuscript contains an Excel file, which includes the code in Virtual Basic with freeware license, to process and visualize running data and automatically estimate the times to fatigue and exhaustion. Instructions for the software are also included.

Keywords: Exercise; Exhaustion; Fatigue; Treadmill; Video tracking

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare there are no competing interests.

References

  1. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2004 Jun;78(2):255-61 - PubMed
  2. PLoS One. 2016 May 23;11(5):e0155919 - PubMed
  3. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1998 Mar;84(3):877-83 - PubMed
  4. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2015 Jul 03;13:96 - PubMed
  5. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2004 Mar;75(3 Suppl):A44-53; discussion A54-60 - PubMed
  6. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2014 Jul;53(7):1274-81 - PubMed
  7. Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2016 Feb;20:64-70 - PubMed
  8. Curr Opin Psychol. 2015 Oct 1;5:31-36 - PubMed
  9. Jpn J Physiol. 1988;38(2):167-77 - PubMed
  10. Autoimmun Rev. 2016 Mar;15(3):210-20 - PubMed
  11. Support Care Cancer. 2015 Aug;23(8):2461-78 - PubMed
  12. Brain Res. 2015 May 22;1608:75-81 - PubMed
  13. J Physiol. 2008 Jan 1;586(1):141-9 - PubMed
  14. Temperature (Austin). 2016 Jun 17;3(4):509-511 - PubMed
  15. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1989 Apr;66(4):1620-5 - PubMed
  16. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2000 Aug;89(2):799-806 - PubMed
  17. Neuroreport. 2009 May 27;20(8):804-8 - PubMed
  18. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013 Jul 2;62(1):68-77 - PubMed
  19. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2015 Dec 15;119(12):1400-10 - PubMed
  20. Health Psychol Behav Med. 2015;3(1):82-93 - PubMed
  21. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2015 May;86(5):481-5 - PubMed
  22. Support Care Cancer. 2008 Mar;16(3):241-9 - PubMed

Publication Types