Observational batteries and motor activity.

There is a critical need for methods to rapidly assess the potential of new and existing chemicals for producing behavioral and/or neurological dysfunction. Two tests, a functional observational battery (FOB) and motor activity, have been used to screen compounds for neurobehavioral effects. An FOB includes evaluations of toxicant-treated animals in the home-cage as well as through direct experimenter intervention. In order to be useful, an FOB needs to be standardized, evaluated for its ability to detect known states of intoxication, and streamlined so as to be both maximally efficient and predictive. Automated measures of motor activity have been used extensively to evaluate a wide range of chemicals. A chemical's effect on motor activity may differ depending on the types of motor activity affected by the chemical as well as the types of responses the motor activity device records. Recent developments designed to enhance sensitivity and the yield of data collected in motor activity experiments are also described.