biostudies-literatureUnknownMiyagishima KJIntramural NIH HHSThe optomotor reflex (OMR) provides a behavioral assessment of an animal's contrast sensitivity and visual acuity. Mice or rats are typically placed directly onto a small circular platform by hand; however, handling animals like this can stimulate stress and anxiety, which introduce confounding factors when interpreting data. It has been shown that non-aversive handling methods, such as picking up mice or rats in a familiar tunnel/tube, can reduce anxiety. This is of particular interest in studies where animals display heightened stress, overactivity, or motor dysfunction, resulting in an inability to stay on the platform. A team led by Drs. Kiyoharu J. Miyagishima and Francisco M. Nadal-Nicolás have redesigned the conventional OMR platform to provide semi-closed containment. This makes it possible for the first time to record the optomotor reflex in the 13-lined ground squirrel, which is one of the few mammals that can see color. It has a visual streak with a high density of cones similar to the human macula providing an attractive model for studying effects on the cone visual system.Journal of visualized experiments : JoVEhttps://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12403201biostudies-literatureNon-aversive Animal Restraint Enabling Recording of Optomotor Reflex in Ground Squirrels.PMC12403201Z99 EY999999Ball JMBenkner BLi WNadal-Nicolas FMMiyagishima KJMunch TfalseNon-aversive Animal Restraint Enabling Recording of Optomotor Reflex in Ground Squirrels.The optomotor reflex (OMR) provides a behavioral assessment of an animal's contrast sensitivity and visual acuity. Mice or rats are typically placed directly onto a small circular platform by hand; however, handling animals like this can stimulate stress and anxiety, which introduce confounding factors when interpreting data. It has been shown that non-aversive handling methods, such as picking up mice or rats in a familiar tunnel/tube, can reduce anxiety. This is of particular interest in studies where animals display heightened stress, overactivity, or motor dysfunction, resulting in an inability to stay on the platform. A team led by Drs. Kiyoharu J. Miyagishima and Francisco M. Nadal-Nicolás have redesigned the conventional OMR platform to provide semi-closed containment. This makes it possible for the first time to record the optomotor reflex in the 13-lined ground squirrel, which is one of the few mammals that can see color. It has a visual streak with a high density of cones similar to the human macula providing an attractive model for studying effects on the cone visual system.2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Jul2026-04-08T15:50:29.633Z2026-04-08T05:37:37.083ZS-EPMC124032014078886310.3791/68335