Overground locomotion in intact rats: contact electrode recording

Abstract

The aim of the experiments was to check the validity of the method of contact electrodes for studying overground locomotion in the rat. The basic indices of locomotion, obtained in 7 intact rats with at least 100 steps recorded in each, were analysed and compared with those described by other authors using different methods of movement recording. It was found that the method of contact electrodes gives reproducible and reliable results and may thus be used in further experiments of rat locomotion after CNS lesions.