Chapter 4 Assessment of Movement Disorders in Rodents
H.A. Jinnah, Ellen J. Hess
Departments of Neurology and Pharmacology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
Abstract
The subspecialty field of movement disorders encompasses a number of very distinct motor
syndromes including tremor, parkinsonism, choreoathetosis, dystonia, ataxia, tics, and
myoclonus. In general, these syndromes are defined by clinical criteria rather than neuroimaging
or laboratory diagnostic testing. Detailed assessments of abnormal motor syndromes in rodents is
a challenging but necessary task facing many investigators interested in elucidating pathogenesis
and discovering new treatments for movement disorders. There are currently a large number of
tests for motor function, as well as several strategies for selecting the most appropriate tests for
specific purposes. The development of more refined techniques for discriminating among the
many different types of movement disorders is still needed. In addition to increasing numbers of
rodent models, there has also been a proliferation of behavioral tests for assessing abnormal
motor behavior. In this chapter, we review several basic concepts regarding animal modeling,
some of the most commonly employed tests of motor function, and general strategies for
selecting the most appropriate tests for specific purposes.