Acquisition software: ACTITRACK

Introduction

ActiTrack controls data coming from up to 32 IR frames. It discriminates and analyses frequency and number of IR beam breaks to convert it in a track file that can be analysed later for generating reports. Thus ActiTrack provides much more integrated and precise data in terms of animal activity, position, displacements and rearings than those provided by the SEDACOM software.

Operating principle

The IR actimeter enclosure can be divided into zones of interest (up to 32) using the specific tools provided by Actitrack. Animal trajectories are acquired from real time beam breaks and stored enabling the user to analyze and re-analyse experiments with different zone configurations, associations (user-defined combination of zones) and parameters. Track can be replayed in real-time or by using an 'accelerated' (user-defined speed) or 'instantaneous' modes.

All data obtained by Actitrack is expressed in ASCII format and can be easily exported to a wide range of spreadsheets and statistics programs for further analysis. Actitrack can be installed in as many computers as required, and the user will be able to check data, generate reports, print out results and obtain charts for visual presentation.

Parameters Measured

• Travelled distance (and % ) into user-defined zones
• Max., min. and mean speed
• Time (and %) moving fast, slow and resting
• Permanence time (and %) into user-defined zones
• Number of Entrance into user-defined zones
• Number and mean duration of rearings
• Number of Clockwise and counter-Clockwise turns
• Track history analysis

Domains of application

• ANXIETY:
- The most prevalent of the psychiatric diseases
- Anxiety disorders

• LOCOMOTOR ACTIVITY AND EXPLORATION:
- Spontaneous activity
- Parkinson’s disease
- Huntington’s disease
- Hyperactivity syndrome


Key features

• Control up to 32 frames
• Provides integrated data (spatial position, pattern of displacement, rearings)
• User-adjustable thresholds for classifying activity into fast, slow and resting movements
• Allows track re-analysis with an unlimited number of user-defined zones
• Enables re-playing experiment using different threshold for movement speed definition
• Can be installed in as many computers as may be required for track analyses