Black and white box test

Description

The Black and white test (also named light-dark test) is based on the conflict of natural tendencies of rodents to avoid lighted and open areas and to explore novel environments.

The apparatus contains a white opened compartment and a small enclosed black compartment. Relative time spent in exploring each compartment indicates the anxiety level of the animal: avoidance of the brightly lit area is considered reflecting “anxiety-like” behaviors. When treated with anxiolytic drugs, rodents spend more time in this area, an effect purportedly due to a decrease in anxiety.

DARK LIGHT BOX – PPCWIN (Panlab)

DARK LIGHT BOX – SMART VIDEO TRACKING (Panlab)

TRUSCAN (Coulbourn)

Tru Scan system
Dark light box accesories

Reasons for choosing this test

Exploration-based conflict task
Based on innate behavioral tendencies (ethological test)
Light versus dark compartment choice
Widely used in literature
Simple to set up and use
Short-lasting experiment (no more than 5-10 min)
Sensitive for both rats and mice

Reasons for not choosing this test

Repeated exposition induces habituation
Influenced by a host of variables
Needs intact locomotor performances
Difficult to dissociate impaired locomotor activity from anxiety-induced suppression of exploration

Related human disease/applications

Anxiety
Drugs screening
Phenotyping

Panlab | Harvard Apparatus