Prepulse inhibition of startle reflex test (PPI)

Description

Prepulse Inhibition (PPI) paradigm is commonly used to evaluate sensorimotor gating as well as attentional processes involved in information selection processing.

The startle response is a brainstem reflex elicited by an unexpected acoustic or tactile stimulus. In the prepulse inhibition test, sensorimotor gating is assessed by evaluating the characteristics of the innate reduction of the startle reflex induced by a weak prestimulus.

This test measures pre-attentive processes that operate outside of conscious awareness and is widely used in animal models of diseases marked by an inability to inhibit, or "gate" irrelevant information in sensory, motor, or cognitive domains.

Startle/ppi box (Panlab) - (n) subjects

The system is composed of a chamber & accessories, a holder and a software. The standard configuration uses acoustic stimuli for startle reflex induction.

(n) x LE116 chamber & isolation box (1 per subject)
(n) x LE111 Load cell control unit (1 per box)
1 x LE1188 stimuli & interface control unit (for up to 8 boxes)
(n) x LE117R or LE117M (recommended holders for normal adult rat or mouse respectively. Other size are available)
1 x PACKWIN V2.0 - Software platform for up to 8 boxes
1 x PACKWINCSST - PACKWIN experimental module for startle studies

Additional option for tactile stimuli (the source of air and regulators are not included).

(n) x LE119 Air-puff unit (1 per box)

Reasons for choosing this test

Reproduces the same paradigm used in humans to detect attentional and sensorimotor gating disorders
Objective measurement: automated detection of startle reflex
Sensitive for both rats and mice

Reasons for not choosing this test

Restraint conditions (habituation phase needed)
Influenced by non-specific effects on sensorimotor gating

Related human disease/applications

Drug screening
Phenotyping
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Schizophrenia

Research areas

Attention and Impulsivity

Panlab | Harvard Apparatus