Actophotometer
Photocell-based locomotor activity screening apparatus — principle, procedure, drug-class applications, limitations, and the AI / home-cage paradigm shift.
Past RGUHS + DNB + MPMSU · 16
RGUHSJun '24
DNBOct '24
MPMSU2022
DNBJun '22
RGUHSJul '21
MPMSUAug '21
RGUHSJun '20
MPMSUJul '20
RGUHSMay '18
MPMSUMay '18
RGUHSNov '17
MPMSU2016
RGUHSMay '11
RGUHSMay '11
RGUHSMay '09
RGUHSApr '06
Introduction
- Definition — The actophotometer (Indian-PG / CPCSEA colloquial term) is an automated photocell-based locomotor activity meter — a chamber instrumented with an infra-red (IR) photocell array whose light-beams the rodent interrupts as it moves; each interruption is electronically counted as one activity event.
- Textbook synonyms — Vogel / SK Gupta call the same class of device photocell activity cage, activity monitor, open-field photocell apparatus, photocell beam system; the word "actophotometer" itself does not appear verbatim in Vogel 4e, SK Gupta or Medhi — synonymous coverage only.
- Why it matters — First-line objective tool for CNS drug screening — captures gross direction of effect (depressant ↓, stimulant ↑, neutral), generates dose–response curves, and feeds into a battery that downstream tests refine.
- Etymology — acto- (movement) + photo- (light) + -meter (measurement) → a device that uses light-beam interruption to quantitate spontaneous motor activity (locomotion, rearing, sniffing, grooming).
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Actophotometer
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