Gianna A Jordan, Abhilasha Vishwanath, Gabriel Holguin, Mitchell J Bartlett, Andrew K Tapia, Gabriel M Winter, Morgan R Sexauer, Carolyn J Stopera, Torsten Falk, Stephen L Cowen
BACKGROUND: Reaching, grasping, and pulling behaviors are studied across species to investigate motor control and problem solving. String pulling is a distinct reaching and grasping behavior that is rapidly learned, requires bimanual coordination, is ethologically grounded, and has been applied across species and disease conditions. NEW METHOD: Here we describe the PANDA system (Pulling And Neural Data Analysis), a hardware and software system that integrates a continuous string loop connected to a rotary encoder, feeder, microcontroller, high-speed camera, and analysis software for the assessment and training of reaching, grasping, and pulling behaviors and synchronization with neural data...
October 20, 2023: Journal of Neuroscience Methods