Analysis of Rodent Grooming and Its Microstructure in Modern Neurobiological Studies

Grooming is a complex innate animal behavior that can serveas a marker of physiological state of rodents under stress. Here,we analyze the impact of various experimental factors, includinggenetic, pharmacological and physiological, on self-grooming behaviorof laboratory mice and rats. Analyses of grooming behavior assessnot only the number and duration of its bouts but also its microstructure,i.e. frequency, sequence, localization, and consistency. Rodentgrooming and its microstructure can serve as a sensitive markerfor changes in the brain, its response to stress, and predispositionto pathological conditions simulating such human mental disordersas obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism and depression. Studyingrodent self-grooming microstructure can provide valuable informationabout the mechanisms of brain pathogenesis, having multiple translationalimplications for neuroscience research.