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Animal
Mouse, Rat

Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer - For Automated Mechanical Stimulation and Allodynia

Product Code:37550

Touch sensitivity is traditionally tested with Von Frey filaments, which is a tedious and experimenter-dependent assay.

The Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer is a unique system, which fully automates the amount of force applied by an electromagnetic, silent motor exerting from 0 to 100 grams at a rate adjustable from 0 to 50 seconds.

When the animal responds, by withdrawing its paw, the device automatically scores the time and the force at which the response occurred and the data can be stored or exported in CSV format.

One model for Mice or Rats in modular enclosures (up to 6 rats or 12 mice)

Model
Optional
An extended warranty can be added for most Ugo Basile products. You can find this information in the ordering information section of each product.
To learn more about the extended warranty, CLICK HERE

Background

  • Von Frey filaments are still a productive way to evaluate behavioral responses of neuropathic pain in preclinical and clinical research.
  • However, Von Frey tests are time consuming and subject to experimenter bias, and for this reason Ugo Basile developed a fully automated instrument
  • Moreover, the application of the force is always perpendicular, with a preset amount of grams and at a predefined rate
  • The Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer has been used in a variety of applications in nerve injury, from partial sciatic nerve ligation (PNL, to chronic constriction injury (CCI) and spinal nerve ligation (SNL) to screen phenotypes and drugs to treat allodynia and hyperalgesia

System components and main features

The Ugo Basile system comes complete with:

  • A movable touch stimulator with standardized filament and angled mirror to facilitate paw targeting
  • A touch-screen based electronic unit, which controls all the setting parameters, collects data and saves into USB stick for seamless export into CSV, Excel-compatible format
  • A large testing grid surface with 5x5 mm square holes
  • A modular set of animal enclosures to hold up to 6 rats and 12 mice

Additional features include:

  • TTL outputs for start and stop
  • Automatic or manual detection of paw withdrawal
  • Analogue output is also available
  • Filament approaching curve can be adjusted to provide a smoother or lighter first contact with the animal paw, before the force application ramp starts

 

 

FeatureBenefit

Fully automated force and force rate application

Higher throughput and improved accuracy

Automated scoring of paw withdrawal

Higher throughput and improved accuracy, thanks to decrease in experimenter bias

Large force range (0,5-100 grams)

Flexibility for performing many types of experiments from severe allodynia to hyperalgesia

Touch force and touch pause can be adjusted

The way the probe approaches the paw can be changed, depending on paw sensitivity

Touch screen and multiple data output (internal storage and CSV export)

Data can be quickly saved in the electronic unit or on the USB stick for CSV export and further analysis

Optional manual scoring of paw withdrawal

Allows for scoring animals which present an unusual position of the paw, and do require the experimenter to visually score

Painted metal grid and modular animal cages

Works with rats and mice in high throughput (6 rats and 12 mice at the time)

General
Read out and commands

4,3 inches touch-screen (Resistive)

Power Requirements Universal input 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz, 30W
Sound Level Negligible
Operating Temperature

10°C to 40°C; 5% to 95% RH (non-condensing)

 

Operation

Force Range

0.5 to 100 grams, in 0.1g steps

Force Increasing Rate (ramp) Adjustable in the interval 0 to 50 seconds, in 1 s steps
Latency Time Display in 0.1s steps

Measurement Mode

Automatic/Manual

Start Experiment

By Start button, push buttons or TTL input

Stop experiment

By Stop button, push buttons, cut-off or TTL input

Data input Experiment protocol

Data export

.csv format

TTL/IO Start/Stop, Detection Mode, Force level
Calibration Calibration Weights (5g, 50g, 100g)

 

Physical 

Total Weight 10Kg
Shipping Weight 13Kg
Dimensions (all parts) 135 (w) x 40 (d) x 50 (h) cm (required space on table; all parts)
Packing Dimensions 98x49x47 cm

 

Physical animal enclosure setup (internal dimensions)

Mouse 96mm x 96mm x 140mm (h) (max 12 animals)
Rat 96mm x 196 mm x 140mm (h) (max 6 animals)
Fat Rat 196mm x 196 mm x 140mm (h) (max 3 animals)

 

Warranty 

Warranty Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer is covered by a 12-month warranty + 12 after product registration.
UB-Care Additional UB-Care can be added for other 12 or 24 months

The Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer has been used in a variety of applications in nerve injury, from partial sciatic nerve ligation (PNL, to chronic constrinction injury (CCI) and spinal nerve ligation (SNL) to screen phenotypes and drugs to treat allodynia and hyperalgesia.

The main advantages of the Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer over the Von Frey Hairs, Semmes-Weinstein set of monofilaments and the Electronic Von Frey systems (hand-held) are:

  • Consistency in the vector of the force application (perpendicular)
  • Easier reproducibility of the site of stimulation
  • Removal of experimenter bias in paw withdrawal scoring and addition of the time component, being the force rate adjustable

Altogether this brings about a high reproducibility, sensitivity and accuracy which no other mechanical stimulation application can provide. The sensitivity is by far the result of the fact that the force application does not rely on hand movement.

Moreover, the Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer, differently than Von Frey filaments, provide a linear and not logarithmic scale of stimulation.

37550 - Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer, complete with the following standard accessories:
37550-001 Electronic Unit for Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer
37550-002 Touch Stimulator, complete with probe actuator and adjustable angled-mirror
37000-003 Large Base Platform for Plantar Test & Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer, without supporting columns
37400-327 Supporting Column for Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer, 20.3cm h (4 pieces each 37550)
37000-007 Modular Configuration Animal Enclosure
37450-005 Large Perforated Metal Sheet for Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer
37450-321

Plastic Case lodging, 2 Filaments (with umbrella), 2 Calibration Weights, 1 hex. Wrench 1.25

E-AU 101 Memory Key, including the user manual and Xpad software
Optional
37450-278 Additional Stimulation Base, complete with perforated metal sheet and animal enclosure
37100 Set of 2 Durham Holders for Orofacial Stimulation 
37102 Rat Holder, medium size, for use with Plantar Test and Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer
37103 Rat Holder, large size, for use with Plantar Test and Dynamic Plantar Aesthesiometer
37550-330 Dynamic Plantar filament assembly diameter 0.3 mm
37550-340 Dynamic Plantar filament assembly diameter 0.4 mm
37550-UBC12 UB Care 12 Additional hardware warranty extension 12 months for DPA (Valid for SKU 37550)
37550-UBC24 UB Care 12 Additional hardware warranty extension 24 months for DPA (Valid for SKU 37550)
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