Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory and Stony Brook University, along with other researchers, have demonstrated the efficacy of a wearable, portable PET scanner for rats.
The device is designed to give neuroscientists a new tool to study brain function and behavior simultaneously in fully awake, moving animals. Researchers describe the tool and validation studies in the April 2011 issue of Nature Methods.
The donut-shaped Rat Conscious Animal PET (RatCAP) weighs 250 g and can be worn on the rat's head for simultaneous studies of brain function and behavior. It features a system of springs and motion stabilizers to allow the animal freedom of movement.
The main test of the scanner was to see if it could be used to correlate dopamine levels with behavior and the rats' activity within their chambers. Surprisingly, the level of activity was inversely related to dopamine levels -- the more active the animals were, the lower the level of dopamine as indicated by a stronger tracer signal.
