Rodent and fly models in behavioral neuroscience: An evaluation of methodological advances, comparative research, and future perspectives

Abstract

The assessment of behavioral outcomes is a central component of neuroscientific research, which has required continuous technological innovations to produce more detailed and reliable findings. In this article, we provide an in-depth review on the progress and future implications for three model organisms (mouse, rat, and Drosophila) essential to our current understanding of behavior. By compiling a comprehensive catalog of popular assays, we are able to compare the diversity of tasks and usage of these animal models in behavioral research. This compilation also allows for the evaluation of existing state-of-the-art methods and experimental applications, including optogenetics, machine learning, and high-throughput behavioral assays. We go on to discuss novel apparatuses and inter-species analyses for centrophobism, feeding behavior, aggression and mating paradigms, with the goal of providing a unique view on comparative behavioral research. The challenges and recent advances are evaluated in terms of their translational value, ethical procedures, and trustworthiness for behavioral research.

Keywords: 3Rs; Aggression; Animal ethics; Animal models; Anxiety; Artificial intelligence; Behavioral tests; Centrophobism; Closed-loop feedback optogenetics; Feeding; Mating; Reproducibility; Translational research.