Automated classification of self-grooming in mice using open-source software
Abstract
Background Manual analysis of behavior is labor intensive and subject to inter-rater variability. Although considerable progress in automation of analysis has been made, complex behavior such as grooming still lacks satisfactory automated quantification.New method We trained a freely available, automated classifier, Janelia Automatic Animal Behavior Annotator (JAABA), to quantify self-grooming duration and number of bouts based on video recordings of SAPAP3 knockout mice (a mouse line that self-grooms excessively) and wild-type animals.Results We compared the JAABA classifier with human expert observers to test its ability to measure self-grooming in three scenarios: mice in an open field, mice on an elevated plus-maze, and tethered mice in an open field. In each scenario, the classifier identified both grooming and non-grooming with great accuracy and correlated highly with results obtained by human observers. Consistently, the JAABA classifier confirmed previous reports of excessive grooming in SAPAP3 knockout mice.Comparison with existing methods Thus far, manual analysis was regarded as the only valid quantification method for self-grooming. We demonstrate that the JAABA classifier is a valid and reliable scoring tool, more cost-efficient than manual scoring, easy to use, requires minimal effort, provides high throughput, and prevents inter-rater variability.Conclusion We introduce the JAABA classifier as an efficient analysis tool for the assessment of rodent self-grooming with expert quality. In our "how-to" instructions, we provide all information necessary to implement behavioral classification with JAABA.
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The Sapap3-knockout (KO) mouse is a mouse model to study OCD and recapitulates OCD-like compulsion through excessive grooming behavior, with skin lesions appearing at advanced age.
“The Sapap3-knockout (KO) mouse is a mouse model to study OCD and recapitulates OCD-like compulsion through excessive grooming behavior, with skin lesions appearing at advanced age.”
From Projection-specific deficits in synaptic transmission in adult Sapap3-knockout mice (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
Mice with a constitutive knockout of Sapap3 show complex behavioral phenotypes, which manifest as compulsive, OCD-like behaviors.
“Mice with a constitutive knockout (KO) of Sapap3 show complex behavioral phenotypes, which manifest as compulsive, OCD-like behaviors.”
From Projection-specific deficits in synaptic transmission in adult Sapap3-knockout mice (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
OCD-like behavioral phenotypes in Sapap3-KO mice have mostly been studied in mice of about 6 months or older, shortly before the onset of lesions.
“Skin lesions arising from excessive grooming typically appear in Sapap3-KO mice at advanced age, therefore, OCD-like behavioral phenotypes have mostly been studied in mice of about 6 months or older, shortly before the onset of lesions [9,10,13,14,17].”
From Projection-specific deficits in synaptic transmission in adult Sapap3-knockout mice (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
Sapap3-KO mice exhibit excessive grooming.
“Such phenotypes are excessive grooming [9][10][11], anxiety-like behavior [9,12], behavioral inflexibility [13,14], and deficits in the balance of habitual and goal-directed behavior [15,16].”
From Projection-specific deficits in synaptic transmission in adult Sapap3-knockout mice (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
Skin lesions arising from excessive grooming typically appear in Sapap3-KO mice at advanced age.
“Skin lesions arising from excessive grooming typically appear in Sapap3-KO mice at advanced age, therefore, OCD-like behavioral phenotypes have mostly been studied in mice of about 6 months or older, shortly before the onset of lesions [9,10,13,14,17].”
From Projection-specific deficits in synaptic transmission in adult Sapap3-knockout mice (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
Excessive grooming in Sapap3-KO mice has been consistently observed across experimental conditions, including testing during light cycle and during the dark period.
“In contrast, excessive grooming in Sapap3-KO mice has been consistently observed across experimental conditions, including testing during light cycle [9,12,13] and during the dark period [9,10,17,33], which shows the robustness of the phenotype.”
From Projection-specific deficits in synaptic transmission in adult Sapap3-knockout mice (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
A previous study demonstrates the accuracy of the experimenter-trained classifier JABBA to automatically score grooming in Sapap3-KO mice.
“A previous study demonstrates the accuracy of the experimenter-trained classifier JABBA to automatically score grooming in Sapap3-KO mice [10].”
From Projection-specific deficits in synaptic transmission in adult Sapap3-knockout mice (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
The SAPAP3−/− grooming phenotype is robust and validates this behavioral readout as a proxy for compulsivity.
“Our results are consistent with previous reports, demonstrating robustness of the SAPAP3−/− grooming phenotype and further validate this behavioral readout as a proxy for compulsivity.”
From Behavioral flexibility in a mouse model for obsessive‐compulsive disorder: Impaired Pavlovian reversal learning in SAPAP3 mutants (2019) · cites this paper as [43]
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Self-citationProjection-specific deficits in synaptic transmission in adult Sapap3-knockout mice
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- Authors
- van den Boom, B. J. G., Pavlidi, P., Wolf, C. J. H., Mooij, A. H., & Willuhn, I.
- Affiliations
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Willuhn, Ingo
- Venue
- Journal of Neuroscience Methods
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-09
- Volume
- 289
- Pages
- 48-56
- ISSN
- 0165-0270 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2690521960
- Cited by
- 62
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9
- FWCI
- 2.16
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Neuroscience Methods (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- KNAW Research Portal (The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- NWO VIDI ((864.14.010, ERC-2014-STG 638013)
- ERC Starting Grant (2015/06367/ALW)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Human Pose and Action Recognition
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biophysics › Cell Image Analysis Techniques
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Keywords
- self-grooming, excessive grooming, interobserver variability, elevated plus maze
- MeSH terms
- Orexins, Animals, Exploratory Behavior, Female, Grooming, Male, Motor Activity, Nerve Tissue Proteins, Pattern Recognition, Automated, Software, Video Recording, Reproducibility of Results, Observer Variation, Mice, Automation, Laboratory
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