Protocol for evaluating mutualistic cooperative behavior in mice using a water-reward task assay

Weixi Feng; Yanli Zhang; Ze Wang; Tianqi Wang; Yingting Pang; Yue Li; Yimiao Wang; Shixin Ding; Sijia Chen; Ying Zou; Ming Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103023

Protocol for evaluating mutualistic cooperative behavior in mice using a water-reward task assay

STAR Protoc. 2024 Apr 18;5(2):103023. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2024.103023. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Weixi Feng¹, Yanli Zhang², Ze Wang³, Tianqi Wang⁴, Yingting Pang³, Yue Li⁴, Yimiao Wang⁴, Shixin Ding⁴, Sijia Chen⁴, Ying Zou⁴, Ming Xiao⁵

Affiliations

¹ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China.
² Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou 213003, China; The Affiliated Changzhou Second People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou Second People's Hospital, Changzhou 213000, China. Electronic address: yanlizhang0229@njmu.edu.cn.
³ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Brain Institute, Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
⁴ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
⁵ Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Center for Global Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China; Brain Institute, Nanjing Brain Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China; Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou 213003, China. Electronic address: mingx@njmu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Social cooperation is fundamentally important for group animals but rarely studied in mice because of their natural aggressiveness. Here, we present a new water-reward assay to investigate mutualistic cooperative behavior in mice. We describe the construction of the apparatus and provide details of the procedures and analysis for investigators to characterize and quantify the mutualistic cooperative behavior. This protocol has been validated in mice and can be used for investigating mechanisms of cooperation. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Zhang et al. and Wang et al.¹^,².

Keywords: Behavior; Cognitive Neuroscience; Neuroscience.