A Low-Cost, Custom-Built Fear Conditioning System for Rodents: Design, Construction and Validation
- Author:
Abdulmajeed Wahab Imam
;
Abdulrasheed Kamil Muhammad
;
Adedeji Tayyib Adekunie
;
Osho Oluwabukola Daniel
;
Adesanya Fuhad Babajide
;
Yusuf Sekinat Funmilayo
- Collective Name:
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
conditioning;
fear;
foot-shock;
memory;
learning;
low-cost
- From:
Pacific Journal of Medical Sciences
2026;27(2):50-62
- CountryPapua New Guinea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
A major goal in behavioral neuroscience is to identify the neural mechanisms underlying learning and
memory. Fear conditioning models, including contextual and cued conditioning, are widely used to assess
associative learning in rodents; however, commercially available systems for these experiments are often
expensive (> $4000), limiting accessibility and reproducibility across laboratories. Here, we present a
low-cost (about $100), modular fear conditioning platform for rodents that enables precise control of
experimental parameters while maintaining compatibility with standard behavioral protocols.
The fear conditioning system consists of conditioning chambers equipped with stainless-steel grid floors,
a custom-built constant-current foot-shock generator, and an auditory cue delivery section, all
synchronized with video-based behavioral recording. Shock intensity, duration, and timing are fully
programmable, and the platform supports both contextual and cued fear conditioning paradigms.
