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Fig. 1 | Arthritis Research & Therapy

Fig. 1

From: Animal models of rheumatoid pain: experimental systems and insights

Fig. 1

Correlation between locomotor activity and clinical disease progression in TNFtg mice. a Ambulatory behavior, measured as distance traveled in 60-minute experimental sessions (left, circles) was assessed in female TNFtg mice (n = 5, filled symbols) and normal littermates (n = 6, open symbols) every 2 weeks starting at 6 weeks of age. At the same times, disease progression was assessed by traditional clinical scoring of joint inflammation in each paw, on a scale from 0 to 4/paw (maximum score = 16) (right, squares). Locomotor activity was quantified in an open field arena (27.3 cm × 27.3 cm × 20.3 cm) equipped with a computer interface and software (MED Associates, St. Albans, VT, USA) and a 16-beam infrared array positioned along the X and Y axes of the enclosure. Symbols represent means and SEM for each data point. Note how the increases in clinical scores in TNFtg mice (filled squares) parallel the decline in their locomotor activity (filled circles) over time. b Example of recorded locomotor tracings from a TNFtg mouse (left) and a WT littermate (right) at 16 weeks. Note the reduction in locomotor/exploratory behavior in the TNFtg mouse. TNFtg TNF-transgenic

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