Light and Dark Box Experiment (CAT#: STEM-AE-0005-WXH)

Introduction

In the light and dark box, mice or rats like to move in the dark box, but the animal's exploration habit prompts it to try to explore the light box. However, the bright light stimulation of the light box inhibited the animals' exploration activities in the light box.
In the light and dark box, the dark box accounts for one-third, and the top is covered; the light box accounts for two-thirds, and the light is illuminated. The rationale for the light and dark box test is based on the assumption that rodents are averse to highly illuminated open areas because they represent potentially dangerous areas, whereas dark areas imply a certain degree of safety. Therefore, light and dark boxes are commonly used to assess levels of stress, anxiety, and depression in mice and rats.