Street-wise dog testing: Feasibility and reliability of a behavioural test battery for free-ranging dogs in their natural habitat.

Behavioural scientists are increasingly recognizing the need to conduct experiments in the wild to achieve a comprehensive understanding of their species' behaviour. For domestic dogs (Canis familiaris), such progress has been slow. While the life in human households is often regarded as dogs' natural habitat, this classification disregards most of the global dog population. The value of experimentally testing free-ranging dogs' cognition and behaviour is increasingly being recognized, but no comprehensive test batteries have been conducted on those populations so far, leaving the feasibility and reliability of such endeavours unknown. This study is the starting point to fill this gap by pioneering and validating an elaborate behavioural test battery on street-living dogs. Therein, six common temperament tests (human-/conspecific-directed sociability, neophobia, tractability) and dog-human communication paradigms (pointing, inaccessible object) were adapted to the street conditions. We evaluated the feasibility of the test battery, the coding reliability of the measures, and investigated their temporal consistency in a retest of the same individuals six weeks later (test-retest reliability). The test battery proved feasible with most dogs participating in all subtests, and it showed satisfactory inter- and intra-rater reliability (0.84 and 0.93 respectively), providing evidence that complex behavioural tests can be conducted even in highly variable street conditions. Retesting revealed that some behaviours could be captured reliably across time, especially when the subtest was particularly engaging (e.g., human approach, point following). In contrast, the low retest reliability for subtests relying on sustained novelty and behaviours that were highly susceptible to disturbances (e.g., gazing) reflects the difficulties of street dog testing, including standardisation in disturbance-prone environments, ecology-dependent adaptation of methods, and intrinsic differences between pet and free-ranging dogs. With some adaptations, this test battery can be valuable in investigating cognition and behavioural profiles in such an understudied population as free-ranging dogs.

Combined Experiments with in Vivo Fiber Photometry and Behavior Tests Can Facilitate the Measurement of Neuronal Activity in the Primary Somatosensory Cortex and Hyperalgesia in an Inflammatory Pain Mice Model.

The pain matrix, which includes several brain regions that respond to pain sensation, contribute to the development of chronic pain. Thus, it is essential to understand the mechanism of causing chronic pain in the pain matrix such as anterior cingulate (ACC), or primary somatosensory (S1) cortex. Recently, combined experiment with the behavior tests and in vivo calcium imaging using fiber photometry revealed the interaction between the neuronal function in deep brain regions of the pain matrix including ACC and the phenotype of chronic pain. However, it remains unclear whether this combined experiment can identify the interaction between neuronal activity in S1, which receive pain sensation, and pain behaviors such as hyperalgesia or allodynia. In this study, to examine whether the interaction between change of neuronal activity in S1 and hyperalgesia in hind paw before and after causing inflammatory pain was detected from same animal, the combined experiment of in vivo fiber photometry system and von Frey hairs test was applied. This combined experiment detected that amplitude of calcium responses in S1 neurons increased and the mechanical threshold of hind paw decreased from same animals which have an inflammatory pain. Moreover, we found that the values between amplitude of calcium responses and mechanical thresholds were shifted to negative correlation after causing inflammatory pain. Thus, the combined experiment with fiber photometry and the behavior tests has a possibility that can simultaneously consider the interaction between neuronal activity in pain matrix and pain induced behaviors and the effects of analgesics or pain treatments.

Kids these days and kids those days: Investigating perceptions of children's social skills from 1988 to 2007.

Behavior rating scales are frequently used assessment tools designed to measure social skills. Use of norm-referenced assessments such as behavior rating scales requires examiners and test publishers to consider when norms become obsolete and norm-referenced scores can no longer be validly interpreted. A fundamental factor influencing norm obsolescence regards changes in baseline levels of targeted traits within the population. Yet, limited research exists regarding how social skills may change at a population level over time as measured by established assessment tools. Thus, the present study investigates population trends in social skills of K-12 children as rated by parents, teachers, and students by concordantly linking the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS; nparent = 833, nteacher = 1215, nstudent = 4105) and the Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales (SSIS-RS; nparent = 2400, nteacher = 750, nstudent = 800) using validity samples collected during the development of the SSIS-RS (nparent = 240, nteacher = 221, nstudent = 224). Analyses evaluated differences between ratings on the standardization data from 1988 and 2007 by informant, sex, grade level, and sex by grade level. After applying linear linking techniques, we conducted a series of statistical comparisons that revealed a general upward trend of ratings for the 2007 sample compared to the 1988 sample, with important differences across sex, grade level, and informant. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for consideration and assessment of children's social skills.

Development and characterization of an automated behavioral assessment platform for the Göttingen minipig.

The Göttingen minipig is fast becoming the standard for assessing dermal chemical hazards because, like most swine, its skin is predictive of human skin response and because this strain's smaller size makes laboratory manipulations and husbandry easier. Unfortunately, standard behavioral tests and apparatus have not been developed for behavioral assessments of this swine strain. Indeed, computer-controlled automated behavioral testing procedures are much needed. The present research advanced this goal by producing a home-cage behavioral testing system that could accommodate minipigs of various sizes (ages). An aluminum frame housed three levers for recording operant responses, and LEDs above and below each lever served as discriminative stimuli. A commercially available food pellet dispenser was attached to a specialized pellet receptacle capable of measuring pellet retrieval. Two behavioral tests were selected and adapted from our commonly used non-human primate behavioral assessments: delayed match-to-sample (a memory test) and temporal response differentiation (a time-estimation test). Minipigs were capable of learning both tests and attaining stable performance. Next, scopolamine was used to validate the sensitivity of the behavioral tests for gauging behavioral perturbations in this swine strain. Scopolamine dose-effect functions were comparable to those observed in other species, including non-human primates, wherein 37.5 µg/kg of scopolamine (administered intramuscularly) reduced responding approximately 50%. Thus, we were successful in developing the apparatus and automated operant behavioral tests necessary to characterize drug safety in this swine strain. This capability will be valuable for characterizing chemical agent toxicity as well as the safety and efficacy of medical countermeasures.

Volatile Organic Compounds from Offspring of Stingless Bee Sacrificed in Hygienic Behavior Test.

This study shows the profile of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from pupae and larvae of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier subjected to three death induction techniques for hygienic behavior (HB) studies: freezing in liquid nitrogen (LN2), freezing in a freezer (FRZ) and piercing of offspring with an entomological pin (PIN). The VOCs from larvae and pupae were obtained through headspace solid-phase microextraction and characterized using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. In addition, an HB test was performed on the colonies. The main classes of VOCs were hydrocarbons, terpenes and alcohols. Multivariate analysis was applied and showed that there was a separation in the compound profiles between the different treatments. The HB test in the colonies showed that 24 hours after the application of the techniques, the bees removed more dead larvae in LN2 treatment (83.5 %), while after 48 hours more larvae were removed in the LN2 and FRZ treatments (92.3 %). When compared to pupae removal, larvae removal was significantly faster in LN2.

Long-term effect of indomethacin on a rat model of neonatal hypoxia ischemic encephalopathy through behavioral tests.

BACKGROUND: Many medical experts prescribe indomethacin because of its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, tocolytic, and duct closure effects. This article presents an evaluation of the enduring impact of indomethacin on neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic (HI) insults, employing behavioral tests as a method of assessment. METHODS: The experiment was conducted on male Wistar-Albino rats weighing 10 to 15 g, aged between seven and 10 days. The rats were divided into three groups using a random allocation method as follows: hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) group, HIE treated with indomethacin group (INDO), and Sham group. A left common carotid artery ligation and hypoxia model was applied in both the HIE and INDO groups. The INDO group was treated with 4 mg/kg intraperitoneal indomethacin every 24 h for 3 days, while the Sham and HIE groups were given dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). After 72 h, five rats from each group were sacrificed and brain tissue samples were stained with 2,3,5-Triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TCC) for infarct-volume measurement. Seven rats from each group were taken to the behavioral laboratory in the sixth postnatal week (PND42) and six from each group were sacrificed for the Evans blue (EB) experiment for blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity evaluation. The open field (OF) test and Morris water maze (MWM) tests were performed. After behavioral tests, brain tissue were obtained and stained with TCC to assess the infarct volume. RESULTS: The significant increase in the time spent in the central area and the frequency of crossing to the center in the INDO group compared with the HIE group indicated that indomethacin decreased anxiety-like behavior (p < 0.001, p < 0.05). However, the MWM test revealed that indomethacin did not positively affect learning and memory performance (p > 0.05). Additionally, indomethacin significantly reduced infarct volume and neuropathological grading in adolescence (p < 0.05), although not statistically significant in the early period. Moreover, the EB experiment demonstrated that indomethacin effectively increased BBB integrity (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we have shown for the first time that indomethacin treatment can reduce levels of anxiety-like behavior and enhance levels of exploratory behavior in a neonatal rat model with HIE. It is necessary to determine whether nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, such as indomethacin, should be used for adjuvant therapy in newborns with HIE.

Sex-specific variations in spatial reference memory acquisition: Insights from a comprehensive behavioral test battery in C57BL/6JRj mice.

Sex differences in declarative memory are described in humans, revealing a female or a male advantage depending on the task. Specifically, spatial memory (i.e., spatial navigation) is typically most efficient in men. This sexual dimorphism has been replicated in male rats but not clearly in mice. In this study, sex differences in spatial memory were assessed in thirty-six C57BL/6 J mice (Janvier Labs; i.e., C57BL/6JRj mice), a widely used mouse substrain. Both male and female mice (12 weeks-old) were subjected to standard behavioral paradigms: the elevated plus maze, the open field test, the novel object and place tests, the forced swimming test, and the water maze test for spatial navigation. Across assessment, no sex differences were found in measures of locomotor activity, emotional and behavioral responses, and object and place recognition memories. In the water maze, male mice were faster in learning the platform location in the reference memory training and used more spatial strategies during the first training days. However, both sexes reached a similar asymptotic performance and performed similarly in the probe trial for long-term memory consolidation. No sex differences were found in the cued training, platform inversion sessions, or spatial working memory sessions. Hippocampal expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor was similar in both sexes, either in basal conditions or after performing the behavioral training battery. Importantly, female mice were not more variable than males in any measure analyzed. This outcome encourages the investigation of sex differences in animal models and the usefulness of including female mice in behavioral research.

Agreement Between Two Behavioral Rating Scales in Preschoolers Born Very Preterm.

OBJECTIVE: Broadband parent rating scales are commonly used to assess behavioral problems in children. Multiple rating scales are available, yet agreement between them is not well-understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate agreement between the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC-3), and Child Behavior Checklist 1.5 to 5 years (CBCL) in a sample of children born very preterm. METHOD: We assessed 73 children born < 30 weeks' gestational age whose caregivers completed the BASC-3 and CBCL at age 4. We examined correlations, within-person differences, and agreement in clinical categorization for all corresponding subscales and composites. RESULTS: Comparable subscales on the BASC-3 and CBCL were significantly correlated, albeit to differing magnitudes. Subscales indexing hyperactivity and attention problems were the most comparable across the 2 measures, evidenced by strong correlations and few to no differences in mean T-scores. Composite scores indexing internalizing, externalizing, and total problems were also strongly correlated, and there were no differences in the mean T-scores for externalizing or total problems across measures. Agreement in clinical classifications were weak to moderate, though again, the highest agreement was found for hyperactivity, attention, externalizing, and total problems. CONCLUSION: Agreement between BASC-3 and CBCL subscales was weak to moderate, with the exception of subscales related to attention and hyperactivity, as well as composite scores indicating overall behavior problems. Researchers and clinicians should consider these discrepancies when interpreting the results of behavior rating scales with preschool children because conclusions could differ based on the assessment that is used.

Behavioral Tests for Associative Learning in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Learning is critical for survival as it provides the capacity to adapt to a changing environment. At the molecular and cellular level, learning leads to alterations within neural circuits that include synaptic rewiring, synaptic plasticity, and protein level/gene expression changes. There has been substantial progress in recent years on dissecting how learning and memory is regulated at the molecular and cellular level, including the use of compact invertebrate nervous systems as experimental models. This progress has been facilitated by the establishment of robust behavioral assays that generate a quantifiable readout of the extent to which animals learn and remember. This chapter will focus on protocols of behavioral tests for associative learning using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, with its unparalleled genetic tractability, compact nervous system of ~300 neurons, high level of conservation with mammalian systems, and amenability to a suite of behavioral tools and analyses. Specifically, we will provide a detailed description of the methods for two behavioral assays that model associative learning, one measuring appetitive olfactory learning and the other assaying aversive gustatory learning.

Administering a Behavioral Test Battery in Rodents.

Although animal models cannot broadly represent uniquely human psychiatric or psychological syndromes such as anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia, behavioral testing in rodents can be extremely helpful to investigate specific disease aspects and symptoms. Animal behavioral test batteries allow researchers to reveal specific behavioral changes in genetically modified mice or following targeted treatments or in response to environmental interventions. Examples of types of behaviors that can be combined in a test battery include anxiety-like behavior, learning and memory, depression-relevant behavior, social interaction, and locomotor hyperactivity. Here, we describe several commonly used and relatively simple behavioral tests which can be combined in the same cohort of animals.

Formative behavioral assessment across eight constructs: Dependability of direct behavior ratings and formative behavior rating measures.

Due to their promise as a feasible tool for evaluating the effects of school-based interventions, Direct Behavior Ratings (DBR) have received much research attention over the past 2 decades. Although DBR methodology has demonstrated much promise, favorable psychometric characteristics only have been demonstrated for tools measuring a small number of constructs. Likewise, although a variety of methods of DBR have been proposed, most extant studies have focused on the use of single-item methods. The present study examined the dependability of four methods of formative behavioral assessment (i.e., single-item and multi-item ratings administered either daily [DBR] or weekly [formative behavior rating measures or FBRM]) across eight psychological constructs (i.e., interpersonal skills, academic engagement, organizational skills, disruptive behavior, oppositional behavior, interpersonal conflict, anxious depressed, and social withdrawal). School-based professionals (N = 91; i.e., teachers, paraprofessionals, and intervention specialists) each rated one student across all eight constructs after being assigned to one of the four assessment conditions. Dependability estimates varied substantially across methods and constructs (range = 0.75-0.96), although findings of the present study support the use of the broad set of formative assessment tools evaluated.

Autism spectrum disorder in the US: Have we done enough?

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a collection of neurodevelopmental disabilities, defined by the presence of social, behavioral and communication deficits, that are typically recognized during the first three years of life. Autism has emerged as a significant public health concern, yet there are no answers to its increasing rates. Recent data from the Autism and Developmental Disability Monitoring (ADDM) Network reported that 1 in every 36 (2.8 %) 8-year-old children were found to have autism in 2020. The current research attempts to identify the major challenges around autism care across the US such as: Inconsistent diagnosis and referral leading to delayed start of service, unequal availability of trained licensed Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapist, Inconsistent implementation of ABA interventions at various settings, Lack of support, education services and vocational opportunities for children transitioning into adulthood. This article also proposes and discusses possible strategies for mitigating those challenges.

Neurotoxicity Assessment in Adult Danio rerio using a Battery of Behavioral Tests in a Single Tank.

The presence of neuropathological effects proved to be, for many years, the main endpoint for assessing the neurotoxicity of a chemical substance. However, in the last 50 years, the effects of chemicals on the behavior of model species have been actively investigated. Progressively, behavioral endpoints were incorporated into neurotoxicological screening protocols, and these functional outcomes are now routinely used to identify and determine the potential neurotoxicity of chemicals. Behavioral assays in adult zebrafish provide a standardized and reliable means to study a wide range of behaviors, including anxiety, social interaction, learning, memory, and addiction. Behavioral assays in adult zebrafish typically involve placing the fish in an experimental arena and recording and analyzing their behavior using video tracking software. Fish can be exposed to various stimuli, and their behavior can be quantified using a variety of metrics. The novel tank test is one of the most accepted and widely used tests to study anxiety-like behavior in fish. The shoaling and social preference tests are useful in studying the social behavior of zebrafish. This assay is particularly interesting since the behavior of the entire shoal is studied. These assays have proven to be highly reproducible and sensitive to pharmacological and genetic manipulations, making them valuable tools for studying the neural circuits and molecular mechanisms underlying behavior. Additionally, these assays can be used in drug screening to identify compounds that may be potential modulators of behavior. We will show in this work how to apply behavioral tools in fish neurotoxicology, analyzing the effect of methamphetamine, a recreational drug, and glyphosate, an environmental pollutant. The results demonstrate the significant contribution of behavioral assays in adult zebrafish to the understanding of the neurotoxicological effects of environmental pollutants and drugs, in addition to providing insights into the molecular mechanisms that may alter neuronal function.

Stroke in children and adolescents: Analysis of electrophysiological and behavioral assessment findings of auditory processing.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze the auditory processing behavior of children and adolescents diagnosed with stroke and compare it with that of typically developing individuals. METHODS: This was an analytical cross-sectional study involving 48 participants aged between 7 and 17 years with adequate schooling for age and grade, allocated equally to two groups: Stroke (SG) and Control Groups (CG). For the SG, cases identified between 2003 and 2018 were considered. In the CG, school-aged participants with typical development were randomized. After screening for differential audiological assessment and confirmation of auditory pathway integrity at the brainstem level, binaural analyses of the auditory processing behavior were conducted using the Dichotic Digit Test (DDT), Frequency Pattern Test (FPT), and electrophysiological assessment (P300). The Shapiro-Wilk test for normality was conducted, followed by the T and Mann-Whitney tests, with a 95 % confidence level and significance offset at p < 0.05, using the SPSS software (IBM®, v. 22.) RESULTS: The CG performed better in terms of auditory processing. These differences were significant (p < 0.0001) for the binaural integration of DDT, FPT humming and Labeling, and P300 latency. The P300 results were similar; however, with a greater amplitude in the SG. CONCLUSION: This study showed that children and adolescents with stroke performed worse in electrophysiological and behavioral tests of auditory processing assessed using the auditory evoked potentials. These data reinforce the hypothesis that stroke-related lesions compromise the neural mechanisms underlying auditory processing.

Effect Sizes of Cognitive and Locomotive Behavior Tests in the 5XFAD-J Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid ß (Aß) plaques in the brain, leading to cognitive impairment and other clinical symptoms. The 5XFAD mouse model is commonly used in AD research because it expresses five human transgenes that result in the accumulation of Aß plaques and cognitive decline at a relatively early age. Behavioral experiments are frequently conducted using this model; however, the effect size has not yet been reported. In this study, we examined basic cognition and locomotion in 5XFAD mice with a C57BL6/J background (5XFAD-J) at 6 months of age, a period in which impairments of cognitive function and locomotion are commonly observed. We analyzed the effect sizes of cognitive and locomotive experiments in the 5XFAD mice compared with those in the wild-type mice. Our results suggest that for long-term memory analysis, the novel object recognition test (p = 0.013, effect size 1.24) required a sample size of at least 12 to obtain meaningful results. Moreover, analysis of general locomotion over total distance with the Laboratory Animal Behavior Observation, Registration and Analysis System (LABORAS) test during the dark phase (p = 0.007, effect size -1.37) needed a sample size of 10 for a statistical power (1-ß) of 0.8. In conclusion, we can conduct more ethical and scientifically rigorous animal experiments using 5XFAD mice based on the effect and sample sizes suggested in this study.

Variability of clinical chemical and hematological parameters, immunological parameters, and behavioral tests in data sets of the Mouse Phenome Database.

The use of mice as animal models in biomedical research allows the standardization of genetic background, housing conditions as well as experimental protocols, which all affect phenotypic variability. The phenotypic variability within the experimental unit determines the choice of the group size which is necessary for achieving valid and reproducible results. In this study, the variability of clinical chemical and hematological parameters which represent a comprehensive blood screen of laboratory mice, as well as of immunological parameters and behavioral tests was analyzed in data sets which have been submitted to the Mouse Phenome Database for mouse strains which are predominantly used in biomedical research. Most of the clinical chemical and hematological parameters-except of some parameters being known for their high variability-showed an average coefficient of variation (CV = standard deviation / mean) below 0.25. Most immunological parameters measured in blood samples had a CV between 0.2 and 0.4. The behavioral tests showed a CV between 0.4 and 0.6, or higher. In addition, a large range of the CV was found for most parameters/tests between and within the selected projects. This clearly demonstrates the appearance of unpredictable major interactions between genotype, environment and experiment regarding the variability of the parameters and tests analyzed.

Improving behavioral test data collection and analysis in animal models with an image processing program.

Behavioral studies are commonly used as a standard procedure to evaluate anxiety and depression in animal models. Recently, different methods have been developed to improve data collection and analysis of the behavioral tests. Currently available methods, including manual analysis and commercially available products, are either time-consuming or costly. The objective of this study was to improve the collection and analysis of behavioral test data in animal models by developing an image processing program. Eleven behavioral parameters were evaluated by three different methods, including (i) manual detection, (ii) commercially available TopScan software (CleverSys Inc, USA), and (iii) In-housed-developed Advanced Move Tracker (AMT) software. Results obtained from different methods were compared to validate the accuracy and efficiency of AMT. Results showed that AMT software provides highly accurate and reliable data analysis compared to other methods. Less than 5% tolerance was reported between results obtained from AMT compared to TopScan. In addition, the analysis processing time was remarkably reduced (68.3%) by using AMT compared to manual detection. Overall, the findings confirmed that AMT is an efficient program for automated data analysis, significantly enhancing research outcomes through accurate analysis of behavioral test data in animal models.

Evaluation of a Behavioral Test for Sickness Behavior Associated with Fusarium Mycotoxin Ingestion in Female Beagle Dogs (Canis familiaris).

Animals exhibit behavioral changes during illness, including lethargy, anorexia, fever, adipsia, and anhedonia, which are believed to comprise an adaptive evolutionary strategy. Exploratory and social behaviors generally decrease during illness, but behavioral changes of dogs during illness have not been described. The objective of this study was to evaluate a novel canine behavior test during subclinical illness induced by dietary Fusarium mycotoxin. Twelve mature female beagle dogs received 3 treatment diets: a control diet (control), a diet formulated with grains contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxin (toxin), and the toxin diet together with a toxin binding agent (binder). All dogs received each diets for 14 d in a Latin square design with a 7-d washout period between diet trials. The test consisted of individually releasing dogs into the center aisle of the housing room for 4 min per day, during which interactions with familiar dogs in adjacent kennels were recorded by an observer outside the room who was blind to treatment groups. Total interactions, orientation, and attempted physical contact with other dogs were less frequent during the toxin and binder diet treatments. Conversely, frequencies of physical proximity and olfactory contact with familiar dogs in adjacent kennels were not associated with diet. In conclusion, induction of subclinical gastrointestinal illness influenced aspects of social interactions in beagle dogs. A clinical assessment sheet integrating these findings was developed to aid in early identification of subclinical illness in research dogs based on behavior.

Application of Behavioral Tests for Evaluation of an Experimental Model of Alzheimer's Disease in Female Rats.

Alzheimer's disease was modeled in female Wistar rats aged 4 months by stereotaxic bilateral injection of a synthetic peptide ß-amyloid (Aß1-42) into the hippocampus. Behavioral tests (open field, Y-maze, passive avoidance, and Morris water maze) revealed significant impairment of memory and spatial navigation 8 weeks after ß-amyloid administration. At this term, the cognitive impairments typical of Alzheimer's disease are reproduced. The experimental model of Alzheimer's disease proposed by us can be used in preclinical studies of drugs for the treatment of this pathology.

Optimization and calibration of behavioural tests on different species of planaria for ecotoxicological studies.

Freshwater planarian are emerging as a valuable in vivo model for (eco) toxicological studies, but the lack of harmonization of procedures between laboratories remains a challenge. This study aimed to optimize, automate and select the best behavioural tests and analyse the potential of different planarian species as models for toxicological assessment. We implemented four tests: exploration, photomotor response, Tapping and Planarian Light Dark Test, on different planaria species using the DanioVision system. We conclude that the exploration assay performed in 24 well-plate at 10,000 lux is the one that is robust and reliable for toxicological studies with planaria. Dugesia japonica and Schmidtea mediterranea have proved to be sensitive models for toxicological screening of organophosphorus pesticides through behavioural analysis. Under necessary experimental conditions, the motility baseline in controls, for both species allowed the detection of behavioural changes, making both good models for behavioural testing in (eco) toxicological context.