startle response test systems

sr-lab™ Startle Response System

Over 20 years of use in scientific research with more published studies than any other startle system!

The sr-lab ™ Startle Response System is the world’s most widely used startle reflex behavioral research system and by far the most successful for measuring startle habituation and pre-pulse inhibition (PPI). sr-lab’s hardware combined with our user friendly Microsoft® Windows-based software, allows users to conveniently study of all startle paradigms. Virtually any combination of tones, noise bursts, lights, air puffs, background noise and foot shock options – are automatically controlled by the startle response software.

sr-lab supports up to sixteen test stations. Five standard sizes of animal enclosures are available for use with our startle response systems. Custom sizes are also available upon request. The startle reflex test cabinets allow full and unobtrusive observation of test animals in their enclosures. The animal enclosures are removable for easy cleaning. Startle response data collected by the sr-lab are completely secure and recorded in a non-editable form. sr-lab is available in two models; the ABS and Prime.

sr-lab Startle Response System Features

• Use in all Startle Paradigms including Startle Habituation, Pre-Pulse Inhibition, Fear Potentiated Startle and Cross-Modal Inhibition
• Converts for adult and juvenile rats and mice and other small lab animals
• Easy to use with straight forward assembly and menu-driven software
• Expands to include 16 test stations
• “View Wave™” data format for data analysis and validation
• Plug-in kits for acoustic, tactile, potentiated startle and other stimuli
• Startle Response system animal enclosures are available in five standard sizes and custom sizes when requested
• Animal isolation cabinets minimize transfer of ultrasonic vocalizations or fear-related pheromones among subjects
• CE and FDA CFR Part 11 compliant

"We have the sr-lab Startle Response System which has worked wonderfully for us for many years, both as a measure of acoustic startle and pre-pulse inhibition.”

            Eastern U.S. - Government Research Lab

Startle Reflex Testing – How the Startle Response System works: sr-lab is an automated system for measuring startle responses of small animals. It can accommodate up to sixteen ventilated chambers, each containing a cylindrical animal enclosure mounted on a Plexiglas base. Startle responses are transduced by a piezoelectric accelerometer mounted below the cylinder, rectified, digitized and recorded as data points on a computer.  The user sets the number of data points to be recorded and the frequency of recording.

sr-lab’s startle response software displays each subject's responses on the computer screen immediately following each trial. The recording of the startle reflex results in a waveform that represents the pressure on the piezo-electric sensor when the animal jumps. The startle response software captures a complete waveform and provides a method for the researcher to examine the accuracy of the summary point calculations. All raw data from the experiment is captured and combined into one ASCII file for further analysis.

The sr-lab Startle Response Systems are designed to take advantage of the Microsoft Windows operating system and its many features.  Users who are comfortable working in the Windows environment will notice an immediate familiarity with the sr-lab software.

sr-lab Startle Response System Components

• Test cabinet in composite (ABS) or laboratory grade laminate (Prime)
• Animal enclosure in your choice of standard sizes
• Animal enclosure base
• Power supply
  
• Input & Output cables
• sr-lab software & user manual
• Software utilities for data analysis

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