Mouse Restrainer

Locomotion is the main cause of instability during brain recordings in awake head-fixed mice. When locomotion is not required as a behavioral readout, the most straightforward way to improve stability is to restrain locomotion through tube confinement. However, Falcon tubes and restrainers designed for tail injections and blood sampling do not provide easy access to the mouse head.

Neurotar’s restrainer, specifically designed for experiments with awake, head-fixed mice, offers optimal head access, accommodates head plates and clamping mechanisms, and supports tail injections and blood sampling. This design ensures compatibility with Neurotar HeadFix and facilitates various experimental procedures.

Restrainer benefits

• Stable recordings: Full-body restraint minimizes movement-induced instability. Compatible with the Neurotar HeadFix system (page-top image and right-hand image below).
• Behavioral integration: The removable front slide allows placement of behavioral apparatus such as levers, screens, dispensers, and stimulators within the mouse’s reach and field of view (center image below).
• Facilitates sampling and injections during recordings: The tail plate design provides easy access to the tail vein for blood sampling and injections, which can be performed concurrently with recordings (center panel below).
• Expandable for locomotion studies: Supports transition to locomotion experiments by adding 2D locomotion (AirLift) and tracking modules.
• Easy maintenance: Cleanable with tap water and mild detergent, and disinfectable with ethanol. Not suitable for autoclaving.

Assembled mouse restrainer

Mouse restrainer components

Head-fixed mouse in restrainer

Features

• Design: Enlarged front opening for improved head access and clamping compatibility, and a top tail slot for easy mouse positioning by pulling the mouse by the tail.
• Compatibility: Restrainer tube attachment slots fit both metric and imperial breadboards.
• Modular components: Removable magnetic slide and tail plate allow easy entry, release, and integration with various experimental setups. The tail plate facilitates easy tail marking or tattooing.

Technical specifications

Dimensions (L × W × H): 170 × 52 × 50 mm
Tube Diameter: 28 mm
Weight: 90 g
Suitable Mouse Weights: 20–28 g
Material: Carbon-fiber reinforced PLA
Components: Slide, restrainer tube, tail plate
Cleaning: Wash with tap water and mild detergent, disinfect with ethanol. Do not heat above 50 °C.

Getting started with the restrainer?

Watch our video tutorial to learn how to prepare mice head fixation and how to use the restrainer effectively. Please note that access requires logging into the customer portal.