The functional observational battery and modified Irwin test as global neurobehavioral assessments in the rat: Pharmacological validation data and a comparison of methods

摘要

Background: Evaluation of the effects of candidate drugs on the nervous system in preclinical safety pharmacology studies utilises a global neurobehavioral assessment, usually in the rat. This either takes the form of the functional observational battery (FOB) or modified Irwin Test, both of which evaluate effects across 4 functional domains: autonomic, neuromuscular, sensorimotor and behavioral. Although there is a great deal of overlap in the parameters they address, the two tests approach the assessments slightly differently. We undertook a broad pharmacological validation of both the FOB and the Irwin test, and compared the two outcomes.