Apr 16, 2026
Limb clasping protocol
- 1KU Leuven
Protocol Citation: Ana Catarina Carapinha Cascalho, Nina Schoonvliet, Aisha Sati 2026. Limb clasping protocol. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.6qpvr31q3vmk/v1
License: This is an open access protocol distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
Protocol status: Working
We use this protocol and it's working
Created: January 13, 2024
Last Modified: April 29, 2026
Protocol Integer ID: 96558
Keywords: limb clasping protocol this protocol details limb clasping, limb clasping protocol, protocol details limb clasping, clasping, neurodegeneration, mouse model, number of mouse model
Funders Acknowledgements:
Aligning Science Across Parkinson's
Grant ID: ASAP-024297
Abstract
This protocol details limb clasping. Clasping is a marker of disease progression in a number of mouse models of neurodegeneration.
Attachments
Guidelines
Notes on preparation:
- Make sure all the experimental trials are recorded - write down the camera used for the recording.
- All videos were recorded in .avi format and viewed using VLC media player.
- Make sure the cards indicating the cage and animal tag are clearly visible on the video. For security, also mention out loud which cage and which mouse is getting recorded.
Materials
- Tripods
- Cameras with chargers
- Clean/spare cages
- Timer
- Pens
- Extra cards for animal/cage ID
- LabBook
- Setup for recording clasping
Limb clasping
10s
Mice are habituated for 00:30:00 in the testing room in their home cage.
30m
Grasp the tail between the base and the middle section and lift the mouse clear of all surrounding objects.
Mice are observed for the fore/hindlimb position for 00:00:10 with 5-10 s resting time in between.
Note
If the animal curls up and holds its tail/fingers continue the recording until you have 10s of the animal in the correct position.
10s
If the limbs are consistently splayed outward, away from the abdomen, it is assigned a score of 0 (see figure).
If one limb is retracted toward the abdomen for more than 50% of the time suspended, it receives a score of 1.
If both limbs are partially retracted toward the abdomen for more than 50% of the time suspended, it receives a score of 2.
If its limbs are entirely retracted and touching the abdomen for more than 50% of the time suspended and with curled toes, it receives a score of 3.
If both the front and hind limbs are retracted for more than 50% of the time suspended, it receives a score of 4.
Place the mouse back into its cage and record its limb clasping score.
Note
This test is performed two days per week with two trials per session.