AN INEXPENSIVE NEW DEVICE TO PROVIDE RANDOM REWARDS FOR BEHAVIORAL-STUDIES

Behavior modification in rats often involves controlling the frequency of providing food rewards. This is accomplished with computer-control led devices or equipment purchased specifically for this purpose. Inve stigators currently choose from a few commercially available models, b ut each has its disadvantages or limitations, including a high cost (a bout US$1000). Computer-controlled devices can also be expensive and n eed a dedicated machine and software packages to perform the tasks. We designed a custom-built device to reward an action randomly from 1 ou r of 10 times to 10 out of 10 times. The device can be manufactured ea sily and inexpensively (about US$150). It has been in use for several months in our laboratories with no malfunctions. (C) 1998 Elsevier Sci ence Inc.