A new apparatus using a corridor and photoconductive cells was devised for the purpose of measuring the time, distance and speed of walking activity of mice, and the actions of a central excitant methylphenidate were studied by the use of thes apparatus. This method is featured in that the activity of the animal is not recorded even when the animal has passed one checkpoint but until it passes an adjacent checkpoint, that is, how many times the animal may pass one checkpoint, this activity is not recorded, that it is possible to measure the time and distance of the activity at one minute intervsls after administration of a test agent, and that the apparatus permits the measurement of the momentary speed of the animal. It was believe that this method, when looked upon from the point of view of walking activity, is superior to the other methods.
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