Cover: The cover figure shows the path followed by a representative 9-month-old WT, parkin null (PK−/−), tau mutant (TauVLW), and parkin null + tau mutant (PK−/− + TauVLW) mice and their motor activity were measured during 10 min in an open field task by a computerized actimeter (Actitrack, Panlab, Barcelona, Spain). This consisted of a 22.5×22.5 cm area, with 16 infrared beams all around, coupled to a computerized control unit. This allows for the analysis of the distance run in the actimeter (ambulation) and the zonal distribution of the movement (anxiety). The figure shows graphically that TauVLW and PK−/− /TauVLW mice do not ambulate on the central zone of the open field. This behavioural pattern of avoidance of the central zone is considered characteristic of anxiety. PK−/− /TauVLW run smaller distances in central zone than the other groups. See J.A. Rodríguez-Navarro et al., pp. 3128-3143.
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