Delta Phenomics is a partner in the Neuromodel consortium, an Initial Training Network
on innovative treatment approaches of Huntington's disease (HD) and Parkinson's
disease (PD) funded through an EU FP7 Marie Curie program. The network consists
of several partners both academic institutions as well as companies. Together
they aim to unravel the pathways of the diseases to develop novel therapeutic targets,
predict early phenotypes and markers and generate novel mouse and rat models.

Specifically, at Delta Phenomics we currently investigate novel early onset behaviors
in PD transgenic and HD transgenic mice models using our integrated home cage approach,
as well as classical behavioural tests and gait analysis (CatWalk).

Latest news

Early detection of Huntington’s disease

Our tests with R6/2 mice (a HD transgenic mouse model) in the PhenoTyper homecage, measuring spontaneous activity as well as performance in automated coginitive tests monitored over a series of days revealed that behavioral signs of HD are already evident at the age of four weeks. Early onset indicators are particularly important in the development of new neuroprotective strategies that aim to slow down or even stop the neurodegeneration.

Part of this data has been presented at the 9th Dutch Neuro-Endo-Psycho meeting (Mellace et al. 2011; poster) and at the 43rd annual meeting of the European Brain and Behaviour Society [EBBS] (de Heer et al., 2011; poster).