These two tests are for evaluating levels of repetitive compulsive behavior characteristic of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) and autism (ASR) and the effects of treatments to reduce these behaviors. In marble burying, each mouse is introduced into a cage with 25 marbles that are presented on the top of the sawdust (unburied). The number of marbles buried by the animal after 30 minutes’ exposure is recorded (Egashira et al, 2018). In the Nestles Shredding test, weighted cotton fibers are introduced into cage, and thereafter an animal is entered into that cage. After the animal spend 30 min in the cage, it is returned to its home cage and the unshredded cotton nestlets are weighted (the more compulsive the animal the less unshredded material will remain in the cage (Angoa-Perez et al, 2013).

Marble Burying Test (From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8ASyPT-F0g – Understanding Animal Research Channel)

References

Angoa-Pérez M, Kane MJ, Briggs DI, Francescutti DM, Kuhn DM (2013). Marble Burying and Nestlet Shredding as Tests of Repetitive, Compulsive-Like Behaviors in Mice. Journal of Visualized Experiments (82):50978. doi: 10.3791/50978.

Dorninger F, Gundacker A, Zeitler G, Pollak DD, Berger J. Ether Lipid Deficiency in Mice Produces a Complex Behavioral Phenotype Mimicking Aspects of Human Psychiatric Disorders. International Journal of Molecular Science 20 (16) :3929. doi: 10.3390/ijms20163929.