SR-LAB™
SDI Startle Response System“Designed by Scientists for Scientists”

Over 20 years of use in scientific research • More published studies than any other startle system

SR-LAB™

Startle Response System
The SR-LAB™ Startle Response System – the world’s most widely usedsystem for startle reflex measurement and by far the most successful forfear potentiated startle and pre-pulse inhibition testing. SR-LAB provides
a complete hardware and software solution for a wide variety of startle
applications. The system can be configured with up to 16 stations fortesting large subject groups Intuitive yet powerful features cater to users
from the educated non-specialist to the sophisticated behaviorist.
SR-LAB takes full advantage of the Windows® operating system with dataorganization and management software that combines power and flexibility
with ease of use. SR-LAB software controls virtually any combination of
tones, noise bursts, lights, air puffs, background noise and foot shock
options. Flexible data organization and management software provides theability to configure multiple test stations, allowing rapid testing of a large
Complete SR-LAB test station with animal enclosure number of subjects. Importantly, SR-LAB supports multiple test paradigms
without requiring costly add-on kits or additional software.
installed in the isolation cabinet

The SR-LAB™ Startle Response System is the world’s most widely used startle systemand by far the best for testing startle habituation and pre-pulse inhibition.

Features & Benefits• Supports all startle paradigms including startle habituation, pre-pulseand cross-modal inhibition, fear potentiated startle, trace conditioning
and gap detection• Configure up to 16 test stations for rapid testing of large subject groups• Easy to use software controls all test paradigms• Plug-in kits for shock, puretone, airpuff and light stimuli• Results are reported in millivolts, which is a direct read and not a derived
figure such as Newtons• 5 standard animal enclosures with custom styles available• View WaveTM for data analysis and validation

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“Designed by Scientists for Scientists”

SR-LAB™Basic Components
The SR-LAB basic system components include:• Test cabinet in composite (ABS) or laboratory gradelaminate (Prime)• Animal enclosure in choice of standard sizes• Power supply• Input and Output cables• Animal enclosure base• Software and User Manual• Software utilities for data analysis
Other, optional components and accessories can be added to the basic SR-LAB system
including tactile (air puff) stimuli, light prepulse kit, extra animal enclosures,standardization unit, and absolute value (Newtons) calibrator. For more
information, please refer to the section on SR-LAB Optional Components.

SR-LAB Control Unit

control unit/software

animal enclosures

The SR-LAB Control Unit consists of a computer with an I/O boardand connection chassis. The Control Unit manages stimuli andmonitors responses for up to 16 test stations simultaneously. The
unique SR-LAB software eliminates programming by making all
operations available from intuitive, menu-driven choices. You areprompted to supply animal and test identifiers which are always
stored with the response data. The system controls the presentationof all stimuli. Each animal’s responses are displayed on screen
and recorded on the hard disk following every trial.

Animal enclosures are designed to locate the subject without using
restraint so the animals do not suffer from restraint stress andconfound the results of the startle testing. The SR-LAB enclosures
are configured to focus the source of stimuli on the animal’s centerline - the level of the stimuli is consistent and the animal is free toturn around and make other movements.
The SR-LAB cylindrical animal enclosure monitors animal movementswith an ultra-stable, hermetically sealed motion sensor using full
12 bit resolution (a range from zero to over 5000 millivolts) for
accurately measuring the wide range of startle responses. The
tubular design of the animal enclosure ensures that the animal
remains centered over the sensor for consistently reliable results.
Other systems with a square animal enclosure permit the animal
to be off-center which affects the consistency of the response.
The enclosures are made of transparent acrylic for easy cleaning
and convenient observation. All enclosures are adjustable inlength and come in five different sizes to accommodate adultand juvenile rats and mice— Small*, Small/Medium*, Medium,Large and X-Large. Also available are slotted enclosures fortethered animals in Small/Medium and Large sizes.

isolation cabinets
The SR-LAB test cabinets are uniquely designed to permit accurate
results in startle reflex testing by limiting inter-subject ultrasonicvocalizations and fear-related pheromones. Eachsturdy cabinet permits full and unobtrusive
observation of test animals and includes
a ventilation fan, light, and viewing
lenses. In addition, each cabinet
contains a complete sound generation
system for white noise production,
separately adjustable background noiselevels and accessory connections for
optional stimuli. Electronic circuitry isenclosed in a separate section of the cabinet.
The SR-LAB cabinets are easy to clean and available
in two different types – the “ABS” and the “Prime”.
Specialized amplifier circuitry, contained in the cabinet, permits
the use of a dynamic standardization system that emulates actual
startle response movements. The dynamic response sensor designignores static animal weights enabling the full range of the transducer
capacity to be available for response recording.
sr-lab 3* Ultra sensitive enclosures for mice

SR-LAB Animal Enclosures

SR-LAB Animal Enclosures

SR-LAB™

Software Features
test preparation

data management“View Wave™” – This post session data analysis tool allows you
to fully verify startle response data. The complete waveform canbe reviewed for every response to verify the calculated numeric
data. With the use of the Programmable Scoring Parameters, you
can refine data via settable parameters that include Baseline, Onset
Window Start, End Analysis and Onset criterion.
Response Data Options – The SR-LAB software applications offer
greater insight into the animal’s response to the startle stimulus.

Trial Definitions – you can define a trial to meet yourspecific needs. Each command in a trial is selectablefrom a predefined menu. You can control the start time
and the duration of each command in the trial.
Session Definitions – you define and edit test sessions by inserting
and removing ‘Trials’ with the click of the mouse. You can manuallyenter inter-trial intervals (ITI) or take advantage of the ‘random ITI
generator’. Saved sessions can be edited and renamed.
Diagnostics/Audio Calibration – you can observe response channel
integrity and calibrate acoustic stimulus amplitudes directly fromthe Oscilloscope mode reducing the preparation time needed toestablish stimulus levels in startle sessions.

test execution
Full “Run Time” Screen - you can monitor the test progress withsummary numeric data and response waveforms.

The expanded data response options included with SR-LAB are“Start, Baseline, Onset time to first peak, Time to maximum peak,Amplitude of first peak, Amplitude of maximum peak, and Average.”
Data Consolidation – SR-LAB software allows you to combine datafrom multiple startle sessions into a single Excel spreadsheet, into
ASCII file format, or your choice of statistical programs. Just ‘pointand click’ on
the files to beconsolidated andSR-LAB will preview
the data andfinish the process.
The merged data
can be sortedby Subject,Group, or ID.
Channel Consolidation – SR-LAB software allows you to define
the stations to be run, the channels to be displayed and the subject
information you want to include (i.e. Subject, Group and ID) in one
Specification Window. Channel specifications can be saved forquick re-use in subsequent high throughput experiments.

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calibration of sr-lab test cabinets
SR-LAB Standardization Unit – the SR-LAB Standardization Unit
confirms the reliability of all startle animal enclosures; both amongenclosures and over time, by transmitting a precise series of pulses
to the sensor located on each enclosure. Using the SR-LAB
Standardization Unit, you can adjust each animal enclosure to thesame base line value, thus standardizing the responses. This unit
is highly recommended for any SR-LAB multi-station system.

The SR-LAB software contains menu selections to help youplan, execute, and manage data in your startle response testing sessions.

“The SR-LAB Startle
Response System from SDI
has worked for us for manyyears, both as a measure of
acoustic startle andpre-pulse inhibition."
Eastern U.S. Government Research Lab

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SR-LAB™ Plug-In Kits

& Accessories

A variety of optional system components can be added to your SR-LAB system
at any time. The options include: the Potentiated Startle Response Kit, theTactile Kit (air puff stimuli), the Light Kit for pre-pulse stimuli, the Relay Chassis,
the High Intensity Light Kit and the Shock Level Tester.

Shock GridManual Shocker
SR-LAB Test Base
Potentiated Startle Response Kit

potentiated startle response kit

relay chassis

The SR-LAB Potentiated Startle Response Kit pairs foot shock witha conditioning stimulus for potentiated startle studies. The
conditioning stimulus can be acoustic, light, tactile or user-supplied.
The programmable shocker permits you to compose test sessions
using either a manually set constant shock level or applying multiple
shock levels via the SR-LAB Control Port commands. The shocker’s
display shows the actual amplitude delivered. The stainless steel
shock grid floor slides easily into the enclosure and is removablefor cleaning.

The SR-LAB Relay Chassis makes it possible to control lights,
acoustic devices and other 12 VDC stimulus devices from the"Port" command in the SR-LAB Trial Definition application. TheRelay Chassis contains four solid-state relays that receive
communication from the Control Port board and the Port Command.
Up to four SR-LAB Relay Chassis can be controlled from one Control
Port board.

The Potentiated Startle Response Kit is available for all enclosure
sizes and includes:• Animal Shocker – solid state, constant current, feedback
controlled• Shock Grid

high intensity light kit
The SR-LAB High Intensity Light Kit can be used to induce anxiety
in test animals. The light kit uses LEDs that emit 25 to 1500
lumens of light in the SR-LAB cabinet. The high intensity LEDs do
not generate heat or electrical noise that could influence an animal'sreaction.

• Control Port Interface Board (required only for adjusting
shock levels programmatically)• All cables and connectors

air puff kit
Each Air Puff Kit is designed to mount through the opening on theback of the SR-LAB test station. The Test Station Mount (aroundthe tubing) provides a rigid mount for the tubing. The tubing canbe moved horizontally through the Test Station Mount to position
the tube over the animal enclosure. Once positioned, a set screwin the Test Station Mount locks the tube in position. Each Air Puff
Kit includes::•Solenoid Box

LED Light Kit

led light kit•Test Station Mount

The LED Light Kit serves as an additional pre-pulse stimulus. Itattaches to the top of the animal enclosure and connects either
to the Shock port or to the AC Relay port on the test station.
Connection type must be identified when you order the SR-LAB.

•TubingAir Puff Kit
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“Designed by Scientists for Scientists”

pure tone kit

control port interface board

The Pure Tone Kit provides fixed frequency stimuli through a separate
speaker attached to the animal enclosure. This kit is used forspecialized startle paradigms ( for general PPI testing the white
noise generator is used and this kit is not required). The Pure Tone
Kit is available in a one frequency, two frequency, or three frequency
model. The trial definition in the software allows the user to choose
which frequency and control the duration and amplitude of thestimulus. The basic unit supports up to four test stations. For each
additional four test stations a matching amplifier is available.

This expansion board can be purchased as an optional component
with the SR-LAB system. When it is installed in the SR-LAB
computer, sixteen signal channels are available for controllinga programmable shocker and other stimulus devices via theSR-LAB ‘Control Port Command’.

shock level tester
The SR-LAB Shock Level Tester displays whether or not the shock
grid is working properly. Just clip the Shock Level Tester on to ashock grid and set the appropriate shock level on the shocker. Theshock level detected will be displayed on the LCD read out and on
the SR-LAB Shock Level Tester. You will know that the shock gridis working properly when the shock level entered matches the value
displayed on the LCD of the Shock Level Tester.

Pure Tone Kit

SR-LAB™

Specifications
Dimensions

ABS Isolation Cabinet - 15” (W) x 14” (D) x 18” (H)Prime Isolation Cabinet - 16" (W) x 15" (D) x 23" (H)Control Box - 16” (W) x 14” (D) x 5 3⁄4” (H)Small Animal Enclosure - 3 1⁄2” (L) x 1.1” (ID)
Small/Medium Animal Enclosure - 5” (L) x 1 1⁄2” (ID)
Medium Animal Enclosure - 6” (L) x 2 1⁄4” (ID)
Large Animal Enclosure - 8” (L) x 3 1⁄2” (ID)X-Large Animal Enclosure- 10" (L) x 5" (ID)
Small/Medium Slotted Animal Enclosure - 5” (L) x 1 1⁄2” (ID)
Large Slotted Animal Enclosure- 8” (L) x 3 1⁄2” (ID)Weight24 lbs. (ABS Isolation Cabinet), 51 lbs. (Prime Isolation Cabinet), 6 lbs. (Control Box)

Material Composition

ABS Isolation Cabinet: ABS plastic, Prime Isolation Cabinet: Laminate
Control Box: Aluminum, Animal Enclosure: AcrylicMaximum # Stations

16 stations per computerStandard Cable Lengths

8 ft.

Certifications

CEStimuli Options

Tones, noise bursts, background noise, lights, air puffs, foot shocks and user-defined stimuli

Color Options

White
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“Designed by Scientists for Scientists”“Designed by Scientists for Scientists”

sr-lab computer requirements
Windows XP/Windows 7 compatible computer system with available
PCI slot. Minimum disk and memory sizes specified to support
Windows XP/Windows 7 are acceptable.

sdi configured computers
SDI offers high performance Cobalt™ Configured Computers thatare pre-installed with the Windows® operating system and applicable
SDI software. If required, SDI will pre-install PC Interface cards andall relevant drivers. Each computer is fully tested with your system
prior to shipment. When your SDI system arrives, all you have to
do is unpack it, attach the cables and begin testing.

sdi startle response test systems• SR-LAB™
• SR-HLAB™

for more information
To learn more about SDI behavioral testing systems, please visit
www.sandiegoinstruments.com. If you have any questions or would
like to request a quote please call (858) 530-2600 or email us atsales@sandiegoinstuments.com.
To view the online SR-LAB overview presentation, please visit:
sandiegoinstruments.com/presentations.

San Diego Instruments, Inc.
9155 Brown Deer Rd. Suite 8
San Diego, CA 92121
Ph: 858-530-2600
Fax: 858-530-2646©2010 San Diego Instruments. All rights reserved. SR-LAB is a trademark of San Diego
Instruments, Inc. and SDI and the SDI logo are trademarks of San Diego Instruments, Inc.
All other trademarks mentioned herein are property of their respective owners. Specifications
are subject to change without notice. The equipment described herein is designed forresearch and educational purposes and is not intended for the diagnosis, alleviation, treatment,
monitoring or prevention of disease, injury or handicap.

www.sandiegoinstruments.com

0610-SRLAB