Figure 6. Normal cerebellar‐related behaviour is observed in developing (P10–13) SCA6^84Q/84Q mice.

We used three simple motor behaviour assays to evaluate cerebellar‐related behaviour during postnatal development since more standard assays like Rotarod cannot be used before eye opening. A, no changes were observed in the righting reflex, and both SCA6^84Q/84Q and WT mice took the same time to right when placed on their backs (time to right, WT: 2.6 ± 0.1 s, n = 28, black; SCA6^84Q/84Q: 2.5 ± 0.1 s, n = 30, orange; not significantly different, P = 0.67). B, a negative geotaxis assay was also used to assay cerebellar‐related behaviour. We observed no significant differences in the latency to turn so that their snout faces up when placed facing down on a shallow incline for WT and SCA6^84Q/84Q mice (time to turn, WT: 13.5 ± 0.7 s, n = 28; SCA6^84Q/84Q: 14.0 ± 0.7 s, n = 30; not significantly different, P = 0.62). C, we also used a wire‐hanging test to assay motor strength and cerebellar‐related behaviour. Both WT and SCA6^84Q/84Q mice showed similar latencies to fall from a wire (latency to fall, WT: 11.4 ± 1.4 s, n = 19; SCA6^84Q/84Q: 10.9 ± 1.2 s, n = 21; not significantly different, P = 0.77). Comparisons made by Student's t test; ns: P > 0.05.