Papers of the Week

What is the central question of this study? Forced treadmill exercise using electrical shock is the most common technique in rodent exercise studies. Here we examined how using electrical shock during forced treadmill exercise effects behavioral and physiological responses compared to a novel non-electrical shock technique. What is the main finding and its importance? Mice that underwent forced running using a novel technique involving gentle prodding to induce running showed 1) higher locomotor activity, 2) less anxiety-like behavior, and 3) altered exercise-induced muscle pain immediately after exercise compared to mice that underwent traditional treadmill running induced by electrical shock.