Guiding principles for shaping instructed behaviors in lab rodents

Developing an integrated understanding of brain function demands to probe and alter neural activity in behaving animals. Although rodent species were initially considered ill-suited for studying the neural mechanisms supporting high-level cognition, the past two decades have seen a remarkable increase in the sophistication of behaviors that rodents can express in laboratory settings. However, establishing adequate behavioral paradigms and efficiently shaping rodent behavior in the lab are challenging such that the study of instructed behaviors remains confined to a handful of groups with hard-earned expertise. While detailed technical explanations are available for establishing specific behavioral setups, a general framework for how to instruct behaviors in lab animals is lacking. Here, we present a beginner-friendly, pragmatic introduction of how to best design lab tasks and train animals in these tasks. We delineate conceptual principles that cover all aspects of behavioral investigations in the lab; ranging from the choice of a model species and behavioral apparatus to the design of an automatic shaping trajectory, the monitoring of task acquisition and the reduction of variability in behavioral outcomes. For clarity, we illustrate these principles with specific examples borrowed from the literature. We also highlight which of these principles are rooted in theoretical work and experimental investigations, in contrast with those reflecting heuristics. Our hope is that by providing these guidelines, we help democratize the wide adoption of instructed behaviors in neuroscientific investigations which is essential in our understanding of the neural mechanisms of cognition.