该系统具有害怕条件和震惊反射两种设备的优点，可以记录分析通过重量传感器产生的动物移动信号，信号通过加载单元传送到软件，硬件接口部分可以控制产生不同的光、声音、电击、空气喷出等刺激方式，可以测量每个静止事件持续时间、震惊反应最大幅度、最大震惊反应潜伏期、最大震惊反应持续时间、震惊反应平均值等。
• 震惊条件反射系统用于研究动物对突然的强烈刺激的反应的观察以及数据分析。
• 震惊条件反射系统利用一台电脑能同时控制4个震惊反应箱。
• 震惊条件反射系统可进行恐惧诱导性惊愕实验。
• 噪音刺激可同时加入触觉刺激（如吹气），根据用户自定义的间隔给出相应刺激，为恐惧诱导性惊愕实验，还能提供电刺激（能到3.0mA）。
• 反应时间，应答潜伏等指标，将在结果中显示并储存以便进一步的统计评价分析
Startle Response System
The acoustic startle reflex is ahighlycharacteristic response to a sudden, intense stimulus. It hasbeenobserved in many species (e.g. rats, mice and also humans).Inrodents the startle response is characterized by contractionsofthe major body muscles.
By performing acoustic startle response experimentsgeneralinformation about sensimotor processing can be achieved. In"PPI"(prepulse inhibition) experiments a weak signal (the prepulse)isfollowed immediately by a sudden intense stimulus(startlestimulus). Normally the weak signal attenuates the responseto thestartle stimulus. Deficits in the PPI are related to deficitsinsensimotoric gating processes. Alternatively,"fear-potentiatedstartle" experiments can be performed: theresponse to astartle-eliciting stimulus is increased when it haspreviously beenpaired with an aversive stimulus like a footshock.Fear-potentiated startle experiments have been widely usedinstudies of fear conditioning.
Startle reflex in small rodents can be easily quantified withournew computerized startle response measuring system. The wholesetupis contained in sound-attenuating isolation cabinets. Up to4startle boxes can be operated simultaneously with onecomputer.
Animals are tested restrained in small holders - restrictingmajormovements and exploratory behavior - that are mountedonspecies-specific load cell platforms. Intense auditorystimulicharacterized by very rapid rise times are generated bymeans ofhigh-quality high-linearity speakers.
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The auditory stimuli can be combined withtactilestimuli (air puffs) to form user-defined trial sequenceswithvariable inter-stimulus intervals. For assessmentoffear-potentiated startle an electrical stimulus (up to 3.1mA)canbe applied using the integrated shock grid. The systemalsoprovides a TTL signal (digital signal) that can be used toswitchon a camera or a video tape recorder or to controladditionalexternal devices such as user-specific signal generators.Theflexible profile editor allows all standard tests to becreatedincluding complex "pre-pulse" designs to measure excitatoryandinhibitory effects on startle.