Overview

• The study linked declines in rearing, hunching and climbing behaviors in mice specifically to substantia nigra pars compacta dopamine neuron loss, distinguishing these from ventral tegmental area effects.
• Analysis across both MPTP-induced and AAV-mediated mouse models confirmed the robustness of these behaviors as biomarkers.
• Notable lateralized movement patterns emerged in Parkinson’s mice, offering an additional indicator of disease progression.
• The machine learning–enhanced 3D spontaneous behavior tracking system enabled detection of subtle motor changes that traditional methods may miss.
• These insights establish a framework for translating behavioral biomarkers into earlier Parkinson’s diagnosis and intervention strategies.