What does the Y maze test in mice?
The Y-maze can be used to assess short term memory in mice. Spontaneous alternation, a measure of spatial working memory, can be assessed by allowing mice to explore all three arms of the maze and is driven by an innate curiosity of rodents to explore previously unvisited areas.
How do you do the Y maze test?
Testing occurs in a Y-shaped maze with three white, opaque plastic arms at a 120° angle from each other. After introduction to the center of the maze, the animal is allowed to freely explore the three arms. Over the course of multiple arm entries, the subject should show a tendency to enter a less recently visited arm.
What is maze learning?
learning to reach the goal object or objects in a maze by starting from a designated point and following various paths, some of which do not lead to the goal.
How long it takes a rat to run a maze?
The rats are trained, with the food reward, to run through the maze in less than 10 s without entering the side arm.
How long can mice swim before drowning?
Exhibiting great endurance and flexibility, mice can swim and tread water for up to 3 days. When fully submerged, mice can also hold their breath for up to three minutes. Compare that to the two minute average for humans, and it’s certainly impressive.
How do you measure depression in mice?
The tail suspension test (TST) induces similar behavior as the Porsolt test. It is mainly used in mice. The mouse is hanging by the tail and its body hangs down in the air. The test takes about 6 minutes and can be repeated several times (Cryan & Mombereau, 2004).
What is signaled avoidance?
Signaled avoidance involves classical conditioning such that the aversive stimulus becomes an unconditioned stimulus (US) paired with a conditioned stimulus (CS), usually a tone or flash of light. First rats are conditioned to associate the CS with an inescapable US until presentation of the CS elicits a fear response.