T-maze, Barnes maze, eight-arm radiation maze, Morris water maze comparison

T-maze, Barnes maze, eight-arm radiation maze, Morris water maze comparison

In the non-clinical efficacy study, behavioral experiments were mainly used to study the effects of drugs on animal learning and memory function. The internal psychological processes of humans and animals cannot be directly observed. The processes occurring in the brain can only be inferred based on the observable stimuli. The study of the memory processes in the brain can only learn or perform a task from humans or animals. After a certain period of time, measure their performance or reaction time to measure the coding form, storage capacity, retention time and conditions on which they depend. The basis of the learning and memory experiment method is conditioned reflex, and various methods are derived from it. At present, a large number of behavioral methods for learning memory research have been established, each with advantages and disadvantages. The commonly used labyrinth is briefly described below.

1. Zhenghua T-Maze Experiment

Observation indicators: the time required for the animal to complete the experiment, the ratio of each exploration and the previous different arms.

Advantages and Disadvantages: The advantage is that the T-maze does not provide reward and punishment conditions, it is entirely the nature of animal exploration, so it can minimize the confounding factors that affect the experimental results. The disadvantage is that rodents have a natural side-to-side advantage, that is, animals are more inclined to one side (left or right) in the T-maze, and this phenomenon has germline differences and gender differences.

Since the animal needs to remember the direction of the previous exploration each time the animal explores the direction of exploration, the T-maze experiment can test the working memory of the animal well and determine the spatial memory ability of the animal. Similar to the T-maze, there is a Y-maze. The design principle and experimental scheme of the experiment are very similar to the Y-maze, except that the shape of the labyrinth is changed from T-shape to Y-shape.

2, Barnes labyrinth experiment (Zhenghua brand)

Principle: The animal uses the visual reference provided to effectively determine the part of the arm where the shelter is located. The Barnes maze consists of a circular platform, surrounded by a number of small holes that penetrate the platform. The diameter, thickness, and width of the platform vary from laboratory to animal. The number of holes is determined by the experimenter's habit, usually 10 to 30. A box was placed at the bottom of one of the holes as a shelter for the experimental animals; the bottom of the other holes was empty and the test animals could not enter. The experimental site is similar to other labyrinth experimental sites and requires visual reference to the experimental animals. The experimental plan is based on the experimenter's habits and different experimental requirements. After each training, it is cleaned with 70% alcohol and the correct hole is changed, but the spatial position of the hole is unchanged to prevent the animal from finding the hole through the sense of smell. . The Barnes labyrinth generally uses stimuli such as glare, noise, and wind as the motive for the experimental animals to enter the escaping hole.

Observation indicator: Determine the spatial memory ability of the animal for the target. During the experiment, the experimental animals were placed in the center of the high platform, and the time for the experimental animals to find the correct holes and the number of entrances to the wrong holes were recorded to reflect the spatial reference memory of the animals. It is also possible to measure the working memory of an animal by recording the number of times the animal repeatedly enters the wrong opening.

Advantages: no food deprivation and foot electric shock are required, so the stress on animals is small. The experiment requires little physical strength of the animal, and can minimize the impact of physical decline caused by age on the experimental results. The experiment takes less time and the entire experiment can be completed in 7 to 17 days. It can prevent animals from completing experiments with odor.

3. Zhenghua brand radial maze experiment (eight arm radiation maze)

Principle: Rats can effectively determine the location of the arm where the food is placed, using the information provided by the distal cues in the room. The radial arm maze can be used for the study of spatial reference memory and working memory in rats. Information is useful for many periods/days during reference memory and is usually required throughout the experiment. The working memory process differs from the reference memory process in that it has only one primary but temporary information. Since the information provided in the maze (intraarm bait) is only useful for one experimental period, but not useful for subsequent experiments, the rat must remember Delay the information within the interval (minutes to hours). Make the right choice in the arm maze to reward the food.

Advantages and Disadvantages: It is suitable for measuring the working memory and spatial reference memory of animals, and the stability of repeated measurements is better. However, some drugs (amphetamine) can affect hypothalamic function or cause appetite deficiency, affecting the appetite motive used in the maze, so the animal can not complete the maze experiment well.

4, Zhenghua brand Morris water maze experiment

Principle: A mouse and rat can learn to swim in a water tank and find an experimental method for hiding in an underwater escape platform. Since there are no accessible clues to mark the position of the platform, the effective positioning ability of the animal requires the use of a structure outside the tank as a clue. The labyrinth consists of a circular pool, an automatic camera and an analysis system. The automatic image acquisition and processing system is mainly composed of a camera, a computer, and an image monitor. The animal starts the monitoring device after entering the water, records the animal's motion track, and automatically analyzes the report after the test is completed. parameter.

Test indicators: The experimental procedures include: (1) Place navigation, which is used to measure the ability of mice to acquire water and maze learning and memory. The experiment lasted for 4 days, and each training was performed once in the morning and afternoon, for a total of 8 times. The experiment observed and recorded the route map and time required for the mouse to find and climb the platform, that is, record its latency and swimming speed. (2) Spatial probe test, which is used to measure the ability to maintain the memory of the platform space after learning to find the platform. After the positioning navigation experiment is completed, the platform is removed, and the water is placed in the water from the same water inlet point, and the time of the first arrival at the original platform position and the number of crossing the original platform are measured.

Advantages and Disadvantages: Morris Water Maze is a more objective evaluation method for learning and memory function in the world. The Morris water maze was used to detect spatial memory learning ability. The main advantage of the water maze compared with the radial arm maze is that 1 in the water maze, the time required for animal training is shorter (1 week), while the arm maze requires several weeks of training time; 2 clues in the maze For example, the odor can be eliminated; the three large dose-effect studies can be performed within one week; 4 the computer can be used to establish an automatic image acquisition and analysis system, which can be used to generate corresponding histograms and runs based on the collected data. The trajectory map is convenient for researchers to further analyze and discuss the experimental results to study the movement or motivation problems of rats; 5 animals can not be fasted in the experiment. In theory, the water maze experiment is an aversive-driven experiment and the arm-maze experiment is an appetite-driven experiment.

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