Rodent

1
Chapter 4 Rodent Behavioral Learning Memory
Models
From Mechanisms of Memory, second edition By J.
David Sweatt, Ph.D.
2
Hippocampal Pyramidal Neuron
3
Of Mice and Rats
Blue Box 1
4
Open Field Apparatus
Figure 1
5
Open Field Behavior
A
B
C
Figure 2
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Elevated Plus Maze
Figure 3
7
Roto Rod
Figure 4
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Rotating Rod Behavior
Figure 5
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Acoustic Startle and Prepulse Inhibition
A
B
Figure 6
10
Nociception Behavior
Figure 7
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Visual Cliff
Figure 8
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Fear Conditioning Chamber
Figure 9
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Variants of Fear Conditioning in Rodents
A.
Cue-plus-contextual Fear Conditioning
CONTEXTUAL TEST
TRAINING
CUED TEST
Context Alone Conditioning
B.
CONTEXTUAL TEST
TRAINING
C.
Context Discrimination
Train
Test
Context 1
Context 2
Context 1
Figure 10
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Cued-Plus-Contextual Fear Conditioning
Training
Cued
Contextual
Figure 11
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Contextual Fear Conditioning in Rats
Figure 12
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Passive Avoidance Paradigms
Step-Through Passive Avoidance
Step-Down Passive Avoidance
Train
Train
Test measure time to step through
Test measure time to step down
Figure 13
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Active Avoidance
Shuttle Box Active Avoidance
Test Can the animal avoid the shock?
Train
Figure 13, continued
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Passive Avoidance Data
Figure 14
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Bar Press Operant and/ or Conditioned Place
Preference
Figure 15
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Eyeblink Conditioning in Rabbits
Corneal Air Puff Elicits Eyeblink Response
Tone Given Alone Elicits Eyeblink Response
Corneal Air Puff Given with Tone
Figure 16
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Types of Mazes
8 Arm Radial Maze
Lashley Maze
4 Arm Radial (Plus) Maze
Finish
Start
Y Maze
T Maze
Triangle Maze
Figure 17
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The Morris Water Maze
Camera
Distal Visual Cues
Platform
Figure 18
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Morris Water Maze Experimental Results
Hidden Platform
A
Probe Test
B
C
Visible Platform
D
Figure 19
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Path Tracking in the Probe Test
Figure 20
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The Barnes Maze
Figure 21
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Conditioned Taste Aversion
A
B
DAY 1
1.0
1st Exposure to Food Item
0.8
0.6
grams blueberry bar
0.4
Injection of LiCl or NaCl
0.2
0.0
DAY 2
LiCl
NaCl
Grams Ingested on 2nd Exposure (LiCl treated
group compared to NaCl treated control)
2nd Exposure to Food Item
Figure 22
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Neophobia
DAY 1
A
DAY 2
2nd Exposure to Food Item
1st Exposure to Food Item
B
Grams Ingested (1st exposure compared to second
exposure)
Figure 23
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Novel Object Recognition
Figure 24
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Memory Reconsolidation
Figure 25
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The Four Basic Types of Experiments
Four Types of Experiments Four Types of Experiments

Hypothesis A?B?C Hypothesis A?B?C

Experiment Prediction

Determine None (A makes C happen)
Block Blocking B should block A causing C
Mimic Activating B should cause C
Measure A makes B happen

Figure 26
31
Behavioral Tests
Commonly Used in Rodents
Test Name Measurement Index
Of Open Field Analysis Distance
Moved Over Time
Activity Elevated Plus Maze
Time Spent in Open Arms
Anxiety Rotating-rod
Time to Fall Off Coordination and
Motor Learning Acoustic Startle Force of Jump
Hearing Pre-pulse
Inhibition Suppression of Startle
Sensorimotor Gating Hot
Plate Time to Lick Paw
Nociception Hargreaves Apparatus Time to
Lift Paw Nociception Light-Dark
Exploration Time in Lit
Chamber Vision Visual Cliff
Suppression of Movement Vision Fear
Conditioning Cued Freezing or Startle
Auditory Associative Learning Fear
Conditioning Contextual Freezing or
Startle Spatial Associative
Learning Passive Avoidance
Time Spent in Lit Chamber Spatial
Associative Learning Active Avoidance
Time Spent in Cued Chamber
Operant Conditioning Lever Press
Number of Bar Presses
Operant Conditioning Conditioned Place Preference
Time Spent in One Chamber Operant
Conditioning Eye-blink Conditioning
Blink in Response to Cue
Associative Conditioning Simple Maze Learning
Errors or Time to Completion
Spatial Learning, Working Memory Morris Water
Maze Quadrant Time, Platform
Crossings Spatial Memory Barnes Maze
Errors
Spatial Memory Conditioned Taste Aversion
Food or Taste Avoidance
Taste Learning Novel Taste Learning
Attenuation of Neophobia
Taste Learning Novel Object Recognition Time
Spent with Object Recognition Memory