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"Spatial memory in Long Evans and Rattus Norvegicus rats"
Gloria Bustos1, Evelyn Basoalto, Teresa Pinto-Hamuy
1Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Biological Research
|September 30, 2003
Summary
Rats utilize a win-shift strategy for foraging, employing working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM). The Norvegicus rat strain demonstrated superior LTM compared to Long Evans rats, with no significant differences in WM performance.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Animal Behavior
- Cognitive Psychology
Background:
- Rodents navigate using visual cues and spatial strategies, adhering to a win-shift pattern.
- The Olton Octagonal Maze (OOM) is a tool for studying spatial working memory (WM).
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess and compare Long-Term Memory (LTM) and WM capabilities in Long Evans and Norvegicus rat strains using a modified OOM.
- To investigate the impact of delays on memory recall in different rat strains.
Main Methods:
- A delayed spatial win-shift task was implemented with Training and Test phases separated by 5 or 20-minute delays.
- Experimental groups underwent Training-Delay-Test, while control groups were only tested.
- LTM errors were defined as revisiting previously explored arms, and WM errors as revisiting arms within the same trial.
Main Results:
- Both rat strains exhibited LTM, with Norvegicus rats showing better performance.
- No significant differences were observed in WM errors between the strains.
- Norvegicus control rats shifted from allocentric to egocentric strategies, unlike Long Evans controls.
Conclusions:
- Norvegicus rats possess superior LTM compared to Long Evans rats.
- Working memory capacity appears consistent across both strains under these conditions.
- Rat strain influences spatial memory strategy, particularly in control conditions.