Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
04:45
Morris Water Maze Experiment
Published on: September 24, 2008
Place learning in the Morris water task: making the memory stick.
1Center for Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
Learning & Memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.)
|May 18, 2006
Summary
Place memory retention in the Morris water task is excellent for short intervals but rapidly declines within 4 hours. Memory retention can be improved by strategically spacing training trials.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- The Morris water task is a widely used paradigm for studying spatial learning and memory in rodents.
- Despite extensive use, systematic investigations into the retention of spatial memories acquired through this task are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate the retention of spatial memories acquired using the Morris water task.
- To identify factors influencing the duration and quality of spatial memory retention.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Morris water task with rodents as a model system.
- Assessed spatial memory retention through selective search behavior on probe trials at varying retention intervals.
- Manipulated inter-trial and inter-block intervals during training to examine their effects on retention.
Main Results:
- Spatial memory retention, indicated by selective search, was robust at short retention intervals (5-10 minutes).
- Performance significantly deteriorated by approximately 4 hours, with search behavior becoming non-selective.
- Introducing gaps between training blocks improved long-term retention, but this effect was dependent on the duration of the gap in a non-monotonic manner.
- The initial training location did not impact long-term retention.
Conclusions:
- Spatial memory acquired via the Morris water task exhibits rapid forgetting, with significant decline occurring within hours.
- Inter-trial interval manipulation, specifically spacing training blocks, can enhance spatial memory retention.
- A memory modulation framework may offer insights into the mechanisms underlying these observed retention patterns.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...
01:23Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are cognitive tools that facilitate memory retention by linking new information to familiar patterns or organizational strategies. These techniques are beneficial for remembering complex or lengthy sets of information by simplifying and structuring them in easily retrievable ways.
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...
Acronyms
Acronyms are created by using the initial letters of a series of words to form a new word or phrase. This approach condenses complex information into a single, memorable entity. For example,...