[A simple multiple maze test to estimate learning and memory in mice: application to the effect of scopolamine on...

The apparatus consists of a home cage, a maze cage and a starting box. A maze with four right-middle-left decisions was placed in the maze cage. The starting box was attached and a water tap was placed at an area corresponding to the entrance of the maze. The exit of the maze and the home cage are connected with a tunnel. Food was placed in the home cage. 1) Mice were housed for 10 hr a day in the apparatus and then removed to another cage for fasting. One trial a day was carried out after fasting for more than 12 hr. In each trial, a mouse was put at the starting box, and then the number of errors (entering a blind alley) and the time until the mouse reached the home cage were counted. The mouse passed through the maze with a small number of errors and time. 2) Administration of scopolamine (0.125-0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) to a mouse that had mastered the maze transiently disturbed the maze performance dose-dependently. 3) Mice were housed for 4 hr a day. Scopolamine (0.25 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered either before or after the housing. Scopolamine disturbed the maze performance in the case of both procedures. These results suggest that the method is useful for estimating the memory in mice.