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An automated maze task for assessing hippocampus-sensitive memory in mice.

Elsa Y Pioli1, Brianna N Gaskill2, Gary Gilmour3

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Behavioural Brain Research
|December 17, 2013
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Summary

An automated T-maze accurately assesses hippocampal function in mice, mirroring results from traditional methods. This automation reduces handling effects and increases experimental throughput for cognitive studies.

Keywords:
AutomatedHippocampusMazeMouse

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • Hippocampal dysfunction is linked to memory deficits in neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.
  • The T-maze alternation task is sensitive to hippocampal damage, but traditional methods are labor-intensive and affected by handling.
  • A fully automated T-maze was developed to address limitations of the hand-run task.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the hippocampal dependence of rewarded alternation in a novel automated T-maze.
  • To compare the performance of hippocampal-lesioned mice in both automated and hand-run T-maze paradigms.
  • To evaluate the impact of handling history on behavioral responses in both maze types.

Main Methods:

  • Bilateral hippocampal lesions were induced in mice.
  • Mice were tested in both a standard hand-run T-maze and a fully automated T-maze using a cross-over design.
  • Rewarded alternation performance was measured in both paradigms.

Main Results:

  • A robust impairment in alternation performance was observed in hippocampal-lesioned mice in both the automated and hand-run mazes.
  • The automated maze demonstrated similar sensitivity to hippocampal lesions as the hand-run maze.
  • Performance in the automated maze was not influenced by handling history, unlike the hand-run maze.

Conclusions:

  • The automated T-maze is a sensitive and reliable tool for assessing hippocampal function.
  • Automation reduces experimental variation by minimizing handling effects and increasing reproducibility.
  • The automated T-maze offers potential for high-throughput cognitive assessment in drug discovery.