What is the Morris water maze experiment?

The Morris water maze (MWM) is a test of spatial learning for rodents that relies on distal cues to navigate from start locations around the perimeter of an open swimming arena to locate a submerged escape platform.

What does the Y maze test in mice?

The Y-maze can be used to assess short term memory in mice. Spontaneous alternation, a measure of spatial working memory, can be assessed by allowing mice to explore all three arms of the maze and is driven by an innate curiosity of rodents to explore previously unvisited areas.

Who invented the Morris water maze?

Richard Morris
It was developed by Richard Morris at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and first described in two publications in the early 1980s (Morris, 1981; Morris et al., 1982).

What is escape latency Morris water maze?

One of the most commonly used performance measures is the escape latency, defined as the time for the animal to find the platform and escape the maze.

What does the forced swim test measure?

The Forced Swim Test is a mouse behavioral test used to evaluate “depressive-like” states and behavioral despair. This test was first developed in 1977 by Porsolt to test anti-depressant efficacy of new compounds. Animals undergoing this test must be placed in Category E.

How do you calculate Y maze?

The entry is considered when all four limbs are within the arm. The alternation percentage is calculated by dividing the number of alternations by number of possible triads x 100.

How do you analyze Y maze?

To test this, one arm of the Y-Maze is blocked off and the animal is allowed to explore the other two arms. The animal’s memory function is tested when the animal is returned to the maze with all arms open and monitored for the tendency to spend time in the new arm or the known arms.

What does the T maze measure?

T Maze Spontaneous Alternation is a behavioral test for measuring exploratory behavior in animals, especially rodent models for CNS disorders. This test is based on the willingness of rodents to explore a new environment, i.e. they prefer to visit a new arm of the maze rather than a familiar arm.

What is escape latency?

One of the most commonly used performance measures is the escape latency, defined as the time for the animal to find the platform and escape the maze. Other measures proposed in the literature include the swimming path length, which is suggested to be a better measure than escape latency1,8,9.

What is MWM latency?

Latency in MWM refers to the time taken for a mouse to locate the escape platform. It is expected to reduce in a mouse with intact cognitive function and prolonged in condition of cognitive impairment.

What is the probe trial?

For example, a “probe trial” measures how long the test subject spends in the “target quadrant” (the quadrant with the hidden platform). More elaborate trials alter the location of the hidden platform, or measure distance spent swimming in the pool before reaching the platform.

How long will a mouse swim before drowning?

They are natural swimmers Although not their preferred form of travel, mice do fairly well in the water. Exhibiting great endurance and flexibility, mice can swim and tread water for up to 3 days. When fully submerged, mice can also hold their breath for up to three minutes.

Is the forced swim test still used?

Due in part to concerns about the forced-swim test’s accuracy, major drug companies such as Roche, Janssen and AbbVie have abandoned the procedure in recent years.

What is the elevated zero maze?

The elevated plus maze (EPM) and elevated zero maze (EZM) are behavioral tests that are widely employed to assess anxiety-like behaviors in rats and mice following experimental manipulations, or to test the effects of pharmacological agents.

How do you calculate Y maze data?

How does the Y maze work?

The Y maze consists of three arms that are 120 degrees to each other in the shape of a capital Y. There are food rewards in the arms of the Y and there are doors at the entrances to the arms to either confine the animal to a specific arm once they’ve chosen to go down that arm, or to block them from entering that arm.

What is Y maze?

Y Maze Spontaneous Alternation is a behavioral test for measuring the willingness of rodents to explore new environments. Rodents typically prefer to investigate a new arm of the maze rather than returning to one that was previously visited.

How do you test mouse working memory?

Abstract. Spatial working memory can be assessed in mice through the spontaneous alternation T-maze test. The T-maze is a T-shaped apparatus featuring a stem (start arm) and two lateral goal arms (left and right arms).

What is blinded endpoint?

The benefits associated with a strict randomization procedure are maintained and the incorporation of clearly defined, blinded endpoints helps to eliminate bias by allowing objective comparison of therapies and evaluation of the study results by an independent body.

Do weanling mice show spatial learning in the Morris water maze?

Weanling mice exhibit spatial learning in the Morris water maze (MWM). Spatial learning was assessed as a function of training day with respect to the following parameters: (A) escape latency, (B) percentage of time spent in the target quadrant, and (C) percentage of total path length spent in the target quadrant.

Where should a maze be placed in a lab?

Room configuration The maze should be placed in a room with ample surrounding visual cues. These distal cues can be intentional or can be endogenous to the room; however, it is critical that the cues are not moved during testing as these are the animal’s navigational reference points for locating the goal, independent of start location.

Is the MWM a maze?

The MWM is not a maze in the usual sense—that is, it is not a labyrinth; rather, it is an open circular pool that is filled approximately half-way with water. The interior is made such that it is as close to being featureless as possible.

Why do mice float in water?

Mice are buoyant because their fur coat contains water-repellant oils that allow them to remain floating for minutes at a time. Testing mice in 20–22 °C water generally reduces the frequency of floating. Nonetheless, caution should be used in allowing experimenter interventions.