Chapter 4:
Rodent
Behavioral Learning
Memory Models
From Mechanisms of Memory, second edition
By J. David Sweatt, Ph.D.
Hippocampal Pyramidal Neuron
Of Mice and Rats
Blue Box 1
Open Field Apparatus
Figure 1
Open Field Behavior
Center/total distance
A
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0
2
4
6
8
10
Time (min)
400
30
C
Vertical activity
Total distance (cm)
B
300
200
100
0
20
10
0
0
2
4
6
Time (min)
Figure 2
8
10
0
2
4
6
Time (min)
8
10
Elevated Plus Maze
Figure 3
Roto Rod
Figure 4
Rotating Rod Behavior
Time (sec)
150
100
50
0
0
1
2
Trial
Figure 5
3
Acoustic Startle and Prepulse
Inhibition
2000
% Inhibition
Acoustic startle reflex to
120 dB noise
75
1500
1000
50
25
500
0
0
74
78
82
dB
A
Figure 6
B
86
90
Nociception Behavior
20
10
0
+/+ n=26
-/- n=20
Stimulus Intensity (mA)
Hind Paw Lick Latency (s)
Hot Plate Test
0.35
0.30
0.25
Shock Threshold
-/- n=6
+/+ n=6
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00
Flinching
Figure 7
Jumping
Vocalizing
Visual Cliff
Figure 8
Fear Conditioning Chamber
Figure 9
Variants of Fear Conditioning in Rodents
A.
Cue-plus-contextual Fear Conditioning
TRAINING
CUED TEST
CONTEXTUAL
TEST
B.
C.
TRAINING
Context Discrimination
Train
Context 1
Figure 10
Context Alone Conditioning
Test
Context 1
Context 2
CONTEXTUAL
TEST
Cued-Plus-Contextual Fear Conditioning
Freezing (%)
100
Training
75
50
25
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Time (min)
Cued
100
Contextual
75
Freezing (%)
Freezing (%)
100
50
25
50
25
0
0
1
2
3
Time (min)
Figure 11
75
4
5
6
0
0
1
2
3
Time (min)
4
5
Contextual Fear Conditioning in Rats
Figure 12
Passive Avoidance Paradigms
Step-Through
Passive Avoidance
Train
Test:
measure time to step through
Figure 13
Step-Down
Passive Avoidance
Train
Test:
measure time to step down
Active Avoidance
Shuttle Box
Active Avoidance
Train
Figure 13, continued
Test:
Can the animal avoid the shock?
Passive Avoidance Data
Figure 14
Bar Press Operant and/ or Conditioned Place Preference
Figure 15
Eyeblink Conditioning in Rabbits
Corneal Air Puff
Elicits Eyeblink
Response
Figure 16
Corneal Air Puff
Given with Tone
Tone Given Alone
Elicits Eyeblink Response
Types of Mazes
Lashley Maze
4 Arm Radial (Plus) Maze
8 Arm Radial Maze
Finish
Start
Triangle Maze
Figure 17
“T” Maze
“Y” Maze
The Morris Water Maze
Distal Visual
Cues
Platform
Figure 18
Camera
A
Probe Test
Escape Latency (sec)
Morris Water Maze – Experimental Results
60.0
Hidden Platform
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
1
B
C
Right Trained
3
4
5
6
7
8
Blocks of 4 trials
9
Right Trained
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
4.0
Opposite Left
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
0.0
1
129/SvImJ
D
Escape Latency (sec)
Opposite Left
50.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Visible Platform
1
2
3
4
Blocks of 4 trials
Figure 19
10
5.0
Platform Crossings
Quadrant Search Time (%)
60.0
2
5
6
Path Tracking in the Probe Test
A
Subject #66
Path Length = 1154.2 cm
Vehicle
B
Subject #57
Path Length = 1278.2 cm
30 mg/kg SL327
Figure 20
The Barnes Maze
Escape
Chamber
Spatial
Cues
Search strategy A
Search strategy B
Figure 21
Conditioned Taste Aversion
A
DAY 1
B
1.0
Injection of LiCl or NaCl
DAY 2
grams blueberry bar
1st Exposure to Food Item
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
LiCl
NaCl
Grams Ingested on 2nd Exposure
2nd Exposure to Food Item
Figure 22
(LiCl treated group compared to NaCl treated
control)
Neophobia
DAY 1
1st Exposure to Food Item
DAY 2
2nd Exposure to Food Item
B
0.8
grams blueberry
bar
A
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
1st intake
2nd intake
Grams Ingested
Figure 23
(1st
exposure compared to second exposure)
Novel Object Recognition
Figure 24
Memory Reconsolidation
Figure 25
The Four Basic Types of Experiments
Four Types of Experiments
Hypothesis: A→B→C
Prediction
Experiment
• Determine
• None (A makes C happen)
• Block
• Blocking B should block A causing C
• Mimic
• Activating B should cause C
• Measure
• A makes B happen
Figure 26
Behavioral Tests
Commonly Used in Rodents
Test Name
Open Field Analysis
Elevated Plus Maze
Rotating-rod
Acoustic Startle
Pre-pulse Inhibition
Hot Plate
Hargreave’s Apparatus
Light-Dark Exploration
Visual Cliff
Fear Conditioning: Cued
Fear Conditioning: Contextual
Passive Avoidance
Active Avoidance
Lever Press
Conditioned Place Preference
Eye-blink Conditioning
Simple Maze Learning
Morris Water Maze
Barnes Maze
Conditioned Taste Aversion
Novel Taste Learning
Novel Object Recognition
Measurement
Distance Moved Over Time
Time Spent in Open Arms
Time to Fall Off
Force of Jump
Suppression of Startle
Time to Lick Paw
Time to Lift Paw
Time in Lit Chamber
Suppression of Movement
Freezing or Startle
Freezing or Startle
Time Spent in Lit Chamber
Time Spent in Cued Chamber
Number of Bar Presses
Time Spent in One Chamber
Blink in Response to Cue
Errors or Time to Completion
Quadrant Time, Platform Crossings
Errors
Food or Taste Avoidance
Attenuation of Neophobia
Time Spent with Object
Index Of:
Activity
Anxiety
Coordination and Motor Learning
Hearing
Sensorimotor Gating
Nociception
Nociception
Vision
Vision
Auditory Associative Learning
Spatial Associative Learning
Spatial Associative Learning
Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Associative Conditioning
Spatial Learning, Working Memory
Spatial Memory
Spatial Memory
Taste Learning
Taste Learning
Recognition Memory