1. From Mechanisms of Memory, second edition
Chapter 4:
Rodent
Behavioral Learning
Memory Models
From Mechanisms of Memory, second edition
By J. David Sweatt, Ph.D.

2. Hippocampal Pyramidal Neuron

3. Of Mice and Rats
Blue Box 1

4. Open Field Apparatus
Figure 1

5. Open Field Behavior A B C
Figure 2

6. Elevated Plus Maze
Figure 3

7. Roto Rod
Figure 4

8. Rotating Rod Behavior
Figure 5

9. Acoustic Startle and Prepulse Inhibition
Figure 6

10. Nociception Behavior
Figure 7

11. Visual Cliff
Figure 8

12. Fear Conditioning Chamber
Figure 9

13. A. B. C. Variants of Fear Conditioning in Rodents
Cue-plus-contextual Fear Conditioning
CONTEXTUAL
TEST
TRAINING
CUED TEST B.
Context Alone Conditioning
CONTEXTUAL
TEST
TRAINING C.
Context Discrimination
Train
Test
Context 1
Context 1
Context 2
Figure 10

14. Cued-Plus-Contextual Fear Conditioning
Training
Cued
Contextual
Figure 11

15. Contextual Fear Conditioning in Rats
Figure 12

16. Passive Avoidance Paradigms
Step-Through
Passive Avoidance
Step-Down
Passive Avoidance
Train
Train
Test:
measure time to step through
Test:
measure time to step down
Figure 13

17. Active Avoidance Shuttle Box Active Avoidance Test:
Can the animal avoid the shock?
Train
Figure 13, continued

18. Passive Avoidance Data
Figure 14

19. Bar Press Operant and/ or Conditioned Place Preference
Figure 15

20. Eyeblink Conditioning in Rabbits
Corneal Air Puff
Elicits Eyeblink Response
Tone Given Alone
Elicits Eyeblink Response
Corneal Air Puff
Given with Tone
Figure 16

21. Types of Mazes Figure 17 Lashley Maze 4 Arm Radial (Plus) Maze
8 Arm Radial Maze
Finish
Start
Triangle Maze
“T” Maze
“Y” Maze
Figure 17

22. The Morris Water Maze
Distal Visual Cues
Camera
Platform
Figure 18

23. Hidden Platform Probe Test Visible Platform
Morris Water Maze – Experimental Results
Hidden Platform
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Blocks of 4 trials
Escape Latency (sec) A
Probe Test B C
Opposite
Right
Trained
Left
Opposite
Right
Trained
Left
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
129/SvImJ
Platform Crossings
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0 1
Quadrant Search Time (%)
Visible Platform
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Blocks of 4 trials
Escape Latency (sec) D
Figure 19

24. Path Tracking in the Probe Test
Vehicle
Subject #66
Path Length = cm A
Subject #57
Path Length = cm
30 mg/kg SL327 B
Figure 20

25. The Barnes Maze Figure 21 Escape Chamber Spatial Cues
Search strategy A
Search strategy B
Figure 21

26. Conditioned Taste Aversion
DAY 1 B
1.0
1st Exposure to Food Item
0.8
0.6
grams blueberry bar
0.4
Injection of LiCl or NaCl
0.2
DAY 2
0.0
LiCl
NaCl
Grams Ingested on 2nd Exposure
(LiCl treated group compared to NaCl treated control)
2nd Exposure to Food Item
Figure 22

27. (1st exposure compared to second exposure)
Neophobia A
DAY 1
DAY 2
1st Exposure to Food Item
2nd Exposure to Food Item
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1st intake
2nd intake
grams blueberry bar B
Grams Ingested
(1st exposure compared to second exposure)
Figure 23

28. Novel Object Recognition
Figure 24

29. Memory Reconsolidation
Figure 25

30. Four Types of Experiments
The Four Basic Types of Experiments
Four Types of Experiments
Hypothesis: A→B→C
Experiment
Prediction
• 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

31. Commonly Used in Rodents
Behavioral Tests
Commonly Used in Rodents
Test Name Measurement Index Of:
Open Field Analysis Distance Moved Over Time Activity
Elevated Plus Maze Time Spent in Open Arms Anxiety
Rotating-rod Time to Fall Off Coordination and Motor Learning
Acoustic Startle Force of Jump Hearing
Pre-pulse Inhibition Suppression of Startle Sensorimotor Gating
Hot Plate Time to Lick Paw Nociception
Hargreave’s Apparatus Time to Lift Paw Nociception
Light-Dark Exploration Time in Lit Chamber Vision
Visual Cliff Suppression of Movement Vision
Fear Conditioning: Cued Freezing or Startle Auditory Associative Learning
Fear Conditioning: Contextual Freezing or Startle Spatial Associative Learning
Passive Avoidance Time Spent in Lit Chamber Spatial Associative Learning
Active Avoidance Time Spent in Cued Chamber Operant Conditioning
Lever Press Number of Bar Presses Operant Conditioning
Conditioned Place Preference Time Spent in One Chamber Operant Conditioning
Eye-blink Conditioning Blink in Response to Cue Associative Conditioning
Simple Maze Learning Errors or Time to Completion Spatial Learning, Working Memory
Morris Water Maze Quadrant Time, Platform Crossings Spatial Memory
Barnes Maze Errors Spatial Memory
Conditioned Taste Aversion Food or Taste Avoidance Taste Learning
Novel Taste Learning Attenuation of Neophobia Taste Learning
Novel Object Recognition Time Spent with Object Recognition Memory