A new one-trial test for neurobiological studies of memory in rats. 1: Behavioral data.
In this paper we describe a new memory test in rats, based on the differential exploration of familiar and new objects. In a first trial (T1), rats are exposed to one or to two identical objects (samples) and in a second trial, to two dissimilar objects, a familiar (the sample) and a new one. For short intertrial intervals (approximately 1 min), most rats discriminate between the two objects in T2: they spend more time in exploring the new object than the familiar one. This test has several interesting characteristics: (1) it is similar to visual recognition tests widely used in subhuman primates, this allows interspecies comparisons; (2) it is entirely based on the spontaneous behavior of rats and can be considered as a 'pure' working-memory test completely free of reference memory component; (3) it does not involve primary reinforcement such as food or electric shocks, this makes it comparable to memory tests currently used in man.
Ennaceur
A
A
Laboratoire de Psychophysiologie, Université Paris VII, France.
Delacour
J
J
D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology*; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000502:physiology*