[Improved alternative electro-stimulus Y-maze for evaluating the spatial memory of rats].
To establish an effective model for evaluating the spatial memory of rats.



The adjacent left or right arm in Y-maze was defined as an initial arm or an objective one alternatively, and electro-stimulus to vola was used as a reinforcement. Meanwhile, the reliability of the model was validated by measuring the memory deficits induced by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg) or bilaterally intrahippocampal (i.h.) microinjection of MK-801(0.2 microg/site).



The normal, sham-operated or saline-treated rats learned the left-right alternative memory model rapidly while injection of either scopolamine or MK-801 caused spatial memory deficits in Y-maze, including deficits in working and reference memory. Moreover,there was no appreciable difference in electricity intensity between the treated group and the control group.



The alternative Y-maze with electro-stimulus is a comparatively objective model which can evaluate the spatial memory in rats effectively.T
College of Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031, China.
Jian
J
Yu
Yu-wen
YW
Huang
Zhong
Z
Chen
D000818:Animals; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology
D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D012601:Scopolamine