Cognition – Radial Arm Maze
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The radial arm maze (RAM) is an assay of spatial memory that can be used in a variety of ways to probe working memory and/or reference memory. The most commonly used RAM task assesses spatial working memory in the maze where all arms are baited with food pellets. The test subjects utilize extra-maze spatial cues to navigate the maze. The most efficient strategy to collect food pellet reward is to enter each baited arm only once during the test session. Working memory can be assessed by measuring the number of repeat entries to arms of the maze already visited (‘errors’). The number of entries until the first error occurs is commonly used as an additional measure of performance in this version of the RAM. Working memory function is disrupted by administration of scopolamine and potential therapeutic compounds can be tested for ability to reverse scopolamine-induced deficit.
The PDE4 inhibitor rolipram and the histamine H3 receptor antagonist GSK189254 reversed scopolamine-induced deficits in the RAM as measured by the total number of errors (repeat entries to the arms already visited).
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GSK189254, but not rolipram, reversed scopolamine-induced deficits in the RAM as assessed by the number of entries into non-visited arms before the first repeat visit occurred.
