The Research Methods of Biopsychology: Part II

Methods of Studying BehaviorMethods of Studying Behavior

Open Field TestOpen Field Test

A measure of general activity. In automated versions infrared sensors A measure of general activity. In automated versions infrared sensors or video tracking is used to obtain precise measures of activity. In older or video tracking is used to obtain precise measures of activity. In older tests, a grid is drawn on the floor and the experimenter would score the tests, a grid is drawn on the floor and the experimenter would score the number of grid crossings.number of grid crossings.

Elevated Plus MazeElevated Plus Maze

Used mostly as a measure of anxiety. The time that an animal spends Used mostly as a measure of anxiety. The time that an animal spends in the enclosed arm and open arms is recorded by hand (stopwatch) or in the enclosed arm and open arms is recorded by hand (stopwatch) or video system. Anxious animals spend more time in the enclosed arms video system. Anxious animals spend more time in the enclosed arms and less time on the open arms.and less time on the open arms.

Behavioral Phenotyping

• Using a battery of behavioral tests to assess multiple functions. • Comparison across different tasks that differ in several ways (motor, sensory, motivational

etc.) may be like comparing apples and oranges.• Functional behavioral phenotyping – hold everything constant across tasks except for the

Independent Variable

What’s wrong with my genetically altered mouseWhat’s wrong with my genetically altered mouse

Neuropsychological TestsBehavioral tests performed with humans (sometimes to determine likely sites of brain damage)•Probabilistic classification – habit formation •WAIS – general intelligence•Wisconsin card sort – frontal lobe function

Radial Arm MazeRadial Arm MazeFood pellets are placed at the end of Food pellets are placed at the end of each arm. In the each arm. In the win-shift taskwin-shift task, , animals have to remember which animals have to remember which arms they have been to (using arms they have been to (using spatial cues) and avoid re-entering spatial cues) and avoid re-entering those arms (errors). those arms (errors).

Cued Win-Stay Task

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Hippocampal lesions Hippocampal lesions impair spatial win-shiftimpair spatial win-shift

Amygdala lesionsAmygdala lesions impair CCPimpair CCP

Dorso-lateral striatal Dorso-lateral striatal lesions impair lesions impair cued win-staycued win-stay

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_maze AND learning (1981-2004)

The Morris water mazeThe Morris water mazePubMed Search 2/25/05PubMed Search 2/25/05

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PubMed Search 2/25/05PubMed Search 2/25/05

The Morris water mazeThe Morris water maze

Search done today, 3/29/10 = 5,253 hits

The Morris water mazeThe Morris water maze

The Morris water mazeThe Morris water maze

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Standard Water Maze SetupStandard Water Maze Setup

Submergedplatform

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Target AnnulusTarget Annulus

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Water levelWater level

CCBBAA

Non-targetNon-targetAnnuliAnnuli

Dependent MeasuresDependent Measures

Place learning (acquisition)Place learning (acquisition)

EscapeEscape latencylatency – time (sec) to reach the platformDistanceDistance – length (cm) of swim pathHeading angleHeading angle – deviation (deg) from a direct pathCumulative distanceCumulative distance – cumulative average deviation (proximity to the

goal in cm) from a direct path

Probe test – spatial memory (retention)Probe test – spatial memory (retention)Quadrant timeQuadrant time – % time (sec) in each quadrant

Annulus crossingsAnnulus crossings – number of passes through target and non-targetannuli (= or 2x surface area of platform)

ProximityProximity – average distance (cm) from target and non-targetannuli

DistanceDistance – path length (cm) in each quadrant

ThigmotaxisThigmotaxis – swimming near wall – % time (sec) in outer zoneGeneral performance measuresGeneral performance measures

Swim speedSwim speed – cm/sec

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4 trials/day - 30 secPlace LearningPlace Learning

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Probe test without platform (60 sec)Probe test without platform (60 sec)

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DorsalDorsalHippocampusHippocampus

Adapted from Swanson (1992)Formol-thionin stain

Level 28 of 73

Swanson, L.W. (1992). Brain Maps: Structure of the Rat Brain. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Coronal section

HippocampusHippocampus

Adapted from Swanson (1992)Cresyl violet stain

Swanson, L.W. (1992). Brain Maps: Structure of the Rat Brain. Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Level 14 of 73Coronal section

Caudate-putamen complexCaudate-putamen complex

Devan, Goad & Petri (Neurobiol Learn Mem; 1996, 66:305-23)

Extent of damage Extent of damage from electrolytic from electrolytic lesions:lesions:

Minimum – rising-Minimum – rising-right hatchingright hatching

Maximum – rising-Maximum – rising-left hatchingleft hatching

Caudate-putamenCaudate-putamen Fornix/fimbriaFornix/fimbria

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Devan, Goad & Petri (Neurobiol Learn Mem; 1996, 66:305-23)

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