A Computer Touch‐screen Apparatus for Training Visual Discriminations in Rats

Markham, Michael R.; Butt, Allen E.; Dougher, Michael J.

doi:10.1901/jeab.1996.65-173

Cited by 39 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The accuracy exhibited by the rats in the control groups was comparable with that in other touchscreen paradigms (Markham et al, 1996). There were small variations in the performance of the control groups between the four experiments, resulting in modestly larger differences between the control groups for the combined four experiments (Fig.…”

Section: Pkc⌬ In Por Cortex Neurons Enhanced Visual Object Learningsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…Each daily session consisted of 120 discrimination trials, and the rats were trained 7 d/week. For each object set, a specific object was always correct; because performance with either object as correct is similar (Markham et al, 1996), counterbalancing was not used. Objects were as follows: ' and ", described previously (Cook et al, 2004); Ⅺ, 6.7 cm external side ϫ 0.6 cm wide; ϩ, 6.4 ϫ 1.3 cm for each bar; / and \, 8.3 ϫ 1.0 cm (45°or 135°f or long side); , ։, and -, 6.4 cm horizontal bar, 1.3 cm vertical bar, and 0.8 cm wide for both bars.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic Enhancement of Visual Learning by Activation of Protein Kinase C Pathways in Small Groups of Rat Cortical Neurons

Zhang

Wang²,

Kong³

et al. 2005

J. Neurosci.

170

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Although learning and memory theories hypothesize that memories are encoded by specific circuits, it has proven difficult to localize learning within a cortical area. Neural network theories predict that activation of a small fraction of the neurons in a circuit can activate that circuit. Consequently, altering the physiology of a small group of neurons might potentiate a specific circuit and enhance learning, thereby localizing learning to that circuit. In this study, we activated protein kinase C (PKC) pathways in small groups of neurons in rat postrhinal (POR) cortex. We microinjected helper virus-free herpes simplex virus vectors that expressed a constitutively active PKC into POR cortex. This PKC was expressed predominantly in glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in POR cortex. This intervention increased phosphorylation of five PKC substrates that play critical roles in neurotransmitter release (GAP-43 and dynamin) or glutamatergic neurotransmission (specific subunits of AMPA or NMDA receptors and myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate). Additionally, activation of PKC pathways in cultured cortical neurons supported activation-dependent increases in release of glutamate and GABA. This intervention enhanced the learning rate and accuracy of visual object discriminations. In individual rats, the numbers of transfected neurons positively correlated with this learning. During learning, neuronal activity was increased in neurons proximal to the transfected neurons. These results demonstrate that potentiating small groups of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in POR cortex enhances visual object learning. More generally, these results suggest that learning can be mediated by specific cortical circuits.

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Section: Pkc⌬ In Por Cortex Neurons Enhanced Visual Object Learningsupporting

confidence: 53%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Enhancement of Visual Learning by Activation of Protein Kinase C Pathways in Small Groups of Rat Cortical Neurons

Zhang

Wang²,

Kong³

et al. 2005

J. Neurosci.

170

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…These authors suggest that the differential rates of learning are likely due to differences in the spatial contiguity of stimuli and responses, perhaps because attending to the location of the response draws resources away from the task of stimulus sampling. Similarly, Markham et al (1996) found that rats learned in the touchscreen much more rapidly when reward delivery occurred at the rear of the testing chamber, away from the rat, as opposed to reward being delivered just underneath the stimuli. This result may seem surprising, since rats learned more rapidly when the spatial contiguity of stimulus and reward was poorest, but again, the poor performance in the condition under which reward was delivered near the stimulus may be due to rats attending to the site of reward delivery, rather than the stimulus, when it is making its nose-poke response.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…In addition to the advantages of facilitated translation between human and animal tests, the task offers many other advantages, including low motoric demand, ease of administration, and accuracy of task parameters. The method has been used effectively in a number of behavioral, lesion, and pharmacological studies (e.g., Izquierdo et al 1993;Sahgal and Steckler 1994;Steckler and Sahgal 1995;Markham et al 1996;Bussey et al 1997aBussey et al ,b, 1998Bussey et al , 2001aParkinson et al 1999Parkinson et al , 2002Chudasama et al 2001;Chudasama and Robbins 2003;Cook et al 2004;Dalley et al 2005;Janisewicz and Baxter 2003;Brigman et al 2005;Minini and Jeffery 2006;Morton et al 2006).…”

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confidence: 99%

The touchscreen cognitive testing method for rodents: How to get the best out of your rat

Bussey¹,

Padain²,

Skillings³

et al. 2008

Learn. Mem.

226

222

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The touchscreen testing method for rodents is a computer-automated behavioral testing method that allows computer graphic stimuli to be presented to rodents and the rodents to respond to the computer screen via a nose-poke directly to the stimulus. The advantages of this method are numerous; however, a systematic study of the parameters that affect learning has not yet been conducted. We therefore sought to optimize stimuli and task parameters in this method. We found that when parameters were optimized, Lister Hooded rats could learn rapidly using this method, solving a discrimination of two-dimensional stimuli to a level of 80% within five to six sessions lasting ∼30 min each.In a final experiment we tested both male and female rats of the albino Sprague-Dawley strain, which are often assumed to have visual abilities far too poor to be useful for studies of visual cognition. The performance of female Sprague-Dawley rats was indistinguishable from that of their male counterparts. Furthermore, performance of male Sprague-Dawley rats was indistinguishable from that of their Lister Hooded counterparts. Finally, Experiment 5 examined the ability of Lister Hooded rats to learn a discrimination between photographic stimuli. Under conditions in which parameters were optimized, rats were remarkably adept at this discrimination. Taken together, these experiments served to optimize the touchscreen method and have demonstrated its usefulness as a high-throughput method for the cognitive testing of rodents.It is now well understood that the use of animal models is an essential component in our quest to understand the brain mechanisms of cognition. In addition, such models are necessary for researchers to be able to test potential therapeutic agents in a direct and expedient manner that is not possible in human subjects. Moreover, we are experiencing a revolution in the sophistication of transgenic and knock-out animal models that creates opportunities for cognitive testing and therapeutic screening that were until recently, unthinkable (Kobayashi and Chen 2005).To achieve successful translation of findings from animal models to humans, the cognitive tasks we use with our rodents should resemble as closely as possible those used with human subjects. Increasingly, human subjects are tested using computerautomated methods. A particularly powerful approach is the "touchscreen" testing method, in which subjects respond directly to stimuli on a computer screen (e.g., Robbins et al. 1994). The advantages of this method are numerous and include facilitated performance due to contiguity between stimuli and responses and the ability to present a battery of different cognitive tests in which parameters such as stimuli, responses, and feedback are consistent across tasks and conditions.To create a cognitive testing method for rodents that matched, as far as possible, the touchscreen testing method for humans, Bussey et al. (1994Bussey et al. ( , 1997a) (see Fig. 1A) developed the touchscreen testing method for rats, a method which has...

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“…For instance, Markham, Butt, and Dougher (1996) and Bussey, Muir, Everitt, and Robbins (1997) reported that touchscreen technology can be used to teach rats a variety of simple visual discriminations, but they conducted no direct comparison with more traditional lever-based approaches. Our procedural comparison of traditional levers and touchscreen technology grew out of our efforts to create a highly automated situation for rapidly training visual discriminations in rats.…”

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confidence: 99%

Touchscreen-enhanced visual learning in rats

Cook

Geller

Zhang

et al. 2004

Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers

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The efficiency of traditional levers and of modern touchscreen technology for training rats on a computerized visual discrimination was studied in a series of observations. When compared with a leverbased discrimination procedure, the use of touchscreens supported the faster development of signal tracking behavior and acquisition of a two-stimulus simultaneous visual discrimination. It did not affect the final level of accuracy. Factors related to spatial proximity of the responses with the stimuli, signtracking, and increased ease of touchscreen motor responses were suggested as possible reasons for the touchscreen training advantage. This increased efficiency allows large numbers of animals to be tested quickly, a necessary requirement for studies involving genetic and physiological interventions.

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A Computer Touch‐screen Apparatus for Training Visual Discriminations in Rats

Cited by 39 publications

References 15 publications

Genetic Enhancement of Visual Learning by Activation of Protein Kinase C Pathways in Small Groups of Rat Cortical Neurons

Genetic Enhancement of Visual Learning by Activation of Protein Kinase C Pathways in Small Groups of Rat Cortical Neurons

The touchscreen cognitive testing method for rodents: How to get the best out of your rat

Touchscreen-enhanced visual learning in rats

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