Morris Water Maze
Objective: To determine if mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in the dorsal hippocampus CA1/CA2 subfield is essential for long-term spatial memory formation using the Morris water maze task
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Equipment1
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Protocol Steps
Morris Water Maze Training
Rats are trained in the Morris water maze spatial memory task to locate a hidden platform
Note: Enhanced MAPK phosphorylation was observed only after multiple training trials but not after a single trial
View evidence from paper
“The enhanced phosphorylation was observed only after multiple training trials but not after a single trial or after multiple trials in which the location of the target platform was randomly changed between each trial.”
Intrahippocampal Infusion - Experimental Group
Intrahippocampal infusion of PD098059 (MAPK/ERK cascade inhibitor) into dorsal hippocampi during or before training
Note: PD098059 infusion blocked formation of long-term spatial memory but did not impair acquisition
View evidence from paper
“Inhibition of the MAPK/ERK cascade in dorsal hippocampi did not impair acquisition, but blocked the formation of long-term spatial memory.”
Intrahippocampal Infusion - Control Group
Intrahippocampal infusion of SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) into dorsal hippocampi as control treatment
Note: SB203580 did not interfere with memory storage, serving as a control for specificity
View evidence from paper
“intrahippocampal infusion of SB203580, a specific inhibitor of the stress-activated MAPK (p38 MAPK), did not interfere with memory storage.”
Tissue Analysis - Phospho-MAPK Detection
Analysis of phosphorylated MAPK in hippocampal subfields following training
Note: Enhanced phosphorylation detected in CA1/CA2 pyramidal neurons but not in CA3 or dentate gyrus
View evidence from paper
“The activation was expressed as enhanced phosphorylation of MAPK in the pyramidal neurons of the CA1/CA2 subfield. In contrast, no increase in the percentage of phospho-MAPK-positive cells was detected in either the CA3 subfield or the dentate gyrus.”