Morris Water Maze - Spatial Learning
Objective: Assessment of spatial learning ability in rats following chronic intraventricular infusion of AP5, an NMDA receptor antagonist, to determine the role of NMDA receptors in spatial learning
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Protocol Steps
Chronic intraventricular infusion of AP5
Rats received chronic intraventricular infusion of the NMDA receptor antagonist D,L-AP5
Note: The concentration used was sufficient to block hippocampal long-term potentiation in vivo without affecting normal synaptic transmission
View evidence from paper
“chronic intraventricular infusion of the NMDA receptor antagonist D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D,L-AP5) caused an impairment of spatial but not of visual discrimination learning in rats”
Spatial learning assessment
Rats were tested on spatial learning tasks using the Morris Water Maze
Note: AP5 caused selective impairment of spatial learning despite widespread CNS distribution
View evidence from paper
“chronic intraventricular infusion of the NMDA receptor antagonist D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D,L-AP5) caused an impairment of spatial but not of visual discrimination learning in rats”
Visual discrimination learning assessment
Rats were tested on visual discrimination learning tasks as a control condition
Note: Visual discrimination learning was not impaired by AP5, demonstrating selectivity of the spatial learning impairment
View evidence from paper
“chronic intraventricular infusion of the NMDA receptor antagonist D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D,L-AP5) caused an impairment of spatial but not of visual discrimination learning in rats”
Assessment of sensorimotor function
One experiment addressed whether sensorimotor disturbances caused by AP5 could be responsible for the spatial learning impairment
Note: Sensorimotor disturbance was found to be statistically independent from spatial learning impairment
View evidence from paper
“AP5 sometimes caused a disturbance of sensorimotor function during learning, but one experiment addressing whether this disturbance could be responsible for the spatial learning impairment established that it was statistically independent”
Retention testing
Assessment of whether AP5 affected retention of previously acquired spatial information
Note: AP5 did not affect retention of previously acquired spatial information
View evidence from paper
“Another experiment showed that AP5 did not affect the retention of previously acquired spatial information”
Hippocampal LTP assessment
Final study examined whether AP5 concentration was sufficient to block hippocampal long-term potentiation in vivo
Note: AP5 blocked hippocampal LTP in vivo without affecting normal synaptic transmission
View evidence from paper
“a final study, was found to be sufficient to block hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in vivo without affecting normal synaptic transmission”