Swim Path Analysis
Objective: Detailed analysis of swimming trajectories to the platform location during the probe test using Wintrack software
This is a Swim Path Analysis protocol using rat as the model organism. The procedure involves 4 procedural steps, 4 equipment items, 1 materials. Extracted from a 2007 paper published in PLoS Biology.
Model and subjects
rat • Sprague-Dawley • male • Three-month-old
Study window
~2 day study window | ~1 minutes hands-on
Core workflow
Animal habituation to pool • Water maze training trials • Probe test
Primary readouts
- Time spent in target quadrant during probe test
- Swimming trajectories and swim paths to platform location
- Latency to reach platform during training trials
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Animal habituation to pool
Animals were habituated to the pool before training began
Note: Habituation period precedes training trials
View evidence from paper
“Before the start of the training, the animals were habituated to the pool for 2 d for 1 min/d”
Water maze training trials
Learning group animals required to locate submerged platform using spatial cues in fixed location
Note: Four trials per day from three different randomly varied start points. If animal did not find platform, it was placed on platform at end of trial
View evidence from paper
“four trials per day (90 s with an intertrial interval of 30 s and beginning from three different start points that varied randomly each day)”
Probe test
Assessment of spatial memory by measuring time spent in target quadrant where platform was previously located
Note: Platform removed during probe test
View evidence from paper
“For the probe test (60 s), performances were assessed by the time spent in the target quadrant where the platform was previously located”
Swim path analysis during probe test
Detailed analysis of swimming trajectories to platform location performed using Wintrack software
Note: Analysis conducted post-hoc on recorded probe test data
View evidence from paper
“Detailed analysis of swim paths made to reach the platform location during the probe test was performed using the Wintrack software”